[THIRD ISLAMIC INCUNABULA / SAFAVID PERSIA - AFGHANISTAN / TRAVEL] Tarih-i Afgân: Tarih-i seyyâh der beyân-i zuhûr-i... [i.e. A voyager's description of the Afghan Wars in Persia and the fall of the Safavid Empire]

JUDAS THADDEUS KRUZINSKI [KRUSINSKI], (1675-1756), Dârü't-Tibâ'ati'l-Ma'mûre [i.e. Muteferrika Printing House, Basmakhane], Kostantiniyye [Constantinople - Istanbul], [AH Gurre-i Sefer 1142 = AD August 26, 1729] = 1729.

COMPLETE TITLE: [THIRD ISLAMIC INCUNABULA / SAFAVID PERSIA - AFGHANISTAN / TRAVEL] Tarih-i Afgân: Tarih-i seyyâh der beyân-i zuhûr-i Agvânîyân ve sebeb-i inhidam-i bina-i devlet-i Sâhân-i Safeviyân. Edited by Ibrahim Müteferrika. [i.e. A voyager's description of the Afghan Wars in Persia and the fall of the Safavid Empire].

Contemporary fine quarter leather binding. Five raised bands to spine, second gilt title as "Tarih-i seyyâh", others gilt decorations. Brown boards are embossed decoratively. Demy 8vo. (21 x 15 cm). In Ottoman script (Old Turkish with Arabic letters). [12], 194 p. Hegira: 1142 = Gregorian: 1729. Slightly wear on colophon and the first page. Otherwise a good copy.

Extremely uncommon first Ottoman edition printed in the first printing house of the Islamic world as the third Islamic incunabula, of this eye witness and first-hand account, and one of the most important chronicles describing the history of late Safavid Iran in the 18th century, the Iranian invasion of Afghanistan and the siege and the fall of Isfahan in 1722 written by Kruzinski who was a Polish Jesuit missionary served in the Persia in the early 18th century. In 1720 he was nominated advocate general of the mission in Persia and became the secretary to the Bishop of Isfahan. Krusinski himself, however, claimed later on that he is not only the author but also the translator of this work. As a chronicle, this is a history of Iran under the Safavids from 1499 up to 1727 with a special focus on the 1722 Afghan invasion that terminated the Safavid dynasty.

"His account of the conditions and events preceding and during the siege and the subsequent demise of the Safavids is unique. It also offers key insights into the workings of the late Safavid state and government as well as the functions of the royal harem." (Bloomsbury).

Translated and expanded by Ibrahim Müteferrika of Kruzinski's Latin manuscript written in 1726 in Istanbul and entitled "Historia revolutionis monarchia Persica". The book was first published in Italian, French, and English translations, in Rome (1727), Paris (1728), and London (1728).

The founder of the legendary first printing house in the Islamic world, Ibrahim Müteferrika (1674-1745), was the editor and translator of this book. Ceridehâne [i.e. Journal House] Printing House is the successor of the Müteferrika Press in the early 19th century.

"The book is a Turkish translation of the history of Iran written in Latin by the Jesuit missionary Judas (Jan) Tadeusz Krusinski (1675-1751). The work, whose title can be translated as 'A voyager's description on the apparition of the Afghans and on the reasons of the Safavid Empire being undermined', focuses on the Afghan invasion of 1722 which led to the fall of the Safavid dynasty, but also offers an overview on the historical processes of early 18th-century Safavid Iran. The publication of this work was made actual not only by the vicinity of Iran to the Ottoman Empire but also by the historical turn reorganizing the relations of power in the region and triggering the intervention of the Ottomans as well. This may have been the reason that among the first Turkish incunabula this was the work published in the highest number of copies. This publication also offers an early example of copyright disputes, as Krusiński considered the Turkish translation as his own work, while Müteferrika, who does not mention his name in the printed version, suggests himself to be the translator". (Source: The Mysterious Printer Ibrahim Muteferrika and the Beginnings of Turkish Book Printing: Library of Hungarian Academy of Sciences Online).

The workshop of Müteferrika began its historical mission in 1728. They published 17 works in 22 volumes. The printing house served as a means to the long-term goal of Müteferrika, his efforts to broaden the horizon and modernize the knowledge of Ottoman society and Islamic civilization. This is evidenced by the subjects of the books selected for publishing, the motivations put forth in the publisher's introductions, as well as by the documents illuminating the background of the publication of each book, also published in print.

In 1742, with the publication of the Persian dictionary of Hasan Suûrî, a chapter of Ottoman book printing came to an end. With the death of Müteferrika, the printing of Turkish books was temporarily interrupted. The first generation of Ottoman-Turkish prints was soon followed by a new series when in 1756 Ahmed and Ibrâhîm Efendi (the latter perhaps the founder's son, according to speculative sources) made an attempt to resurrect the legacy of Müteferrika through the possession of a decree obtained from the Sultan. However, this experiment did not prove to be lasting, as it did not last longer than the new edition of the first Turkish printed book, the Lugat-i Vankûlî. After this, for several decades there was no continuation of the Turkish book printing established by Müteferrika, until in 1783 the workshop was put in operation again for the publication of six more works. The subjects of these late 18th century works were dominated by history and military technology, thus Müteferrika's strategy of book distribution made its way hand in hand with the efforts of modernization of the Ottoman state. The second edition of Lugat-i Vankûlî followed the principles of the first edition, and its introduction was composed on the model of the introductory pages of the two last books published under Müteferrika's supervision. The works published after 1783 display a noticeable development in typography not only as to its somewhat refined visual impression but also in its structure. For example, the d+h and r+h ligatures, characteristic of the first generation of Müteferrika's printed books, are replaced by separate letters. This extremely rare presented book is from the seven publications of this late period of the printing house.

(Sources: TDV Islam Ansiklopedisi online.; Library of Hungarian Academy of Sciences online.; Yazmadan basmaya: Müteferrika, Mühendishane, Üsküdar; pp. 74-75).

One of 1200 copies.

OCLC: 312516053 (For printed copies: Two copies).; Özege: 19897.