Hezarfen Hüseyin Efendi, Tenkih-i Tevarih-i Müluk (Inquiry into the History of Kings), Turkey, Ottoman, first half 19th century

Hezarfen Hüseyin Efendi was a native of Kos and completed his education in Istanbul where he gained a palace position as tutor to Mehmed IV. During this time, he composed the Tenkih, beginning on 1 Muharram 1081 AH/21 May 1670 AD and completing it on 24 Shawwal 1083 AH/12 February 1673 AD.

The Tenkih is a concise, universal history encompassing: the history of ancient Persia, the Sasanids, the Ptolemies, the Prophet Muhammad, the early Caliphs, the Umayyads, the 'Abbasids, the Fatimids, the Ottomans, the founding of the Roman Empire, some Greek philosophers, Constantinople and the Bzyantine Empire, Çemberlitaş and Dikilitaş, the Genose conquest of Galata, China and Central Asia, some of the islands in the Indian and Chinese seas, the religions, knowledge, customs and traditions of the various peoples living in these areas, as well as the discovery of America. The first conclusion deals with latitude and longitude, leagues and miles, and the second sets out the author’s views on social and political life. For further reading on the author, see Ilgürel 1998, pp.544-6.

In this manuscript, the main text is preceded by a preface in Arabic prose and poetry by a contemporary of Hezarfen, Ebu’l-Beka Kefevi (d.1684), praising the work. The preface is signed twice by Shaykh Muhammad al-‘Arabi, who describes himself as the chief military judge (kazaker) of Rumelia and in another place as ‘formerly judge in Constantinople.’ It is likely that this figure is Arab-zade Mehmed Sa‘dullah Efendi (d.1843), who was twice military judge of Rumelia (Güldöşüren 2007, pp.58-76). He was also a student of the ta’liq master Mehmed Es’ad Yesari. A calligraphic panel in ta’liq script signed by him and dated 1254 AH/1838-39 AD is now in the Çeti̇ndoğan Collection, Istanbul (see Safwat 2014, n.43), and a muraqqa' is housed in the Sakip Sabanci Collection, also in Istanbul (published in Derman 1998, p.102-3), for a prayer book by the scribe, see Sotheby's, London, 24 October 2018, lot 38.