The Present State of the Ottoman Empire – Paul Rycaut – 1682 | Turkish Military & Wars

The History of the Present State of the Ottoman Empire by Paul Rycaut is one of the premier sources on the history of the Ottoman Empire and is considered the best English-language works on Ottoman politics and religious practices. This work describes Turkish government and politics with an in-depth view of Islamic religious orders, military factions, and traditional cultural ceremonies. This 1682 edition contains 17 full-page engravings depicting sultans, Janissaries, traditional costume and clothing, and even Ottoman weapons. Rycaut served in the courts of Constantinople which gave him direct access to the structures of the court system which, today, makes him one of the most authoritative writers on Turkish politics and Islamic practices.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The History of the Present State of the Ottoman Empire, Containing the Maxims of the Turkish Polity
• Author(s): Paul Rycaut
• Publisher: London, Printed by T.N. for John Starkey
• Edition: Fifth Edition. 1682.
• Format: (12mo), single volume
• Binding: Leather
• Size:  7.5 in x 5 in (19 cm x 12.7 cm)
• Collation: [16], 255, 260–406, [6] pp
• Illustrations: 17 engraved plates; added engraved title page
• Contents Include:
  • Orders of Ebrubuhare, Kadri, Klenderi, Bectasse, Hizrevi
  • Ceremonies of the feast of Bairam
  • Descriptions of the Janissaries
  • Turkish Dwarfs, Black Eunuchs
• Provenance: signed – W.D.W. Matthews, Pemb. Coll. Cambridge, 1905.
• Reference(s): Blackmer 1464; Atabey 1069; Howgego R 92; Cox I, 210

Condition:

Very Good. Modern leather binding with some rubbing and wear to the boards and cloth. Binding remains tight and secure. Text block clean with minor age toning, generally well-preserved. Plates complete and well-inked. No evidence of repairs or restoration.

Why Collect This?

• Rycaut’s foundational English-language authority on the Ottoman Empire
• Includes all 17 full-page engravings
• Notable for its insight into Ottoman religious orders and military structures
• Valued by collectors of early Islamic studies, diplomacy, and Ottoman military history

Item Number: # 29555