Tezkire (Arabic:تذکرة), fromArabictadhkirah meaning "something that causes one to remember" or "memorandum",[1] is a form of bibliographical dictionary or bibliographical compendium which flourished in the 16th-centuryOttoman Empire.[2] The most widely known are thetezkires of poets, but the books also focused on the works of government officials and artists in general.[3] First seen in earlyArab literature before the 10th century,[4] they then made their way intoPersian literature and laterOttoman literature.[3]
One of the most famous Persiantezkires is theTazkirat al-Awliya ofFariduddin Attar. The most importanttezkire inChagatai-Turkic isMajolis un-Nafois byAli-Shir Nava'i.
Thetezkires of poets were written between the 16th and 20th centuries in theAnatolian area. They contain information on both poets and their poetic work,[1] and are written both inprose andverses making thetezkire genre unique.[2] A valuable source of information for today's scholars, they also present a type of ego-document due to the combination of objective with subjective material.[2] The bibliographical notices mention birthplace, family, teachers, profession, personal anecdotes, comments on personality or character, place and date of death, and quotations from poetry.[4]
The firsttezkire of Ottoman literature was namedHeşt Behişt (Eight Springs). It was the work ofSehi Bey ofEdirne (1471?-1548) and was completed in 1538.[5] 2 other editions would follow until 1548. It narrated the work and life of 241 poets and was very well received and supported by the Ottoman high social circles.[2]
A distinguishedtezkire is theTezkiretü'ş-Şuara (Memoirs of the Poets) ofLatifî ofKastamonu (1491-1582), the second in chronology[6] and is the one with most extant copies (91).[2] It was finished and presented toSultanSuleiman I in 1546.[7] Another important one comes fromAşık Çelebi;Meşairü'ş-Şuara (Senses of Poets), published in 1568, covers the work and life of 427 poets. It is the 3rd in chronology, and the second by the number of extant copies (30).[2] The 4thtezkire is the one fromAhdi of Baghdad, ofPersian origin, and is namedGülşen-i Şuara (Rosebed of Poets). Unlike the previous three, it covered only author's time contemporary poets. It was finished in 1563, and was dedicated to Prince Selim, afterwards known asSultan Selim II.[8]
Other well knowntezkire:
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