The main text is copied in inconsistent nestalik, with various nesih elements. There is parallel text in the margins consisting of poems written in something approaching siyakat that, later on, has elements of rık’a as well, and considerable marginalia and paratextual elements in other styles. The main text is copied in black ink with red used sparingly for the titles of sections and, towards the end, dividers. The red titles ceased to be added in red after the kafye of raa’ and were added in a later hand in black ink. Textboxes in thick gold borders exist on the first two pages of the main text only; all other pages do not have text boxes, although these have been drawn in freehand on some pages, likely at a later date. The text is arranged into two columns, coming together for titles and the final beyitler of poems; 15 lines per page. Catchwords are not always present. On the first page of the text is a simple unvan consisting of an outline of a dome above the box containing the title.
This volume contains the Divan of Baki, the greatest lyric poet of the Ottoman Empire, originally written during his lifetime. It begins with the Kaside-yi Baki Efendi berayi Cülus-i Sultan Selim Han. It proceeds with various section for terci’bentler, tahminat-i gazel for various Sultans and notable figures, and then gazeller organized by the letter of the kafye. It appears that some of the kafyeler are incomplete or missing, or might me arranged in the incorrect order. The marginalia consist of dubeyitler arranged in kafyeler beginning with raa’, but it is not clear if these are also gazeller by Baki or by another poet. On occasion, they are interrupted by prose notes in rık’a about the poetry and including quotations from the Qur’an in Arabic. At the end of the work are a number of handwritten notes in Latin script outlining the structure of the work. The date 960 AH (1552-53 CE) appears against one of the marginal beyit towards the end of the work, which likely indicates the date at which the original poem was completed. A poem in rık’a nearing the end of the text dated as ‘on the night of the birth of Sultan Mehmet 8 o’clock 7 R(ecep) (?) 1190 AH (21 August 1776 CE).
Copied in black ink with the text arranged in two columns of a maximum of 17 lines each. Space has been left between the poems, possibly with the intention of adding in titles at a later date. Lightly marbled fly-leaves. Illegible ownership seals found on pp. 1 and 95. A short note in a different hand is written in the margin of p. 158.
The Ottoman Turkish poetry of Nesimi.
Copyist: Ibrahim Gurban-i Sani.
The text is preceded (pp. 3-4) by poems written by the ‘editor’, with the text of the divan beginning on p. 5 and ending on p. 122, without a colophon. Copied in nestalik. Black ink for the main text with titles in red ink and black text boxes (pp. 5-6 only). Text arranged into two columns on each page, 13 lines per page. The beyitler before and after the main text are written at an angle. Considerable water damage on the inside of the pages (close to the spine of the work) has obliterated some text.
The Persian-language poetry of the poet Hayali Efendi. Additional poems are found before and after the Divan, in Persian and Ottoman Turkish, attributed to Sabit Efendi.
The text is copied in nesih. At the start of the work are matrices of the names, with outlines in red ink, names in black, and dates of reign (?) in red ink below. Further into the text there are genealogical charts in the form of circles containing names connected to one another by red lines. The circles are stamped (?) in black, brown, or yellow ink, with names written in black ink and lines in red. A later hand has added dates in pencil. Further into the text there are hand-drawn additions to the genealogical charts in purple ink as well, indicating a later edition of the text. Towards the end of the volume are two notes in in rık’a script, at least one of which appears to have been done in pencil. It is likely the genealogical charts were intended to be spread out contiguously to be read.
Genealogies of various dynasties across Eurasia, including the Chingisids, the Khans of Crimea, and the Ottomans, organized into tables and charts. The chart provides linkages from Adam down to the Ottoman Sultans, with the last Sultan in a stamped circle IV. Mehmet (1687-91 CE). A later hand has added II. Süleyman, II. Ahmet, II. Mustafa, III. Ahmet, I. Mahmud (1730-54 CE). Another hand has added, without connecting it to the previous circle, III. Osman, III. Mustafa, and I. (Abdül)hamit, III. Selim, IV. Mustafa, II. Mahmud, and Abdülmecit (r. 1839-61 CE). A final hand has added Abdülaziz, V. Murat, and II. Abdülhamit (r. 1876-1909 CE). The penultimate note provides the names of the three individuals who created and edited the text of the volume, along with the dates (?) on which they did so. The final note in offers a prayer for readers (?) of the text.
Copyist: Mehmet Emin Efendi İbn-i Ömer Efendi Sercerrahi (?); El-Ağa Süvari Muharrareti Ref’at Efendi (1264 AH) (?); Tevfik Efendi (1267 AH) (?)