Publisher's Synopsis
The present publication continues a series of edited documents from the reign of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent (1520-1566) kept at the Vienna Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv. The first two volumes comprise documents concerning the diplomatic correspondence between the Habsburgs and the Porte and were edited by A. C. Schaendlinger (OAW Denkschriften phil.-hist.Kl. 163 and 183). Whereas this material deals with the high and intermediate levels of politics, the 114 documents presented here give an altogether different picture: among them are grand viziers' and other high officials' letters as well as letters of low officials and private persons. They shed light on the relations between the two Empires, the question of double taxation along the frontier, the tribute the Habsburgs had to pay, and various aspects of daily life, and, most important, the role of the Pashas of Buda as mediators between the two powers. From the point of view of Ottoman diplomatics, a group of less-known document forms (e.g. letters of beylerbeys and lower military officials) are analyzed in detail. All the texts are romanized and translated into German. A comprehensive index covers all personal and place names.
