Lot 08040

Sieur de la CROIX, “Memoires du sieur de La Croix, cy-devant secretaire de l’Ambassade de Constantinople. Contenans diverses Relations tres-curieuses de l’Empire Othoman”, Paris, Claude Barbin, 1684.

Extremely rare and important work COMPLETE in 2 volumes.

12mo, pp. [36], 3-428, [15] + [4], 3-398, [18].

Contemporary full leather, spine with raised bands decorated in gilt. External wear: heavy rubbing, bumped corners, worn joints, chipped parts of spine extremities and covers corners. Still tight and firm. Spotting throughout, marginal restoration of a tear on pp.17-18 of the 2nd vol. Ex libris label “Alberti Helbig Byzantini” on both paste down end-papers.

Sieur de la Croix (~1630-1704) spent many years in the Levant serving as the secretary of the French ambassadors in Constantinople Nointel and Guilleragues. During this period he also participated in the collection of manuscripts for the Royal Library at the behest of Colbert. This work was initially dedicated in manuscript form to King Louis XIV, in March 1682, in a form of 12 letters dated from December 1670 to January 1679 (MS Paris BNF – Francais 6094-6095). This work includes the detailed account of Nointel’s voyage to the Levant, with rare descriptions of Malta, the Greek Archipelago, Adrianople, and thorough descriptions of Constantinople, the Sultan’s harem and the ranking officials of the Porte. It also includes an account of the grand visir, Kiuprili, and of Sabtai Zevi, the false Jewish messiah, an account of the peace negotiations with Poland and detailed descriptions of Eastern Christian, Jewish & Muslim religious services.  It also contains observations about Islamic and Jewish rites and ritouals.

Very few times tracked offered in auction.

Atabey 649, NOT IN BLACKMER

Bibl. Ref.: “Christian-Muslim Relations. A Bibliographical History Volume 13 Western Europe (1700-1800)”, BRILL, 2019