Ελένη Γκίκα (Ghika Elena-Dora d Istria) : “La poesie des Ottomans “.Paris 1877

Second edition. In small 8vo 17,5x12cm,contemporary paper covers very slightly frayed at edges, complete 210p.,text clean and bright, overall very good plus condition, partly unopened, fresh as published.

ΕΛΕΝΗ ΓΚΙΚΑ (Ghika) (1828-1888) a Romanian important intellectual and writer was of Greek and Albanian descent. Her mother was Αικατερίνη Φωκά ( Ekaterini Foka) and her father Μιχαήλ Γκίκας (Ghika) from the famous Ghica Fanariot family, which ruled the Romanian Principalities during 18th century. Ghika family originated from Zagori, Greece but most probably with an Albanian or Vlach origin. Eleni received a high education from Greek teachers but was a multi language and cosmopolitan lady. She took the pseudonym Dora d Istria and wrote several works on many Balkan matters, trying to overpass the heavily nationalistic atmosphere of her time. Nevertheless she provided arms to the Cretan rebels during the 1866 revolt, but later openly supported her Albanian origin. This work is the very first scientific attempt to use the ancient Ottoman poetry as a primary historical source to understand events of the 15th and 16th centuries. Many of the heroic early Turkish poems hid valuable historical events of the early centuries of Ottoman rule very poorly documented in prose. The discovery of the neglected early Ottoman poets was a huge advance in the better understanding of the Levant world. Dora d Istria wrote a lot of works for the Balkans and was a 19th century very important intellectual of Greek descend. Scarce