Summary View

Country

UK

City

Oxford

Institution

Bodleian Library

Collection

Hyde

Shelfmark

33

Contents

Tervīḥ al-arvāḥ (Aḥmedī (d. 815/1412-13))

Author

Aḥmedī (d. 815/1412-13)

احمدي

Show other names

Tāc al-Dīn İbrāhīm b. Ḫıḍır Aḥmedī

تاج الدين ابراهيم بن خضر احمدي

Ahmedî, 1334?-1413 (authorised)

Tācüddı̄n İbrāhı̄m bin Ḫıżır, 1334?-1413 (variant)

Ahmedi, Taceddin, 1334?-1413 (variant)

Taceddin İbrahim ibn Hızr Ahmedi, 1334?-1413 (variant)

Tāc al-Dīn İbrāhīm bin Ḫiżir, 1334?-1413 (variant)

Tacettin İbrahim, 1334?-1413 (variant)

احمدي (variant)

Biographical notes

An Anatolian poet and man of letters from the late fourteenth and early fifteenth-century, Aḥmedī composed both in Old Anatolian Turkish and Persian. Although his date of birth and origins remain debatable, the strongest evidence points to his origins from the Germiyan (Turkey) region of western Anatolia. After furthering his education in Cairo studying under the religious scholar Akmal al-Dīn Bābartī in the late 14th century [1300-1399 CE], he returned to western Anatolia where he received the patronage of local rulers such as that of the Aydınids based in Ayasuluk and the Germiyanid ruler, Süleymān Shāh (r. 1367-1388) of Kütahya. He later entered Ottoman service and dedicated his literary works to Bayezid I's son, Süleymān Çelebi (Emīr Süleymān). Perhaps the most prolific Anatolian of his generation, Aḥmedī did much to advance the Islamic literary culture of Rūm, producing a variety of works in both Turkish and Persian, dealing with a range of poetic and religious themes.

Title

Tervīḥ al-arvāḥ

ترويح الارواح

Notes

This verse medical work in rhyming couplets (mesnevi) was first composed in the name of Süleymān Çelebi (Emīr Süleymān) between the years 805-812 [1403-1410 CE]. Sometime following 812 AH [1410 CE], the work was resubmitted to Mehmed I with added material. Organized according to the classical Avicennian order and giving a concise overview of all major aspects of medicine, the work is divided into two sections of theoretical and practical medicine. The theoretical section introduces the humours, the parts of the body, the six unnaturals which can adversely affect one’s humoral balance (air, food and drink; sleep and wakefulness; motion and stillness; evacuation; passions), as well as general aspects of disease and etiology, diagnostics, symptoms and crises. The practical section covers the following: how to prevent disease via regimen of health followed by an overview of simple medicines and compounded medicines and the use of cupping, bleeding, and various methods of evacuation. The final part of the work lists diseases and their treatments according to the head-to-toe arrangment. This is followed by the systemic diseases, including skin disorders and contagious diseases (such as leprosy, measles, and small pox), inflammations and swellings, pestilence, cancer, fevers, and malaria. The work ends with a separate chapter on poisons and their remedies, including toxins for repelling insects.

This defective manuscript has three different hands; its leaves have been bound out of order; early parts of the text may date to the early 17th century [1600-1699 CE]; fol. 2r mentions a date of 1024 AH [1615 CE]. Source: (Ethé, Hermann. Catalogue of Persian manuscripts in the library of the India office. Oxford: India Office Library, 1903., pp. Ethé (179) 2217); Ethe has incorrectly identified the author as Muḥammad b. Aḥmad al-ʿUlwaynī al-Tawnīsī, based on a mistake from Katip Çelebi (H. Khalfa, ii, p. 286, no. 2954).

Main language of text

Turkish

Bibliography

Editions

Özer, Osman. "Ahmedî, Tervîhü’l-Ervāh (Girış-Metin-Dizin)." PhD Dissertation, Elazığ: Fırat Üniversitesi, 1995.

Studies

Acıduman, Ahmet. "Şair ve Hekim Ahmedî’nin Tervîhü’l-Ervâh adlı tıbbî mesnevîsinde çocuların sağlığının korunması üzerine." Çocuk Sağlığı ve Hastalıkları Dergisi. 56 2013: 218-227.

Kut, Günay. "Ahmedi." Türk Diyanet Vakfı İslam Ansiklopedisi. 2Istanbul: Türk Diyanet Vakfı, 1989: 165-167.

Şehsuvaroğlu, Bedri Nuri. "Şair ve Hekim Ahmedi." İ.Ü. Tıp Fakültesi Mecmuas. 16 1953: 418-452.

Show filiations

Gazi Husrev Library 1266

Atatürk Kitaplığı 47

Vatican Library 147

Royal College of Physicians 33

Topkapı Sarayı Müzesi Ktp. 1986

Topkapı Sarayı Müzesi Ktp. 1681

Süleymaniye Yazma Eser Kütüphanesi 3595

Manisa Yazma Eser Kütüphanesi 1852

Physical Description

Number of folios

326 ff.

Columns

2

History

Date of copy

20th. century