Attributed to the Ahmad al-Buni, the Shams al-Ma’arif is considered one of the most dangerous books in the world by some and to others instructions of divine purity. Giving an overview of the history and contents of the grimoire, the host of the Let’s Talk Religion YouTube channel delves into the mysteries of the Islamicate occult sciences and the perceptions thereof. While only one example of the plethora of videos available, the channel features a range of videos on religion and adjacent topics while retaining a specialty on Islamic history and theology. Each video also provides a bibliography and recommended readings pertaining to the discussed topic in the description.
Category: Uncategorized (Page 4 of 27)
This is a saber in the Arms and Armor section of the MET Museum. It has a gold-inlaid decoration consisting of Qur’an inscriptions that stress God’s sovereignty and the wisdom/power of Solomon (alluding to Suleiman). The cross guard was chiseled in relief and damascened in gold, formerly inlaid with gems. The grip was replaced at a later date. Bequested to the museum in 1935.
Saber
Steel, gold, green-dyed fish skin (grip)
Theorized to come from Constantinople in 1522-26
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/24320
The short sword above the saber is a yatagan, used by janissaries through the 19th century. This one, dated to 1526-27 and made by the jeweler Ahmed Tekel, closely resembles a similar one found in Topkapı Palace and both may have been made in the same workshop for Suleiman. The incrustation near the grip depicts a dragon fighting a phoenix, likely inspired by Chinese art discovered via Persian contacts.
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/24953
Various pieces of Ak-Koyunlu Armor and a field ensign that has Quranic verses and inscriptions, among them is “Help from God and early victory.”
During class, there have been several mentions of earthquakes; surprisingly, this article discusses the architecture of the Ottomans in an attempt to successfully combat this issue. According to the work, Mimar Sinan was the architect involved in making the Ottoman buildings more durable during earthquakes. While working for Suleyman I, he used several groundbreaking techniques, such as Horasan mortar, absorbent materials, and rotating columns. In addition to the work he did on his building, such as Suleyman I the Magnificent Mosque, he would also improve the facilities around his to make sure there was little possibility that his structure could become damaged. Surprisingly, his techniques were ahead of his time and extremely important in shaping the Ottomans, especially in Istanbul. Without Mimar Sinan, there is a high possibility that Ottoman architecture would be quite different.
From the Neolithic to the latter years of the 20th century, the bow and arrow has always held great importance amongst nomadic peoples. This was no different for the Turkic people of the 14th-17th centuries. Despite the increased use of field artillery, arquebuses, and muskets, the bow and arrow remained a crucial part of the Ottoman military machine, even featuring at the Siege of Vienna in 1683. They were much cheaper than firearms, easier to maintain, and provided much more rapid rates of fire. Arrows could also be used to create shrieking whistles when fired, which the Ottomans would use to terrify the steeds of their enemies and to send signals. This Video is an example of two Turkish-style whistling arrows.
According to this article, the Yediküle Fortress has recently been undergoing restoration work and archeological excavation. Turkey seems to be making it more of a tourist destination by adding an observation terrace and making a removable reproduction of a neighborhood that once existed within the structure. It also seems that watching the restoration process is expected to be part of the draw for tourists. The dungeons still have carved inscriptions from prisoners and apparently there is a well in which heads were thrown after executions. It will be interesting to see what they find during this restoration and excavation process in the coming years.
https://www.ft.com/content/9e06e8e0-4e41-4b70-80c2-b689c633aaa4
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https://www.ft.com/content/9e06e8e0-4e41-4b70-80c2-b689c633aaa4
A hundred years ago, the Ottoman Empire slipped into the mists of history. A mighty realm that had survived for centuries and straddled three continents had reached the end of the road, ceasing to exist on 1 November 1922. Its death had been long, slow and painful.
The influence of the empire on modern Turkey is one of the themes highlighted in the article.
Despite being a nomadic empire, the Akkoyunlu also built massive funerary complexes, similar to the Timurids. The most famous of these is the Uzun Hasan mosque in Tabriz, Iran. The mosque is massive and has similar tilework that the Timurids were known for, with most of it being colored a bright teal. The dome shapes also parallel typical Timurid architecture. The similarity is likely because Timur forced Persian architects and tile-workers to Samarqand to design mosques and tombs for him. The Akkoyunlu, which primarily in Iran, would have probably worked with architects who still continued to use this architectural style and learned about tilework from the artists Timur commissioned.
Patrick Wing’s talk at the CMES “Mongols, Mamluks, And Others” conference last Saturday was centered on “The Testament of Our Lord Jesus Christ Concerning the Mongol invasions,” a 14th century Syriac Christian text that was produced in Egypt after the Mongol-Mamluk Wars.
Many Syriac Christians chose to flee to Egypt as the Mongols advanced towards them, and Egypt already had a thriving Coptic Christian community under Mamluk rule. This text is interesting, according to Wing, because it combines historical commentary with apocalyptic writing. The historical writing comes after the introduction, before the author dedicates the remainder of the work to prophetic, end-times commentary. The unknown author of this text was apparently quite familiar with the Coptic apocalyptic works because they largely followed convention.
The middle part of the document, the historical narrative, is largely concerned with the reign(s) of Al-Nasir Muhammad, although it does mention the Mamluk wars with the Crusader states and the Battle of Ayn Jalut. The unknown author also describes the Battle of Marj al-Saffar, and many other Mamluk victories, despite his critical stance towards the Mamluks overall and lamentation over the state of his co-religionists in this part of the world.
Throughout his talk, Wing referenced the work of Jos Van Lent, who wrote the short article below on The Testament.
Testament_of_Our_Lord_on_the_Invasions_oThe Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo, Egypt has an impressive collection of coins from various Islamic empires, sultanates, dynasties, and caliphates. In particular they have a really fascinating collection of gold and silver coins from the Ottoman Empire and Mamluk Sultanate. Many of the Ottoman coins bear the tughra, a calligraphic monogram, signature, or seal used by the sultan. There are also Mamluk gold coins below which bear the names of Sultan Baybars and Sultan al-Mansur Qalawun.
From humble beginnings as a slave boy to becoming one of the most eminent Mamluk sultans, the extraordinary story of Sultan Beibars is celebrated in Kazakhstan 800 years after his birth as an example of how one man can turn a region filled with ongoing political rivalry and warfare into a prosperous place.