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This volume contains the Ottoman state history authored by Râşid Mehmed Efendi (died 1148 AH/1735 CE), a chronicler, poet, and writer.

Râşid Efendi composed the work during his time as a Vak‘anüvis (court historian) in the period between 1126-1135 AH/1714-1723 CE. According to one view, he was the first holder of this office, while another view holds that he succeeded the famous historian Mustafa Naima (1065–1128 AH/1655–1716 CE) in the role (Repp, ‘Naima’). Naima’s history covered the period between 1000 and 1070 AH/1591 to 1660 CE. Râşid Efendi picked up where Naima left off, with his own history covering events between the years 1071-1134 AH/1660-1722 CE.

Along with events which he personally witnessed, Râşid Efendi drew on official documents and court histories (vakayinameler) in order to cover events going back several years before his appointment. He initially began the work under the instruction of Şehid Ali Paşa in 1115 AH/1703 CE, and was then directed to add a section covering 1071-1115 AH/1660-1703 CE by Damad İbrahim Paşa. After he was appointed to the kadılık of Aleppo in Ramazan 1135 AH/June 1723 CE, Çelebizâde Âsım Efendi replaced him as Vak‘anüvis and continued from where he had left off, covering events in 1134-41 AH/1722-9 CE. Râşid Efendi’s Tarih was published together with Çelebizâde Âsım Efendi’s continuation by the Müteferrika press in three volumes in 1153 AH/1741 CE. Both texts were also included in another edition published in 1282 AH/1865 CE in five volumes.

The present volume covers the period from 1071 AH/1660-1 CE to 1099 AH/1687-8 CE. It represents approximately the first half of the first volume of Râşid Efendi’s work (according to the Müteferrika edition). It closes with an account of the Kazaskerler of Anatolia, found under events of the year 1099 AH/1687-8 CE. The corresponding place in the Müteferrika edition is close to the end of f 136v in volume one. Although carefully written, the present copy is not free from errors. The text on 134r is offset from 133v owing to the spillage of water, however this does not affect the legibility of 133v. As in printed editions, the text is preceded by a detailed table of contents on ff 1v-13r.

Text begins (f 14v):

(Besmele) Hamt o Mubdi’-i kargah-ı icat ve tekvin Cenabına ki mütenebbi’an-ı safahat-ı tevarih ve ezman ve vukuf-i ezel-unvan-ı vücudunda hayran [sic] ve mutasaffihan-ı tabakat-ı havadis ve ekvan idrak-ı şümar-ı sanayi dest-i cudunda velhan olup ... Amma ba‘d: Bu bi-ser-i [sic] menzil-resan-i menahic ve meraṣid Ebu’l-Mekarim Mehmed el-med‘u bi-Raşid

Ends:

Hâmid Efendi, Minkarizade Abdullah Efendi, Ebu Said-zade Feyzullah Efendi saniyen, İmam-i sultan İbrahim Efendi, Müfettiş İbrahim Efendi, Abdürrahim-zade Kehteri Mehmed Efendi, iki defa Sadr-ı Anadolu olup anda hitam buldu

The colophon, on f 133v, gives the date as Zilhicce 1099 AH/September-October 1688 CE. This is likely the date of completion for this section of Râşid’s work. The copy itself likely dates from the 12th century AH/18th century CE.