The book at its simplest level is fast-moving adventure story. The book at its simplest level is fast-moving adventure story. It is a breathtaking lesson in the geography and history of that period in which the Ottoman Turks swept past Constantinople and, using newly acquired techniques of naval warfare, extended their power throughout the centre of the world.

The theatre in which events occurred includes the Mediterranean Sea, made familiar in classical mythology and history, and the Black Sea. By virtue of Turkey’s commanding location between East and West, Turkish ships mounted voyages of discovery and conquest in the Red and Arabian Seas.

“The objective of Svatopluk Soucek, the modern editor, is to introduce a classic text of Turkish maritime history and its author to a general English-speaking audience…A picture emerges of the author as an even-handed historian. The reader receives a concise, colorful geography and history lesson about Ottoman expansion. The work presents the maritime history of the Ottoman Empire with wide-ranging advice that applies today.” – The Northern Mariner / Le marin du nord

-Preface to the Expanded and Annotated Edition, by Svatopluk Soucek

-Illustrations from the Princeton University Library Manuscript Copy of “Tuhfet ul-Kibar fi Esfar il-Bihar” and from the 1329/ 1913 Printed Edition

-The History of the Maritime Wars of the Turks, Part One, Chapters I to IV

-Illustrations of Events, People, Places, and Ships Mentioned in the Text of “Tuhfet ul-Kibar fi Esfar il-Bihar”

Supplementary Material:

-Summary of Part I, Chapters 5-9, of Kism-i Evvel, the First (Narrative) Part

-Summary of Part II, Chapters 1-7, of Kism-i Sani, the Second (Topical) Part

-The Battle of Djerba (1560): Katip Celebi’s Sources and His Account

-Comments on the Excerpt “The Djerba Campaign” (“Sefer-i-Cerbe”)

-“The Djerba Campaign” (“Sefer-i-Cerbe”): Translated Excerpt from the Last Third of the Narrative Part

-The Ferah

-Comments on the Ferah

-Translation and Summary