BRIOT

HISTOIRE DE L’ETAT PRESENT DE L’EMPIRE OTTOMAN:

Contenant les maximes Politiques DES TURCS;

par Monsieur BRIOT

Amsterdam, 1670

Rycaut s famous Turkish chronicle: a page-for-page reprint of the – probably pirated – third edition in French, which had appeared at Amsterdam (under the imprint of Abraham Wolfgangk) in 1670.

“This work is regarded as one of the best of its kind with respect to the religious and military state of Turkey” (Cox). “[Rycaut’s] most important work [.] presents an animated and, on the whole, faithful picture of Turkish manners” (DNB). “Provides an account of the society and political system of the Ottoman Empire with unprecedented thoroughness” (cf. Osterhammel, Die Entzauberung Asiens, 32). “An extremely important and influential work, which provides the fullest account of Ottoman affairs during the 17th century [.] Rycaut was appointed consul in Smyrna, where he resided for eleven years. His information on the Ottoman Empire was taken from several sources: original records, and from a Polish resident of some nineteen years at the Ottoman court” (Blackmer). The attractive engravings depict dignitaries and persons of various ranks in their costumes (several on Arabian horses), also including the illustration of a turban (in the letterpress on p. 115).

Cet Etat de l’Empire ottoman paru en anglais en 1668 constitue le premier ouvrage détaillé sur les moeurs des Turcs, les ressources et la politique Ottomane. Il passe même pour l’une des sources des “Lettres persanes” de Montesquieu, qui en possédait un exemplaire dans sa bibliothèque. Ricaut fut secrétaire de l’Ambassadeur d’Angleterre à Constantinople de 1661 à 1667. Il rédigea en 1663 les articles du traité de paix conclu entre l’Angleterre et le gouvernement Ottoman et obtint le privilège pour les navires anglais d’être exemptés du droit de visite. ¶ Blackmer 1464 (autre édit.) “an extremely important and influential work, wich provides the fullest account of Ottoman affairs during the 17th century”.