„Kirk Vezir” în corespondențele orientaliștilor Vámbéry Ármin și Goldziher Ignácz
Fragments of Transylvanian history translated by Ármin Vámbéry from the Chronicle of Silahdar Mehmet Aga

Summary/Abstract: The alleged manuscript Kırk Vezir [ The fourty viziers] found in Cluj, is actually a transcript dating from Hegira 1153 [1740/1741 AD] of the epistles of belletrist Ibn Zeydûn under the title Risâle-i Cevheriyye [Book of Gems], edited by Ismâ`îl al-Bagdâdâ. The manuscript, which is structured in two parts, contains ornaments in varak, however, it is in deplorable condition. The epistles, considered to be jewels of the epic and epistolographic writing of 11th century Muslim Spain, were written to his beloved, the Omeyyad princess Wallâda bint al-Mustakfi, and to the Caliph Abu al-Hazm bin Djahwar – in order to persuade him to forgive. The correspondence between renowned Orientalists on these epistles determines the identity of the manuscript. A certain Schmidt provides a brief record of the book. Goldziher Ignácz, the disciple of Vámbéry Ármin, by accessing the resources of his time produces a remarkable assessment, a short biography of Ibn Zeydûn, and determines the title. Vámbéry sets the price of the book at HUF 30-40. Torma Károly, the significant politician and law professor in Cluj, tries to convert the Hegira years. The nobleman is not able to sell the book. The manuscript has a considerable scientific value, both in terms of its content and the correspondence that was carried out with regard to it.

• Details
• Contents