INTRODUCTION (1) (Medhal)

In Modern English

The peoples living today in the Sanjak of Amasya have descended from two important elements, "Turanian and Aryan." Both are reported to be among the children of Japheth (Yâfes), the son of the Prophet Noah; that is, in terms of lineage they go back to a single element. In terms of religion, however, they are two communities: one is Muslim, the other Christian.

The Muslims in the Sanjak of Amasya consist entirely of Turks, the ruling nation, with a few Kurds. The present existence of the great Turkish nation is living proof of its past greatness, and its glorious history, which recalls the ages when it encompassed the world, is the sum of clear evidence of its national virtues.

The innate talent of the Turks is exceedingly suited to taking up and reproducing every kind of learning and art, knowledge and craft. Their primordial capacity is also highly competent in winning every kind of progress in civilization, in the field of thought and by the power of the sword; this is a historical fact proven by their existence since ancient times.

Those who examine the matter can easily understand that the ancient magnificence of the Turks, which astonished the world, was not merely a civilized valor won by the strength of the arm, and that the continuation of this magnificence and historical greatness depended on a great many inventions, on the many industries that prepared the instruments of war, and on the ideas, feelings and devices that would use them well. The Turks, who showed this world-encompassing power, have rightly shown in practice that they are knowledgeable and skilled in these lofty causes on which it depends.

In the work called "Tabakâtü'l-Ümem," "Ebü'l-Kâsım Sâid el-Endülüsî" says: "The Turks are a nation numerous in population, broad in lands, and exceedingly warlike; they are very prudent in war and in the affairs of government."

In the work called "Tabakâtü'l-Fukahâ," "Tâceddîn Abdülvehhâb bin es-Sübkî" says: "One day, four men of letters belonging to four nations, charged with collecting and memorizing the reports and poems of the ancients, gathered at the place of "el-Utbî," the keeper of the books of Caliph Me'mûn's house of wisdom (dârülhikme). As each was praising his own people and claiming their superiority, el-Utbî proposed that each of them recite two couplets on the superiority of his own people. Thereupon the Persian man of letters recited these couplets:"

We are kings and the children of kings; the knowledge of government, of statecraft and of writing belongs to us.
We are of the line of Isaac, who was offered in sacrifice; there is honor and nobility in the honor of the prophets.

The Arab man of letters recited these couplets:

In us there is courage and generosity by nature; in us too there are wit, elegance and good manners.
We are wholly of the line of Ishmael; when I count my ancestry, no one can deny my word.

The Rum (Byzantine Greek) man of letters said:

The Rum are a gentle-natured, experienced people of fine character, superior learning and admirable qualities.
They are the sons of Îs; they are not lying kings; their garments are embroidered with silk and gold.

The Turkish man of letters recited these two couplets:

The Turks were never slaves in their own lands; the Persians, the Rum and the Arabs became slaves (of others).
By my life, this is a superiority; only an ill-mannered, stubborn envier denies it.

Hearing these, el-Utbî marveled at the complete courage of the Turkish man of letters, an official of Caliph Me'mûn, and at the eloquence and soundness of his couplets.

In the work called "Tuhfetü'l-Fakîr İlâ Sâhibi's-Serîr," "Şemseddîn Muhammed bin İbrâhîm el-Îcî" says: "The Turks are a nation of great worth; their population is large and their existence ancient. Their branches (tire) and clans (oymak) are separate from one another, but their tribes (boy) and encampments (oba) are well defined. Their homeland borders the land of China; lengthwise it extends to the land of the Greeks, and to the north it reaches "Aksâ-yı Ma'mûr" (the farthest end of the inhabited world).

The Turks are enduring of hardship, exceedingly accomplished in the business of war, they know the stratagems and formations of war; they are very skilled at riding horses, shooting arrows and using weapons of war; they are prudent in matters of government and policy, and extraordinarily patient in the face of difficulties.

In the temperament of the Turks anger and sharp outbursts, violence and wrath predominate; they punish those who commit morally blameworthy acts, and in this matter they make light of killing. They have had since ancient times certain political laws of their own, with which they carry on sovereignty, order the affairs of the country, and govern their armies and their people.

The Turks are very obedient to their beys and very quick to carry out the commands of their elders. Even in the times when they were idolaters they accepted that there was a true creator, a God who created the universe, and, exactly as the Arabs of the age of ignorance did, they believed that the idols were intermediaries before that true creator and that prophets would come from among them. The Turks had certain sciences of their own: divination by the shoulder blade (ilm-i ektâf), the interpretation of dreams, judgments from the stars, and divination and foretelling the future by birds and signs. Their ancient kingdoms and sultans are of the Turanians."

The renowned scholar "Ebû Amr el-Câhız," in the special treatise he wrote about the Turks, reports that the Turks "are very prudent in every matter, that their intelligence and discernment excel, that they are extremely self-sacrificing in defending their religious beliefs, very quick to accept the truth, very patient, gentle in nature, faithful to their word and averse to lying, and that, even so, on the battlefield and in a moment of anger they are as valiant as a firebrand." One of the Arab poets even expressed this meaning in this stanza:

Among the Turkish braves there are such youths that the war cry of their heroes has left no voice and no fame to the thunder.
They are a people who, when met, are beautiful like angels, and when fought, are like ifrits.

"Şihâbeddîn Ahmed bin Fazlullâh el-Ömerî" in the work "Mesâlikü'l-Ebsâr," "Şihâbeddîn Ahmed en-Nüveyrî" in the work "Nihâyetü'l-Ereb," and "Şihâbeddîn Ahmed el-Kalkaşendî" in the work "Subhu'l-A'şâ" say: "The land of Turan is a vast continent extending in the east to the farthest limit of the east, in the south to the land of Sind and the lands of India, and in the north to the lands of the Kipchaks, the Saqaliba (Slavs), the Circassians, the Rus, the Hungarians and the northern peoples neighboring them, as far as Syria and Egypt.

On the continent of Turan there are a great many countries, great cities, towns and numerous distinct peoples; it is not possible even to put them to a count, let alone to enumerate them. The continent of Turan, where the great persons who protect humanity were raised, the ancestral homeland of heroes who attack like lions, contains the capitals of many Turanian rulers, the homelands of its distinguished scholars, the centers of its great emirs, and the encampments of its victorious armies.

Just as many states and rulers arose from the Turanians before Islam, so after Islam there came rulers whose dynasties became famous, such as the Karakhanids (Hakanîler), the Samanids, the Ghaznavids and the Ghurids. The shining sun of sovereignty of the Seljuk Dynasty, which lit the world with its brilliant light, also rose on this continent."

There is no nation in the Islamic world that can reach the rank of the Turks and their rulers, who showed every sacrifice and shed their blood in the sacred service of spreading and defending Islam in the world. Indeed, Islam has gained strength through them, the caliphate of this exalted community has raised its light through them, and all the believers proclaim their joy through them.

Turkish rulers had mosques, small mosques (mescit), madrasas, hospices (hankâh), lodges (zaviye) and soup kitchens (imaret) built in the lands of Islam down to the villages, founded great waqfs, increased the number of scholars, spread and generalized learning and knowledge, and brought comfort to all the people. Among them arose many renowned great persons, distinguished scholars of the age who wrote great works in the higher sciences such as Qur'anic exegesis, hadith, the principles of jurisprudence, jurisprudence and wisdom (philosophy), and so benefited the world."

In the work called "Ikdü'l-Cümân," "Bedreddîn Mahmûd el-Aynî" says: "The Turks are the most numerous of the people living on earth and the strongest in violence and valor. The hadith "Ütrukü't-Türke mâ terekûküm", which came from the blessed tongue of the Prophet concerning the Turks, rests on this."

This hadith shows how important a nation the Turks are. The hadith "Letüftehanne'l-Kostantiniyyete fele-ni'me'l-emîrü zâlike'l-emîr vele-ni'me'l-ceyşü zâlike'l-ceyş" also announces beforehand that the Turks would enter the circle of Islam, and proclaims that in the Prophet's sacred regard the Turks are a blessed nation.

In the work "Kitâbü'l-Ekâlîm," the famous traveler "Ebû Abdullah Muhammed bin Ahmed el-Makdisî" says: "The Heytal side is very cheap, everything is abundant, and it is exceedingly well settled. The region that includes such important lands as Bukhara, Samarkand, Sogdia and Khujand, famous for the abundance of their madrasas and imams, the plenty of their sheikhs and notables, and their great sultans and ghazis, is Turkestan.

Heytal shares with the Khorasan side most of its excellences; both are people of the call (da'wa), helpers of the state, supporters of the truth. Because the evil rule of the Umayyads and their oppression and attacks against the family of the Prophet touched God's zeal, the Almighty gathered and organized the special army He sent to crush them from among the people of Khorasan and Heytal."

"Muhammed bin Abdullah said to his helpers and supporters: "The people of Kufa and its surroundings hold to Ali, Basra holds to Osman, the people of the Jazira are firm Harurites; there are Arabs resembling non-Arabs and certain Muslims of Christian character. The people of Syria know nothing in the world but Muawiya and obedience to the Umayyad dynasty; their enmity toward the People of the House (Ahl-i Beyt) is a strong accumulated ignorance. The love of Abu Bakr and Umar (may God be pleased with them) has prevailed over the people of Mecca and Medina.

For this reason cling only to the people of Khorasan and Heytal. For there are many valiant men there, with sound hearts, minds free of malice and trickery, cleansed of false thoughts, far from miserliness and stinginess, men of honor clear of corruption. They are such soldiers that their arms, necks, heads, mustaches and voices are exceedingly imposing, and even the languages they speak are majestic.

The Turks and the Khorasanis are unequaled in attack and charge, very patient against hardships and troubles; their coquetry is little, they avoid pampering their bodies, their attachment to jurisprudence is strong, and their grasp of the truth is firm.

What our Prophet means by his saying "Leyensuruküm ale'd-dîni avden kemâ darabtümühû bedâ" is the Turks. That is, the Turks whom you call to the religion will help you with their swords for the sake of the religion when you try to change this blessing. The meaning of this hadith came to pass in reality in the time of Abu Muslim al-Khurasani.

Although both regions are excellent, Khorasan is superior to Heytal. For the customs and habits of Khorasan are closer to Arabia, its towns are more beautiful, and its climate is exceedingly mild. The city whose center is great, whose people are exceedingly gentle in nature, who know well good and evil, who are perfect in intellect and wealth, and sound in judgment and foresight, is Merv.

Balkh (Belk) and Nishapur are great cities equal to Merv; from these came many viziers, imams, honored scholars, and many great sultans, such as the Garcis (Ghurids), who resembled Abu Bakr and Umar in justice and generosity, the Sebüktegin Dynasty, and the Sons of Ferîgûn."

In the work "Kenzü'd-Dürer," "Emîr Bedreddîn Ebû Bekir bin Abdullah es-Sarhadî" says: "The Turks are among the children of Japheth; they have many kinds and varieties. Some of them live in cities and fortresses, some roam the highland pastures, plains and deserts. Their greatest sovereigns are called "Khan" (Hakan).

The khan's throne is of gold, his crown is jeweled, his garment is of silk; he appears to the people very rarely. All the Turks show him excessive respect. This people's intelligence and genius, harshness and valor are famous.

Their custom is this: at the beginning of the year they light a great fire. While their khan himself comes and says something to this fire, if the flame that rises from the fire is sky-colored (gökçe, bluish), they conclude that that year will bring great abundance and cheapness; if whitish (akça), famine and dearness; if reddish (kızılca), war and strife; if yellowish (sarıca), sickness and plague; if blackish (karaca), that the khan will die."

That these Turks, famous by the name "Turanian family," are among the children of Japheth, son of the Prophet Noah, is a view agreed upon according to the eastern genealogists; however, there is disagreement over how they are linked up to Japheth. In the work called "Ikdü'l-Cümân," "Bedreddîn Mahmûd el-Aynî" says: "Although it is certain that the Turks in general are among the children of Noah's son Japheth, there is no agreement that Türk, their greatest ancestor, was Japheth's own son."

As understood from this clear report, the genealogists are in two groups on whether "Türk" as a proper name was a son or a grandson of Japheth: one holds that Türk was Japheth's own son, the other that he was a grandson, and they have found it correct that all the Turks are the children of this Türk.

Among those belonging to the first group, the famous historian "Muhammed bin Hâvend Şâh," in his work "Ravzatü's-Safâ," says "Japheth son of Noah had eleven sons, and one of them is Türk son of Japheth." "Ali Çelebi" too, in his work "Künhü'l-Ahbâr," citing "Dürr-i Meknûn," gives the judgment: "The children of Japheth who migrated from the lands of Babylon were seven brothers, and one of them is Türk son of Japheth." Turkish and Tatar histories such as "Câmiu't-Tevârîh," "Câmiu'd-Düvel" and "Es-Seb'u's-Seyyâr," and the "Kâmûs-ı Muhît," support this view.

Among those adopting the second group, the famous historian "Muhammed bin İshâk," in his work "Kitâbü's-Siyer," says: "If one looks at the Torah and the Israelite traditions (İsrailiyat), it is understood that Türk is the son of "Togarmay," the son of "Cevmer," who was the son of Japheth son of Noah, and that this "Togarmay" became famous under the name "Türk." The children of "Togarmay" became famous under the name "Khazar" (Hazar), and these are called Turkmen."

"Ebû Bekir el-Kâşânî" too, in his work "Kitâbü'l-Kısas," says: "Japheth son of Noah had five children, and one of them is "Hiriş son of Japheth." The Turks, Tatars and Hûz are in general the children of Tiriş." According to the Sâhibü's-Siyer, the Turks must be the children of Cevmer son of Japheth, while according to Kâşânî they must be the children of "Tiriş son of Japheth," called "Hiriş."

But since it is historically certain that all the children of Cevmer are Aryan and the Turks wholly Turanian, the rules and principles of language do not allow them to derive from one another. "Togarmay," moreover, is "Togarbay," who is the forefather of only one Tatar clan among the Turks. And that Türk was the son of "Japheth son of Noah" is a famous fabrication.

Although the distinguished historians "Ali el-Mes'ûdî" in his work "Mürûcü'z-Zeheb" and "Şihâbeddîn Ahmed en-Nüveyrî" in his work "Nihâyetü'l-Ereb" preferred Kâşânî's account and reported that "Türk," "Khazar" and their branches are the children of "Tîrâş," they have related the greatest ancestor of the Turks as "Tirîh son of Âmûr son of Tivîl son of Japheth son of Noah."

Although from this clear report the names "Tîrâş" and "Tirîh" may be understood as a single person, each is distinct: "Tîrâş" is the greatest ancestor of a dynasty of rulers of the Turanians who reigned in Anatolia in the earliest ages and is one of the grandsons of "Tirîh." "Tirîh and Tirih," read with kasra and sukûn on the letters te and re, are Arabicized from the words "Tûrûk and Tûrîk," that is, "Türük," and are the very name "Türk."

"Tûrûk (Türük)" means "immortal, lasting" and is an adjective taken from the infinitive "turmak (türmak)." "Âmûr," as explained in the opening section, is the Arabicized form of the name "Âmur." "Tivîl," however, has been corrupted by being miswritten and written in various forms in various copies, such as "Bitübil, Bitvîl, Tîvîl, Tîbîl, Divîlî, Sirîl, Sivîl, Makvîl"; of these "Tîbîl" and "Tîvîl" are correct, the others Arabicized and corrupted. It denotes the part of the forehead near the roots of the hair that holds firm and stands against. It is taken from the infinitive "tibmek (tivmek)," meaning to hold firm and resist, and its other derivatives are still used today in various forms.

On the strength of the correctness of these linguistic analyses, since derivatives of these proper names are found in Turkestan, the account "Türk son of Âmûr son of Tîvîl" is acceptable, but the account "Tîvîl son of Japheth son of Noah" is not worth verifying.

For since the Arab historians count the Turks among the children of Japheth and reckon an age as at least three generations, there should be only about a hundred years between Japheth and "Türk son of Âmûr son of Tîvîl." Yet since these historians record that "Türk son of Âmûr" appeared after the confusion of tongues, which occurred about 670 years after the Flood, there must be not two but at least twenty-two intermediaries between Türk and Japheth.

According to the soundest account, "Türk son of Âmûr son of Tîvîl" had three sons named "Olcâs, Tûtûk, Yâgûz," and from each of them three grandsons were born, making nine grandsons, and the whole Turanian line descended from these three sons and nine grandsons. For this reason the numbers three and nine were held very blessed among the Turks.

For "Ogul (oğul)" is taken from the infinitive "Ogmak," meaning to give and to find strength and power, and means "offspring that will give strength." The word "Üç" is abbreviated from the adjective "Oguç," meaning "the total in which strength is formed." And what we call "Tokuz" is "Toguz," meaning a strength born of three times this total.

When his children and grandchildren multiplied, "Türk son of Âmûr," by presiding over them and laying down customs (töre) that would ensure order among them, was called by the epithet "Türkân" among his children, and just as the same epithet was given to "Altay Han" among his grandsons when he added certain laws; this is written in the "Câmiu't-Tevârîh." "Türkân" means one who orders the affairs of the country and is taken from the infinitive "Türkamak (Turamak)"; "Turan" is abbreviated from this.

Among the Türkân, since lineage is counted honorable on the father's side and a source of pride on the mother's side, great importance is given to lineage; a child is given the name "Urug" on the father's side and "Marug" on the mother's side; each of the ancestors up to the seventh grandfather on the father's side is a source of standing for the child. The father's father was called "Ece," his father "Elice," his father "Buda," his father "Ögü," his father "Bargun," his father "Dede," his father "Anac," and what is above the father and all the elders "Ata." For this reason the urug of "Ece" was called "Ocak (fasîle)," the urug of "Buda" "Oba (fahz)," the children of "Bargun" "Boy (sadr)," the children of "Anac" "Oymak (kabîle)," and the children bound to the ancestor in whom all the clans unite "Tire (şa'b)"; each clan was called an "İl" and each tire a "kabar," the ancestor in whom all the kabars unite "Anar," and the kabars formed by the Anars were given the name "Ulus," that is, nation.

As written in important histories such as "Câmiu't-Tevârîh, Ravzatü's-Safâ, Habîbü's-Siyer," "Türk son of Âmûr," together with his children and grandchildren, gave the name "Sîlak" to the place where he lived in the center-east of Asia, bequeathed its protection to his children, and laid down the procedures and rules that would ensure that the social order he had established endured. In this respect the lineage order of the Turks was exceedingly sound, and all their movements and policies were bound to an order.

Although the Turks kept days, weeks, months, years and dates in a very orderly way for thousands of years, later imitation of the Arabs and the Persians (Acem), and then of the French, put an end to the use of this sound order and buried it in all the chronologies.

The Turks counted each month as four parts and called each part "Yetîc, Yedîc," meaning week; the first day of each yedîc they called "Gîrek, İrte, Saturday," the second, Sunday, "Nogâr," the third, Monday, "Ogut," the fourth, Tuesday, "Salıc," the fifth, Wednesday, "Guyâm," the sixth, Thursday, "İpâr," and the seventh, Friday, "Atın."

In the same way, three each of the first and last days of the month's rising, then five each, and the nine days between them, have names according to the appearance of the moon. For the first three days they called the moon "Yalaz," for the next seven days "Büye," for the next nine days "Tolun," for the next seven days "Mâze," for the next three days "Küce," and the last night when it does not rise "Yuz." According to the ancient Turkish scholars a year is three hundred and sixty-five days and consists of twelve months, each of an equal thirty days. By this reckoning the total of the year is three hundred and sixty days, and the five days added to the three hundred and sixty days from the first day of March, that is, the intercalary days (hamse-i müsterika), are called "Bagam." The new year began from the sixth day of March. The names of the ancient Turkish months in order are these: Barit, Abrul, Bayuz, Başal, Tamûz, Berkit, Oylal, İpaç, Tibar, Tigir, Ogat, Uşum.

1- Barit: it means "the month that will arrive," that is, will come. Because in the Turanian languages there is a resemblance between the letters be and mim and vav, it was called "Marit" among the Mongol tribe, and later, with the vowel of the letter re and the letter ye dropped, the Rum used "Mart" (March), and so it came to be thought Greek. Since the new year was first the sixth day of March and then, once corrected, its first day, the ninth day was known as "Uşlan" and was regarded as a festival. This month is also called "Ârâm." It means "the month to be longed for."

2- Abrul: it means "the month that will charm," that is, bewitch, the people. It is taken from the infinitive "Arbamak," meaning to recite spells and practice magic, and is also called "Abramak"; like "Torba-Tobra." This month is also called "İkind"; it means "the second." What is meant is the month of April; it is also called "Abril."

On "Uşlan Day" the khan would invite all the khans of the ulus and give a feast to them and to all his soldiers, just as viziers, emirs and the wealthy gave feasts to all their retinue, relatives and friends. The Persians took this ancient custom from the Turanians and called it "Nevruz."

3- Bayuz: it means "the month that will make one tire (bay-) with its gaiety, will exhilarate." Among the Mongol tribe, like "Maygun (Baygun)," it was called "Mayguz and Mayuz," and then the Rum used it in the form "Mayıs (Mayız)" (May), so that this too came to be thought Greek. From the twelfth day of this month there was a three-day festival called "Bayka (Mayga)." This month is also called "Üçünc, Üçünd"; it means the third month.

4- Başal: it means "the month that will glean provisions, gather ears of grain," that is, the month that is the harvest season. A name that is second in fame among the Turks for this month is "Esrân." It is an adjective taken from the infinitive "Esramak, Üzürgemek," that is, esirgemek (to spare); also called "Esîrân," it was later Arabicized as "Hazîrân, Hezîrân," and the second name prevailed over the first.

5- Tamûz: it means "the month whose heat increases." It is taken from the infinitive "Tammak," meaning to increase heat, to carry and to transform; that the bathhouse is called "Tamur," hell "Tamuk-Tamu," the known special faculty "Tamak-Damak-Dimâg" (brain), the organs that carry and transform instinctive movements "Tamar-Damar," and the interpreter "Tamcı-Taman" shows that these are branches of this root. "Temmuz" (July), used in the popular language, is the very same as this Tamûz; it is not Greek.

6- Berkit: things that are strong, solid and firm (berk) are so called; it means the dry and hot month. This month, called "Merkit" among the Mongol tribe, was later called "Oğuzit." It was attributed to Oğuz Han because he took the throne of the khanate in this month. The Rum later put the word "Oğuzit" into the form "Oğuzitus and Ogustus" and made it believed to be Greek. What is meant is the month of August.

7- Oylal: it means "the month to be consulted and discussed." It is also called "Oylak." It is taken from the infinitive "Oylamak," meaning to confer and to consolidate; it is reported that it took this name because Oğuz Han gathered the men of understanding of the whole country and held a council of consultation each year in this month. The month we call "Eylül" (September) is abbreviated from this word "Oylal." This month is also known as "Ciyân (Kûyân)."

8- İpaç: it means a bright month. It is also called "İpeç," on the pattern of ipek (silk). It was supposedly named because Oğuz Han routed his enemies in this month and won a brilliant victory; it was then Arabicized as "İbâc, İbânc and İbîn," which means "Teşrîn-i Evvel" (October).

9- Tibâr: it means "the month that will resist." Among the Mongol tribe it was "Timâr," and later, Arabicized, "Dimâr." It is taken from the infinitive "Tibmek," whose meaning and branches were explained above, and means "Teşrîn-i Sânî" (November). These have been abandoned.

10- Tigir: a thing that has cracked, split or changed is so called. This month, recorded under the name "Digir," is "Kânûn-ı Evvel" (December) and must have been named because the autumn season changes. It is also stated in the dictionary that round and circular things are called "Tigir, Tegir."

11- Ogat: it means "the month that will ogamak, that is, show strength and solidity." This month, recorded in Arabicized form under the names "Vugât, Hükât, Vugad," is "Kânûn-ı Sânî" (January) and must be an allusion to showing endurance against the severity of the cold. Its origin was given above. These too have been abandoned.

Notes and Research

Old Words in the Text

• akvâm: peoples, nations
• mervî: reported, related
• neslen: in terms of lineage
• millet-i hâkime: the ruling nation
• satvet: magnificence, might
• ibdâ'ât: inventions, creative works
• sınâ'ât: industries
• levâzım-ı harbiyye: materiel of war
• nesep: lineage
• hâfız-ı kütüb: keeper of books, librarian
• ilm-i ektâf: divination by looking at the shoulder bone
• ta'bîr-i menâm: interpretation of dreams
• ahkâm-ı nücûm: drawing judgments by looking at the stars
• şüfe'â: intermediaries, intercessors
• hâmî-i insâniyyet: protector of humanity
• mu'arreb: Arabicized
• tashîf: misreading or miswriting letters in a text, corruption
• masdar: infinitive, verbal root
• me'hûz: taken, derived
• müştak: derived
• hamse-i müsterika: the five intercalary days added to the year
• tîre: tribe, clan

Türk's Link to Japheth

Most of the text discusses the account that the descent of the Turks goes back to Japheth, son of the Prophet Noah. Hüseyin Hüsâmeddin here compares two views: was Türk Japheth's own son, or his grandson? He himself rejects both views; he says "that Türk was the son of Japheth is a famous fabrication" and bases his own approach on linguistic analysis. According to him Türk is the son of Âmûr and the grandson of Tîvîl, and the roots of these names are Turkish. He also shows by calculation that the time span between Japheth and Türk does not agree with the number of generations accepted by the Arab historians: there would have to be at least twenty-two intermediaries between Japheth and Türk.

The account that links Türk to the line of Japheth is the product of a "genealogical register" tradition widespread in the Islamic world. In some sources it is said that this account also appears in early Islamic historians such as Tabarî; this information could not be verified. The truly noteworthy point is that Hüsâmeddin does not accept this account as it stands but tries to test it by historical and linguistic standards.

Hüsâmeddin's Etymology

The later part of the text explains the Turkish names of ancestors, the grades of tribe and clan, and the names of the months by tracing them to root infinitives. His linking of the word "Ogul" to the infinitive "ogmak," of the word "üç" to "oguç," of the name "Mart" to the Turkish "Barit," of "Temmuz" to "Tamûz," of "Eylül" to "Oylal," and of "Ağustos" to "Oğuzit" are examples of these analyses. The author entry in the TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi notes that Hüsâmeddin on some subjects went in for "excessive etymological analogies" and mostly did not cite his sources; these features have led to hesitations about the scholarly value of his work. The month names and day names in this section are also among analyses of this kind. The judgment that the month names were taken by the Rum by corrupting them from Turkish is likewise the author's own interpretation; no independent source supporting this judgment could be found. It is fitting to read the section as the product of an effort in which the author tries to show the antiquity of Turkish and of Turkish history.

On the Sources Cited

The record of some of the sources named in the text is as follows. The person referred to as "Ebû Amr el-Câhız" is Jâhiz (d. 255/869), one of the great prose writers of Arabic literature. The treatise cited is "Fezâilü'l-Etrâk," regarded as the earliest Islamic work devoted to the Turks. According to the encyclopedia entry written by Ramazan Şeşen, this work was written between 225 and 245 (840-859) and, in response to the gossip that spread when the Turks became an important element of the Caliphate's army in the time of Caliph Mu'tasım, describes the character and military superiority of the Turks. In this work Jâhiz praises the Turks' "dignity and military aptitude." The quotation in the text agrees with the general content of the work; however, a word-for-word comparison could not be made.

The "Muhammed bin Abdullah" in the text, who says that against the Umayyads one must rely on the people of Khorasan and Heytal, is identified in a footnote as Muhammed bin Ali bin Abdullah bin Abbas of the Abbasid family; according to the footnote this person died in 125 (742-43) and two of his sons became caliphs. We could not find another source for this identification; the information is relayed as given in the footnote. As for the soundness of the sayings presented as hadith, "Ütrukü't-Türke mâ terekûküm" and "Letüftehanne'l-Kostantiniyyete...", no hadith study could be found; for this one must consult competent hadith research. The entry "Fezâilü'l-Etrâk" also notes that in early reports and in some hadiths there are various accounts against the Turks; Jâhiz writes that these reports were circulated so that people would fear the Turks.

The Old Turkish Calendar

The encyclopedia entry mentions that Hüsâmeddin has a separate work called "Türk Takvimi" (Turkish Calendar); the work is unpublished. The day, week and month names in this entry are the author's own compilation. The point that draws attention at first glance is that the year is presented as an order beginning in March, made up of twelve months of thirty days and five intercalary days (Bagam). The text breaks off at the month of Ogat (January); the explanation of the twelfth month, Uşum, is not included in this entry. The agreement of the month names with Old Turkic sources could not be verified.

Bibliography

Primary sources

• Abdîzâde Hüseyin Hüsâmeddîn Yasar, Amasya Tarihi, Amasya Belediyesi Kültür Yayınları, 2022, vol. 2, p. 215–222. amasya.bel.tr
• "Amasya Tarihi", TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi. https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/amasya-tarihi

Academic studies

• Turgut Akpınar, "Hüseyin Hüsâmeddin Yasar", TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, vol. 18, İstanbul 1998, p. 551-552. https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/huseyin-husameddin-yasar
• Ramazan Şeşen, "Fezâilü'l-Etrâk", TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, vol. 12, İstanbul 1995, p. 531-532. https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/fezailul-etrak
• "Câhiz", TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi. https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/cahiz

Other sources

• "Türk (mitoloji)", Vikipedi (unsourced entry; for general information only). https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Türk_(mitoloji)