Historia Othmanica: Sources and Personal Memories
Historia Othmanica: Sources and Personal Memories

Summary/Abstract: Historia Othmanica is not only a text with a difficult history, from its first redaction to the editions of present time, but also a complex work, structured on manifold levels. The double series announced in the title (“greatness” and “decay”) is eventually doubled by the notes that illustrate, somehow more conspicuous than the “history” itself, the scientific and human personality of Dimitrie Cantemir. Each note he inserted is the outcome of an enormous amount of information, filtered by the experience and intuition of a scientist and highlighted by the observations of a vivid spirit. From this perspective, the “history” attests an increasing vigour from one chapter to another, from Incrementa to Decrementa, from a difficult bibliographical synthesis to personal experience and recollection. The portrayal of Constantin Brâncoveanu is mostly based on direct knowledge, with precise genealogical data, detailed in an extensive note.

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