The History of the Maritime Wars of the Turks. Chapters I. to IV.Kâtip Çelebi
History
The History of the Maritime Wars of the Turks. Chapters I. to IV.
Kâtip Çelebi
Turkey -- History -- 1453-1683; Turkey -- History, Naval
then when they can see the city they cast anchor. Soon after another
pilot comes from the city with a small boat, which takes the vessel in
tow; and thus they proceed to the harbour. It is forbidden to pilot
foreign vessels. The quays are always kept open on account of the
tides. In the city there are also water-boats; these they fill with
water, and going about the streets they sell it by measure. Fish is
plentiful here. The fishermen have boats like skimmers, in which they
keep the fish alive; and carrying them through the streets, sell them.
On the east side of the city is an island, which they call Muran, where
crystal vessels and other glass articles are manufactured.
THE ITALIAN, FRENCH, AND SPANISH COASTS.
Having passed the city of Venice, we come to Ancona, Bashtia,
Manfredonia, Brindisi, Cape Otranto, and Cape St. Maria, where the Gulf
of Venice terminates. Turning thence to the west, we pass Taranto,
Rossano, Cape Cotrone, Spartivento, and Cape Reggio: opposite which, in
the island of Chichlia (Sicily), is Cape Messina; and the space between
forms the Strait of Messina, which, like the Strait of Constantinople,
is very narrow. Beyond these are Naples, Cape Gaeta, the river Rooma
(Tiber), upon which a little farther in the land is the city (of Rome),
Pantan, Leghorn, which is in the district of Florence, an independent
dukedom bordering on the pope’s dominions. Farther on is the state of
Genoa, which is also an independent government, bordering on Milan.
In the French dominions are, Savona, Nice, Afwamort, and Marseilles.
Perpignan, Davina, Barcelona, Tortosa, Cape Carthagena, Malaga, and
Jabl-al-Fat’h (Gibraltar), on the Strait of Sabta, are on the Spanish
coast. In the Atlas they are called Catalonia, Aragonia, Valencia,
and Andalusia. According to computations in several histories, the
Rumelian and European coasts are reckoned to be 8047 miles in length;
and the Anatolian, Arabian, and western coasts, 5010 miles: in all
13,057 miles. The principal islands are Sardinia, Corsica, Minorca,
Miorca, Ivica, Malta, Crete (or Candia), Cyprus, and Rhodes. In former
times all these, except Rhodes, were captured; and how this was done,
I have fully explained in my works called the Fezliket Tarikh and the
Jehan Nemah. At present they are all, except Cyprus and Rhodes, in the
possession of the Infidels; and even the subjugation of Candia has not
yet been fully accomplished. God grant that it may soon be effected!
Here our Introduction ends: we shall now proceed to our First Part.
PART FIRST.
Concerning the ancient fleets, victories, and naval wars;
accounts of which have, for the sake of example, been
arranged and collected from historical books. This Part
consists of several Chapters.
CHAPTER I.
_Of the Ottoman Capudans, and the expeditions and battles of several
Sultans and Admirals, to the time of Kheir al Deen Pasha._
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