Book | De Turcarum moribus / On the Customs of the Turks

Scene in Ottoman Mosque. On the rite, Ottomans cleansing themselves before entering the mosque. On the left a religious teacher with his disciples.

Et primo loco de Templis, seu Meschitis eorum.

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De Turcarum moribus (On the Customs of the Turks) refers to influential Latin pamphlets by Bartholomaeus Georgievitz[1], a 16th-century Croatian writer, describing Ottoman life and customs, particularly those he observed as a slave, serving as a key source for Europeans on the Ottoman Empire, covering topics from slavery to Islamic practices and culture, and influencing later travelers and writers. 

The eight chronicles written by Georgievitz were translated into several European languages and republished approximately ninety times up until the 19th century. The present work was probably read by all later travellers to the East. It is not exactly a travel chronicle but rather a pamphlet on “mores and customs”. In addition, it includes advice to slaves wishing to escape captivity, a glossary of Slavic and Turkish as well as descriptions of the living conditions for slaves in the Ottoman empire.

Key Details:

Author: Bartholomaeus Georgievitz [1](also spelled Georgijević, Georgieuiz).

Content: A compilation of his observations on Ottoman society, including living conditions for slaves, Islamic rites, Turkish customs, and advice for escaping captivity.

Purpose: To inform Europeans about the "Other" (the Turks/Ottomans) from a firsthand perspective.

Significance: Widely read and influential, often by later travelers and scholars, despite Georgievitz omitting details of his own captivity for a more serious tone.

Editions: First published in the 1550s (e.g., 1553 in Lyon), with various reprints and editions appearing over centuries.

In essence, De Turcarum moribus is a foundational work in early European ethnography of the Ottoman world, based on personal experience but presented through a European lens, notes this page from Travelogues, and is a significant historical text for understanding 16th-century views on the Turks

[1] Bartholomaeus Georgievitz (1505/1510-1560) was of Croatian origin. He had settled in Hungary as attendant to prince Ladislauv Szalkai and fought in the battle of Mohács against the Ottoman army in August 1526. Young Georgievitz was taken captive, sold as a slave and ended up in Asia Minor. In the following ten years he was sold and resold again seven more times and repeatedly tried to escape, until he finaly succeeded in late 1536. He crossed Caramania and the Syrian desert and reached Jerusalem in the Easter of 1537. Georgievitz lived in that city for some time as guard of the Franciscan convent. He returned to Europe by land, settled in Antwerp and started writing and publishing. He published four different versions of his chronicle in 1544. He lived as an erudite pilgrim and moved to Rome in 1551, where he finally passed away in 1560.

ISBN: 9786256194281

Bartholomaeus Georgieviz, who escaped nine years after being captured by the Turks at the Battle of Mohács and returned to Europe, compiled various treatises on the Turks in his work titled *De Turcarum Moribus Epitome*, which holds a unique place among works written about the Turks in the Western world. While this work, like its counterparts, provides information on Turkish culture, daily life, institutions, religion, and army, it also offers evidence regarding the use of the Turkish language. Bartholomaeus attempted to transcribe the Turkish words he heard using the Latin alphabet, tried to provide their Latin equivalents, and even wrote Turkish dialogues. However, the authenticity and objectivity of the information he provides about the Turks are debatable, given that he experienced the hardships of captivity and openly expressed his intention to incite the Christian world against the Turks. It is, of course, expected that such a work would contain exaggerations, slanders, and untrue elements supporting propaganda alongside factual information. Nevertheless, even taking all this into account, the importance of the work regarding the Turkish language is undeniable.

“(The Turks) say that helping needy wild animals, just like helping people, is pleasing to God as long as it is done for the love of God. I saw many people who freed small birds, paid for the poor birds to be released, and some threw bread to the fish in the river for the love of God. While doing this, they said that they would receive a great reward from God for this pious behavior towards those in need.”

Ottomans and slaves taken captive in the war.

Türk - Handa (nereye) gidertsen bre Giaur ? (gavur)  Hristiyan - Stambola giderum tsultanum. (sultanım) Türk - Ne issum (işin) var bu memleketten? Hristiyan - Bezergenlik ederum, Affendi. Maslahatom var Anadolda. Türk - Ne habar scizum (sizin) girlerden? (yerlerden) Hristiyan - Hits (hiç) nesle bilmezom tsaa (sana) dimege. Türk - Gioldassum (yoldaşın) varmı tsenumle? (seninle) Hristiyan - Ioch, (yok) ialanuz (yalnız) geldum. Türk - Benumle gelurmitsun? Hristiyan – Irachmider (ırakmıdır) tsenum (senin) utaghom? (otağın-evin) Türk - Iachender (yakındır) bundan gustereim (göstereyim) tsaa.  Hristiyan - Gel ghusteriuere (gösteriver) Allaha tseuertson. (seversen) Türk - Kalch (kalk) iocharı dur yukarıdır bonda. (buda) Hristiyan - Hanghi taraftan der (taraftandır) bilmezum. Türk - Tsag (sağ) eline bacha (baka) ghun (gün) doghutsine (doğusuna) Hristiyan - Bir buch (bu) evv (ev) atsarghibi (eser) gurunur (görünür) omider? (o mıdır?) Türk - Gercsekson (geleceksen) oder, (odur) iaken (yakın) deghilmi? 

VEDA Hristiyan - Allaha tsmarladoch (ısmarladık) tseni. (seni) Ben oraa (oraya) gitmezom. Türk - Bree, neden korkartson? (korkarsın) Nitcie (nice) gelmetson? (gelmezsin)  Hristiyan - Benum ialum (yolum) oraa (oraya) deghelder.  Türk - Vargeth (vargit) tsagloga (sağol) eier (eğer) gelmeson. Hristiyan - Gegsien (gezin) hair (hayır) olison. (olsun) Türk - Aghbate hair (hayır) olison. (olsun) Ben kurtuldom tsoch (çok) succur (şükür) Allaha.