YUSUF IBN ABD AL-LATIF (D. 1545 AD): SANJAT AL-AKHBAR
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YUSUF IBN ABD AL-LATIF (D. 1545 AD): SANJAT AL-AKHBAR

OTTOMAN TURKEY, PERIOD OF SULTAN MURAD III, BEFORE AH 1000/1591-2 AD

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YUSUF IBN ABD AL-LATIF (D. 1545 AD): SANJAT AL-AKHBAR
Ottoman Turkey, period of Sultan Murad III, before AH 1000/1591-2 AD
A genealogy of Sultan Murad III, Arabic and Ottoman Turkish manuscript on paper, 33ff. plus 3 flyleaves, of typical form tracing the descent of the Sultan from Adam, the names contained within roundels written in naskh in red, black and green outlined with gold, some of the roundels highlighted with cloudbands, cintamani and other designs, final folio with waqf inscription dated 1000, slight staining, original brown morocco binding with tooled medallion, repaired at spine
Folio 11 5/8 x 7½in. (29.5 x 19cm.)
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Lot Essay

This manuscript was almost certainly produced in Istanbul after the accession of the Sultan Murad III in 1574. Most of it is taken up with a series of genealogical tables which constitute a digest of world history presented in diagrammatic form. The tables culminate in the genealogy of the Ottoman dynasty, culminating in Sultan Murad III and his immediate family.
The brief introduction in Turkish gives the title as Sanjat al-Akhbar which was compiled for Sulayman the Magnificent by Yusuf ibn 'Abd al-Latif. The present manuscript is an updated version extended to the time of Sulayman's grandson, Sultan Murad III.
The author was one of two popularisers of this type of world history and it remained popular for centuries. Many copies have portraits of the Sultans inserted into the roundels. The present copy does not have these miniatures but is notable for the quality of its illumination, with many designs typical of 16th century Ottoman Turkey.
The waqf notices are in the name of Mustafa ibn Qubad whose seal is impressed in several places. He was Agha-yi Chavushan, the chief officer of the corps of ushers at the imperial court. His seal is dated AH 999.
Bagci, S.: From Adam to Mehmed III: Silsilename in The Sultan's portrait, Picturing the House of Osman, Istanbul, 2000, pp.188-201.

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