Cartographica Neerlandica Map Text for Ortelius Map No. 168


Text, scholarly version, translated from the 1570 Latin (ABC), 1571 Latin, 1573 Latin (AB), 1574 Latin, 1575 Latin and 1579 Latin (A) edition:

168.1. {1570L(AC){The empire of the TURK.

168.2. About the origins and beginnings of the Turkish empire, its increase and growth until it gradually reached that greatness which it now has (and with which it now tries to threaten us), we have gathered for the reader these few lines from the best historiographers of our time. In the year of Christ 1300 a certain OTTOMANNUS, a Turk, son of Zichi, a man of simple parentage, began, because of his inventive mind and great experience in feats of arms and discipline of war, to grow famous and renowned among the Turks. Of this man the group of the Turkish emperors first took their name, and he was the first ordained king over the Turks. He reigned for twenty-eight years during which time he conquered all of Bithynia and Cappadocia, and subdued many strongholds near to the Mar Maiore [Black sea].
168.3. He was succeeded by his son ORCHANES who won the great and strong city of Prusia which he made the capital of his kingdom. He was slain in an unfortunate battle which he fought against the Tartars in the 22nd year of his reign, and he left AMURATHES, his son, to rule the kingdom after him. This one sailed with a huge army out of Asia and into Europe, (the Greek princes being at variance [with each other] and calling him in). He took Callipolis and Chersonesus and conquered Abydus. After having seized Philippopolis and {1570L(AC) only{Constantinople} {1570L(B) and later instead{Hadrianopolis}1570L(B) and later instead}, and having entered Servia, Bulgaria and Upper Mysia, he reigned for 23 years. His son Baiazethes {1570L(AC) only{after his fathers death}1570L(AC) only} {1570L(B) and later have instead{(having killed his brother)}1570L(B) and later instead} in a short time devoured a large part of Thrace, almost all of Greece and Phocis, a part of Bulgaria, but he himself finally being overcome and taken by Tamerlanes, ended his days most dishonourably and died. His father being taken captive, his son CALEPINUS assumed the throne and took possession of the kingdom.
168.4. But having in battle utterly defeated Sigismund and his forces, and having begun to waste and spoil the borders and territories of the emperor of Constantinople, he died in the flourishing of his age, when he had reigned for only six years.
168.5. After him, MAHOMET took the crown of the empire. He made fierce war with the Walachians, subdued a great part of Slavonia, first crossed the Danube with an army, conquered Macedonia and pierced through the country as far as the Ionian sea. He moved his court from Bithynia to Hadrianopolis where he died in the fourteenth year of his reign.
{1573L(AB) and later, in right margin{ Adolphus Venerius does not reckon this Calepinus among the Turkish emperors. For immediately after Baiazeth, Mahomet should be placed. And that I may give every man his due, the singularly learned man, my good friend Georg Braun from Cologne has informed me that the very Turks themselves do not consider him to be an emperor}1573L(AB) and later}.
168.6. After him, AMURATH the second succeeded in the kingdom. This man conquered Epirus, Ætolia, Achaia, Bœotia, Attica and Thessalonica, a city belonging to the state of Venice. After him, MAHOMET the second took over. He overthrew Athens. He won by assault the great city of Constantinople on the 29th day of May in the year 1452. He subdued the kingdom of Trapezonda under his command. He took Corinth. He forced the islands Lemnos, Euboea and Mytilene to yield to his obedience. He got Capha, a city belonging to the signiory of Genua. He died in the 32nd year of his reign.
168.7. BAIAZETH the second made war with the Venetians, and won from them Naupactus, Methona, Dyrrachium, and depopulated all of Dalmatia. He was poisoned. After him, his son ZELYMUS succeeded [him] on the imperial throne. He won Kairo, the strongest city of Ægypt and killing the sultan, subdued Alexandria and brought all of Ægypt under his obedience. He also took Damascus. SOLYMANNUS, the only son of Zelimus, taking possession of his fathers empire, won Beograd took the prince's seat Buda and spoiled Strigonium and almost all of Hungary. He got the isle of Rhodes through cunning, and utterly destroyed Quinqueecclesias [Fünfkirchen]. Surprising that city, and also the city of Jula he besieged Szeged, where his life ended.
168.8. ZELIMUS, his second son, continued the attack, won it, and sacked [the city] in the year of Christ 1566. Thus, under 11 emperors, in 260 years, a great part of Africa, a greater [part] of Europe and most of Asia was by Turkish tyranny brought under their yoke. But whoever wants a more firm knowledge of the histories of the Turks, let him read Paulus Iovius, Christopher Richer of Siena, Cuspinianus, Baptista Egnatius, Gilbertus Nozoremus, Andreas Lacuna, Pius the second in the fourth chapter of his Europa, and others that have written about the Turkish affairs.
168.9. Laonicus Chalcondylas has inquisitively described the pedigree of the Ottomans together with the origins of the Turks}1570L(ABC), 1571L, 1573L(AB), 1574L, 1575L & 1579L(A) end here}.

Vernacular text version, translated from 1571/1573 Dutch, 1572/1573 German and 1572/1574 French editions:

168.10. {1571/1573D{Turkey.

168.11. About the origins and beginnings of the Turkish empire, its increase and growth until it gradually reached that {1572/1573G & 1572/1574F only{horrible}1572/1573G & 1572/1574F only} greatness which it now has, (with which it now tries to assault us) we have gathered for the reader these few lines from the historians of our time. In the year of Christ 1300 one Turk called OTTOMANNUS, a son of Zichi, a man of simple parentage and name, but with an inventive mind and great experience in feats of war, began to grow famous and respected among the Turks. He was their first king and after him all his descendants are called Ottomans. He reigned for twenty-eight years during which time he conquered all of Bithynia and Cappadocia, and subdued many strongholds near to the Mar Maiore {Black sea].
168.12. He was succeeded by his son ORCHANES who won the great and strong city of Prusia by violence which he made the capital of his kingdom. He was slain in an unfortunate battle which he fought against the Tartars in the 22nd year of his reign, and he left AMURATHES his son to rule the kingdom after him. This one sailed as the first out of Asia and into Europe, (the Greek princes being at variance [with each other] and calling him in). He took Callipolis and Chersonesus and conquered the city of Abydus. After having seized Philippopolis and Hadrianopolis and took from us Servia, Bulgaria and Upper Mysia, he reigned and died in the 20th year of his reign. His son Baiazethes, (after having killed his brother,)devoured a large part of Thrace, almost all of Greece and Phocis, but he himself finally being overcome and taken by Tamberlanes, emperor of the Parthes, (who emprisoned him and always used him as a stool when ascending on horseback), ended his days most dishonourably and died. His father being taken captive, his son CALEPINUS assumed the throne.
168.13. But having in battle utterly defeated Sigismund and his forces, and having begun to waste and spoil the borders and territories of the emperor of Constantinople, he died in the flourishing of his age, when he had reigned for only six years.
168.14. After him, MAHOMET took the crown of the empire. He made fierce war with the Walachians, subdued a great part of Slavonia, first crossed the Danube with an army, conquered Macedonia and pierced through the country even as far as the Ionian sea. He moved his court from the city of Prusa in Bithynia to Hadrianopolis in Thrace across the sea where he died in the fourteenth year of his reign.
168.15. After him, AMURATH the second succeeded in the kingdom. This man conquered Epirus, Ætolia, Achaia, Bœotia, Attica and Thessalonica, a city belonging to the state of Venice and subdued them under his yoke. After him, MAHOMET the second took the reign. He spoiled and destroyed the famous city of Athens. He won by assault the great imperial city of Constantinople, the second jewel of Europe on the 29th day of May in the year 1452. He subdued the kingdom of Trapezonda under his command by force. He took Corinth. He forced the islands Lemnos, Euboea and Mytilene to yield to his obedience. He got Capha, a city belonging to the signiory of Genua. He died in the 32nd year of his tirannous reign.
168.16. BAIAZETH the second made {1572/1574F only{cruel}1572/1574F only} war with the Venetians, and won from them Naupactus, Methona, Dyrrachium, and spoiled all of Dalmatia. He was poisoned. After him, his son ZELYMUS succeeded [him] on the imperial throne. He won {1572/1574F only{after several attempts}1572/1574F only} Kairo, the strongest city of Ægypt by storming it, and capturing and killing the sultan, and he subdued Alexandria and all of Ægypt under his obedience. He also took Damascus {not in 1572/1574F{into his eager stomach}not in 1572/1574F}. SOLYMANNUS, the only son and heir of Zelimus, taking possession of his fathers empire, won Greek Weissenburg [Beograd], took the prince's seat Buda and Gran, {not in 1572/1574F{its crown}not in 1572/1574F}. And after having killed and burned almost all of Hungary like a raving dog, he besieged the isle of Rhodes and through cunning, took it. He utterly destroyed Quinqueecclesias [Fünfkirchen]. Surprising that city, and also the city of Jula, he besieged Szeged, where his life ended and he spat out his soul.
168.17. ZELIMUS, his second son, continued the attack, won it, and eradicated the city in the year 1566. Thus, under 11 emperors, in 270 years, this part of Europe, a large piece of Africa and many great parts of Asia was by Turkish tyranny and our lamentable discord brought under their {1572/1574F only{unsatiable}1572/1574F only} yoke, (God forbid)! The Turks call themselves in their own language (as Hugo Favolius says in his Travels to Constantinople) Musulmanni. We Christians who believe in the Roman Catholic faith are in their language called Francki, and those of the Greek religion they call Romei, according to Peter Bellonius}1571/1573D, 1572/1573G & 1572/1574F end here}.

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