There is not sufficient information about his life and works. He is thought to have been born in Sarajevo and his grandfather was thought to have been a recruitment officer for the Janissary Corps. He was educated in combat. He was rewarded by Kanuni Sultan Süleyman for his expertise in combat games and using weapons (1530). Nasuh Efendi, who also wrote some works on weaponry and mathematics, became famous for his compilation and translation works in the field of history.

His history books are regarded as a valuable resource of the period. The fact that significant buildings and places were drawn in miniatures in these books makes them even more important. His works are housed mainly at the Topkapi Palace Museum and Süleymaniye Library and in various other libraries.

WORKS:

Mecmaü't-Tevarih (Book of History, the translation of one part of Taberî Tarihi - The Taberî History, written in 1520), Fetihname-i Karabuğdan (Narrating Kanuni Sultan Süleyman’s Military Expedition to Iran in 1520, written in 1537-38, published in 1976). He also wrote three works on mathematics and information on knights and warriors. 

REFERENCE:  Hüseyin G. Yurdaydın / Matrakçı Na­sûh (1963), “Matrakçı Nasuh'un Süleymannâmesi” (TTK Bildiriler V (s. 374-378, 1960), “Matrakçı Nasûh’un Minyatür­lü Yeni İki Eseri” (TTK Belleten, sayı:110, 1964), “'Matrakçı Nasuh’un Hayatı ve Eserleriyle İlgili Yeni Bilgiler” (s. 329-354, sayı: 114, 1965), Hüseyin Gazi Yurdaydın / Türkiye Diyanet Vakfı İslâm Ansiklopedisi (c. 28, 2003), Ünlü Sanatçılar (Türkiye Ünlüleri Ansiklopedisi, C. 5, 2013) - Encyclopedia of Turkey’s Famous People (2013), Târîh-i Âl-i Osmân (esatis.yek.gov.tr, 31.05.2019).

 

 

Miniature of Matrakçı

Miniature of Diyarbakır by Matrakçı Nasuh

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