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ACQUISITIONS OF 1970-9 (Or. 12.466)

Cod.Or. 12.466 Divan üfj-»-» An early 19th-century copy of a collection of Turkish, Persian, and some Arabic, poems by [Seyyid] Tevfik, who flourished in the second half of the 18th century. He was possibly the seyhülislüm of the same name, who held office for thirteen days in 1205/1791 (cf. SO 1 VI, p. 1761); he was known as a poet. The work was offered to Sultan Selim [III, ruled 1203/1789-1222/1807], as the poet describes in a kaside, if. 4a-b (see also quotation, below). From the concluding Persian mesnevi, it appears that the compilation of the divan was commissioned by §erlf Efendi while he was mufti(seyhiilislam, in office 1192/1778-1196/1782 and 1203- 4/1789, cf. ff. 127a-b). In the heading preceding the mesnevi, the author is described as ‘merhüm’, deceased. No other copies of this work seem to be documented. The work consists, roughly, of four parts: (1), ff. lb-67a, kasfdes/chronograms and some fugitive verses; (2), ff. 67b-102a, 156 gazels in divan sequence; and (3), ff. 102a-113a, tahmts, kit‘as, riddles and other forms; and (4), ff. 113b-127b, a Persian divan. The first part (1) contains two introductory quatrains (lb); a series of kit ‘as of varying length, all headed ‘na‘t-i serif (lb-3a); 153 kasftfes/chronograms praising and commemorating events, like enthronements, appointments and births of sons and daughters, related to members of the ruling dynasty, and of the sultans Mustafa [III], ‘Adulhamid [I] and Selim, as well as high officials, from Seyhiilislams and grand viziers, down to the valt of Konya (Ebübekir Pa§a, in 1195 , 44b). A kaside in praise of Sultan Selim also mentions the circumstances of the composition of the divan and its offering to the Sultan (3b-4b). From f. 45b onwards, there is a series of chronograms on the building and repair of houses owned by officials as well as the foundation and repair of libraries, mosques (see also 19b), court houses, fountains, tekkes and a fOdirvan (from f. 53b). Births, marriages, circumcisions, appointments, deaths, and other events involving officials are found from f. 60a onwards. The death of the author’s father, Eyiib Efendi (1198/1783-4), and that of his sister, Zahide Kadin (1169/1755-6), are commemorated on ff. 65b and 66b. Two kasides/chronograms in Arabic are found on ff. 25b-26b. Dates given in the margins or between the lines in red range from 1144 (1731-2) to 1205 (1790-1). Exceptionally in these series are chronograms on the launching of a galleon named Bahr-i zafer (18a-19a); on the renovation of the Palace after a fire (in 1203/1789-90, 20a-b); and on [the completion of] a manuscript copy of a na‘t by Es‘ad Efendi (59a-60a).