The Urban World of the Matraki Manuscript
Norman J. Johnston
Jul 1, 1971
Citations
6
Citations
Journal
Journal of Near Eastern Studies
Full text
Semantic Scholar
Key Takeaway Key Takeaway: The Matraki Manuscript's miniatures, a record of the Sultan's campaign in the 16th century, provide a valuable record of the urban life of the Ottoman Empire during Suleyman's rule.
Abstract
INCLUDED among the flood of changes introduced to Turkey by the Ataturk revolution of the early 1920's was one which, though it represented only a minor flow, yet would provide a source of continuing interest for scholars examining aspects of the sixteenth century Ottoman Empire of Suleyman the Magnificent. This was the rediscovery of the Matraki manuscript, Description of the Stages of Sultan Suleyman's Campaign in the Two Iraqs.1 Consisting of 109 folio sheets of both text and miniatures and dated A.H. 944 (A.D. 1537-38), the manuscript, part of a larger history, was both written and illustrated by Nasuh as-Silahi al-Matraki for the Sultan and represented a report to him of the towns and sites he and his army had passed through or camped at during the progress of his first campaign eastward from Constantinople into Persia in 1534-36. In due course the manuscript disappeared among the holdings of the Yildiz Palace library, turning up again at the time that collection was transferred to the library of Istanbul University in 1924. Little is known of the author-miniaturist; as an historian and mathematician of the period, he appears to have held an official court assignment, and this led to his role as recorder of the Sultan's campaigns. Thus he was included in the official suite during the campaign, was familiar with its day-to-day progress, and was able at first hand to observe the changing landscape, the cities, and the camp sites marking the army's progress. Of the text and miniatures, it is the record of the trip represented by the latter which especially dominates the eye. And, indeed, Matraki's work as evidence of a skilled and sensitive employer of the miniaturist's art could by itself have established for him a continuing reputation: the splendor of his colors (reds, greens, yellows, blues, with