Or 16621

This volume contains genealogies and brief accounts of prophets and rulers down to the end of the tenth century AH/sixteenth century CE, with the main framework consisting of horizontally arranged genealogical tables. This work was translated and adapted from a Persian work titled Tavārīkh-i mulūk va akhbār-i salaf-i suluk by Yusuf ibn-i Abdüllatif, a scholar at the court of Süleyman the Magnificent (ruled 926-974 AH/1520-1566 CE). Both titles are found in the author’s preface.

According to Babinger, Yusuf ibn-i Abdüllatif’s Sübhatü’l-ahbar was the source of Derviş Mehmed ibn-i Şeyh Ramazan’s well-known genealogical compilation Subhatu’l-ahbar ve Tuhfetü’l-ahyar (see GOW, 70-1). Both works were also produced in scroll format (for a scroll version of Yusuf ibn-i Abdüllatif’s Sübhatü’l-ahbar, see Lansdowne MS 38).

Simplifying history’s complexities somewhat, the author divides rulers into two categories: those after the advent of Islam (İslam), and those before (Cahil). The latter comprise four dynasties (here tabaka): Dadiyan, Kiyaniyan, Eşkaniyan, and Sasaniyan. Rulers of the Islamic era comprise ten dynasties: Beni Ümeyye, Abbasiyan, Samaniyan, Tabaka-’i Sebüktegin (i.e. Ghaznavids), Deyalime (Buyids), Hvarezmiyan, Selcukiyan, Melahide, Tabaka-i Çengiz Han, and Osmaniyan.

Yusuf ibn-i Abdüllatif’s original work was frequently extended to include the Ottoman Sultans who came after Süleyman. The present manuscript appears to end with Sultan Mehmed III (ruled 1003-1012 AH/1595-1603 CE), while Lansdowne MS 38 ends with Ahmed III (ruled 1115-1143 AH/1703-1730 CE), and Add MS 7881 ends with Mahmud II (ruled 1808-1839 CE). Add MS 7881 also includes a list of Grand Viziers 'who fought in the Path of God,' followed by separate lists of governors of Baghdad (after 1049 AH) and of Mosul (after 1000 AH).

In the first part of the work, Turkic rulers are found in the top horizontal band of each page, Iranian ones in the middle, and prophets below. Some names, especially those of early prophets, are accompanied by biographical sketches. The name of the Prophet Muhammad is on f 16v, and that of Ali is on 17v. These are followed by the names of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs and of the other eleven Imams respectively.

The present manuscript is defective. There is one lacuna between f 28, which ends with the Mongol Khan Geyhatu and the Great Seljuk Sultan Ebu’l-Muzaffer Arslan, and f 29, which begins with the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed I. There is another lacuna between f 29, which ends with Sultan Murad, and f 30, which has only the name of Sultan Mehmed (the third).

Begins:

Hamd-i bi-hadd ve sana-yi bi-‘add Ol Hakim-i Kadim ve ‘Alim-i Kerim’e ki bi-muceb-i Hammartu tinet Adem bi-yedeyye erbain sabahen Yed-i kudret ve pergar-i iradetiyle da’ire’i vücud-i Adem sahife-’i şühud-i ‘alem üzere nigaşte

Ends:

Hazret Sülüs ‘aşer min Al ‘Osman Sultan Mehmed Han ebbedellah saltanatah ila ahiri’z-zaman Cemaziyülevvel sene 1003.

Each name is illuminated inside a coloured roundel. The colours, apparently distributed at random, are black, green, orange, yellow, and blue. Other contents include Şerh-i Daire-i Ricalu’l-gayb on ff 1v-2r, which is a text explaining the use of the circular diagram (daire) on 2r and an accompanying prayer to find and seek the help of the hidden saints known as Ricalu’l-gayb. On 30v, there are lines of lyric verse with attributions to Hayali and (?) Sün‘i.

The work is dated 16 Cemaziyülevvel 1003 AH/27 January 1595 CE.