[Tarih-i sefer-i Kandia] - [تأريخ سفر قندیه]

This volume contains an account of the siege of Kandia, Crete by the Grand Vezir Köprülüzade Fazıl Ahmet Paşa (1077-80 AH/1667-69 CE), without the author's name mentioned. It is under the heading: Haza tarih-i Kandia-yi merhum ve mağfur lihi Köprülüzade Vezir-i A'zam ve Serdar-i ekrem Fazıl Ahmet Paşa Hazretlerinin üç senelik tarihtir. . The text begins with Hikayet-i azimet-i Kandia. The work was written some time after the event as Sultan Mehmet IV, who died in 1104 AH (1692-93 CE), is spoken of as being deceased (f 3r). But it is evidently based upon authentic documents, as it provides precise dates for all the incidents of the siege and quotes extensively several letters of Ahmet Paşa to the Sultan and vice versa. The narrative begins in 1076 AH (1665-66 CE). Ahmet Paşa, on returning from the war of Hungary to the Court, asks the Sultan's leave to proceed to attack Kandia in order to take revenge on the Venetians, and to rid the Muslims of a grievous annoyance. On hearing this, the Venetian envoy, who had been twelve years confined in Edirne, shows an eager desire for peace, but objects to the razing of Suda. Here, the terms imposed on Venice are fully stated, and a letter of the Doge to the Sultan suing for peace is quoted textually. The body of the work is taken up with the particulars of the siege from 22 Zulkade 1077 AH (16 May 1667 CE), when the Vezir appeared before Kandia, until 1 Cemaziülevel 1080 AH (27 September 1669 CE), when the keys of the fortress were delivered to him. It concludes (f 65v) with a Ferman addressed to the Vezir Mehmet Paşa, recounting the successful siege, and ordering rejoicings throughout the Empire, and with a tabulated statement of the munition spent and lives lost during the siege. This manuscript was copied in Muharrem 1180 AH (June-July 1766 CE).

Unrestricted

Acquired from the collection of Alexandre Jaba.

See Rieu, Catalogue of the Turkish Manuscripts in the British Museum, p. 62.

Another copy of this text can be found at Or 11154. For more information on the text and the historical events contained within it, see Hammer, Geschichte des Osmanlichen Reiches, VI, p. 179. The most authentic history of this siege was written by Hasan Ağa, secretary to Fazıl Ahmet Paşa. It is contained in the work entitled Cevahirü't-tevarih, described by Hammer, Geschichte des Osmanlichen Reiches, VI, p. v; Flügel, Vienna Catalogue, II p. 272; and by Aumer, no. 93.

A work without author listed which maybe identical to the present one, can be found at:. Relation du siège et de la prise de Candie par l'armée ottomane, 1669, en turc (Paris: Motte, 1835).