The ''Hünername'' ('Book of Talents') is an illustrated manuscript prepared in the late 16th century at the Ottoman court and preserved since then in
Topkapı Palace
The Topkapı Palace (; ), or the Seraglio, is a large museum and library in the east of the Fatih List of districts of Istanbul, district of Istanbul in Turkey. From the 1460s to the completion of Dolmabahçe Palace in 1856, it served as the ad ...
in Istanbul. It contains the history of the Sultans of the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
and particularly that of
Suleiman the Magnificent
Suleiman I (; , ; 6 November 14946 September 1566), commonly known as Suleiman the Magnificent in the Western world and as Suleiman the Lawgiver () in his own realm, was the List of sultans of the Ottoman Empire, Ottoman sultan between 1520 a ...
. Bound in two volumes and illustrated with 89 double-page miniatures, it is one of the most famous Ottoman manuscripts.
[Fetvacı 2013, pp. 132–7.]
History
The writing of this history to the glory of the Ottoman sultans was started by the official historiographers
Fethullah Arifi Çelebi (d. 1561/62), and Shirvanli Eflatun (d. 1569/70).
[Ertuğ 1998.] After an interruption of about ten years, corresponding to the period of the reign of
Selim II
Selim II (; ; 28 May 1524 – 15 December 1574), also known as Selim the Blond () or Selim the Drunkard (), was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1566 until his death in 1574. He was a son of Suleiman the Magnificent and his wife Hurrem Sul ...
, it was continued by their successor,
Seyyid Lokman, who was put in charge of the official history by
Murad III
Murad III (; ; 4 July 1546 – 16 January 1595) was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1574 until his death in 1595. His rule saw battles with the Habsburg monarchy, Habsburgs and exhausting wars with the Safavid Iran, Safavids. The long-inde ...
. He began writing it at the beginning of 1578, perhaps on the initiative of the Grand Vizier
Sokollu Mehmed Pasha
Sokollu Mehmed Pasha (; ; ; 1505 – 11 October 1579) was an Ottoman statesman of Serb origin most notable for being the Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire. Born in Ottoman Herzegovina into an Orthodox Christian family, Mehmed was recruited a ...
, of whom he was a protégé. Four volumes were planned but only two were produced, the last two to be devoted to the story of Selim II and Murad III. The drafting was completed in 1579–1580, but resumed a few years later. The illustration of the manuscript was executed by the imperial workshop then directed by
Nakkaş Osman
Nakka Osman (sometimes called Osman the Miniaturist) was the chief Ottoman miniature, miniaturist for the Ottoman Empire during the later half of the sixteenth century. The dates of his birth and death are poorly known, but most of his works are d ...
, and completed in 1584 for the first volume and in 1588 for the second.
After its completion, the manuscript was kept in the library of
Topkapi Palace where it still remains.
Description
The first volume is devoted to the first nine Ottoman sultans. It contains 37 miniatures including portraits of each monarch, as well as illustrated anecdotes about their courage and intelligence. The book begins with the representation of Topkapi Palace and its various courtyards.
The second volume is specifically devoted to the history of the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent. It contains 52 miniatures illustrating the qualities of the sovereign, in hunting and war, but also his generosity and his piety. The text is not written as a story but as a description of the qualities of a perfect man and his closeness to the
Prophet
In religion, a prophet or prophetess is an individual who is regarded as being in contact with a divinity, divine being and is said to speak on behalf of that being, serving as an intermediary with humanity by delivering messages or teachings ...
. The illustrations also emphasize the role of Sokollu Mehmed Pasha, who was both grand vizier of Suleiman and Mourad III.
See also
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Ottoman miniature
Ottoman miniature ( Turkish: ''Osmanlı minyatürü'') is a style of illustration found in Ottoman manuscripts, often depicting portraits or historic events. Its unique style was developed from multiple cultural influences, such as the Persian ...
Notes
References
Sources
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Further reading
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Ottoman art
Islamic illuminated manuscripts
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