OTTOMAN TURKEY, DATED FRIDAY 1 MUHARRAM AH 1221/21 MARCH 1806 AD

Details

A COPY OF THE RUZNAMA PREPARED FOR THE OTTOMAN SULTAN SELIM III (r. 1789-1807)
OTTOMAN TURKEY, DATED FRIDAY 1 MUHARRAM AH 1221/21 MARCH 1806 AD
Ottoman manuscript on watermarked paper, 8ff., each with around 30ll. of black naskh arranged within tables, titles and important words and phrases in red, green, orange and gold, headings in large gold or polychrome thuluth, text within thick gold rules, the text predominantly covering the year AH 1221/1806-7 AD, in contemporary binding with gilt tooled medallions
Text panel 8 x 4 3/8in. (20.2 x 11cm.); folio 9 5/8 x 5 7/8in. (24.3 x 15.2cm.)

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Lot Essay

This is a copy of the Ruznama or official calendar drawn up on Nowruz, Friday 1st Muharram AH 1221/21 March 1806 AD, for Sultan Selim III. On the vernal equinox of every year, the chief astrologer would present as part of a ceremony the calendar for the coming year. Copies would be given to important men of the state. The calendars consisted of both calendrical and astronomical information according to various calendars (mainly Islamic and Julian but also sometimes other such as Coptic and Alexandrian) as well as prognostications for the sultan and the men of the state for the coming year. The name of the chief astrologer is not given here. A copy of a Ruznama made for Sultan Mahmud II sold in these Rooms, 31 March 2022, lot 110.

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