Beschreibung:

Historie der Drie Laatste Turksche Keizers [History of the three last Turkish sultans]. Amsterdam: Timotheus ten Hoorn and Jan Bouman, 1684. Dutch. A book about the Ottoman Empire in the years 1623-1677, with a chapter dedicated to the affair of Sabbatai Zevi, including a rare and unique portrait-engraving of Sabbatai Zevi after his conversion to Islam. This is a Dutch translation of the book by British historian and diplomat Paul Rycaut, "The History of the Turkish Empire from the Year 1623 to the Year 1677", first published in London in 1680. The book discusses at length three of the Turkish sultans – Murat IV, Ibrahim I and Mehmed IV. One of the book's chapters (pp. 152-187) is dedicated to Sabbatai Zevi and titled "Historie van Sabatai-Sevi, Velsche Messias der Jooden" [History of Sabbatai Zevi, False Messiah of the Jews]. The chapter describes, among other topics, the imprisonment and conversion to Islam of Sabbatai Zevi in 1666, and includes numerous quotes from letters by Sabbatai Zevi and Nathan of Gaza. This is an early and important essay about Sabbatai Zevi written during his lifetime. The chapter opens with a portrait engraving of Sabbatai Zevi wearing an elegant buttoned attire and a Tarbush, and holding a book with an inscription in faulty Hebrew. On the bottom of the engraving appears the title "Velsche Messias der Jooden Sabatai Sevi" [False Messiah of the Jews, Sabbatai Zevi]. This engraving is based on a famous engraving printed in Amsterdam in 1669, in Thomas Coenen's book, "Ydele Verwachtinge der Joden" (this engraving is considered to be a realistic portrait based on a drawing of Sabbatai Zevi created by a person who met Zevi in Izmir). However, the engraving in the book before us differs from the one printed in Coenen's book and from other engravings printed thereafter. One of the main differences is the direction to which Sabbatai Zevi faces. While in most known engravings of Sabbatai Zevi he faces right, in this engraving he faces left. This engraving does not appear in "Jewish Iconography" by Alfred Rubens and is not mentioned in literature about Sabbatai Zevi. The author of the book, Paul Rycaut (1629-1700), was a British historian and diplomat, who served as the personal secretary of the British consul in Istanbul and later as the British consul in Izmir. His writings about the Ottoman Empire were a most important source of information about the Ottoman Empire in the 17th century, and many researchers based their studies on his books. Alongside the engraving of Sabbatai Zevi, the book includes thirteen other engravings: portrait engravings of the sultans Morat IV, Ibrahim I and Mehmed IV, and engravings depicting various events in the history of the Ottoman Empire. The book also has an engraved frontispiece. [4] leaves (including the frontispiece), 328, 414, 114, 119-164, [27] pp + [14] engraved plates. Two leaves (pp. 115-118) and two engraved plates are missing and replaced by photocopies. Good overall condition. Stains and creases. A number of detached or loose leaves. Tears at margins of several leaves. Tear to one engraving, repaired with a piece of paper pasted on the . Damage to top margin of one plate. The portrait engraving of Sabbatai Zevi is in good condition. Original vellum binding, slightly damaged. Label on the spine.