the black death in early ottoman territories - Bilkent University

peace and friendship. 239 Evidently, no mention of Selim's cause of death was made
in the letter, as this was a formal announcement from a head of state.
Some Ottoman chroniclers would simply register Selim's death as caused
by şir pence, literally meaning lion's claw. 240 The Anonim Tevârîh-i Al-i Osman
mentions that a sort of boil appeared after the ruler's visit to the hammam 241 and in
concordance with the Venetians' report his death in the place where had confronted
his father. Unlike the Venetians, who were unhesitant to report anyone's death of
plague 242 , Ottomans might have displayed a certain reticence and pudeur towards
the disease when it came to describing the death of their rulers.
239 Sanuto, , I diarii di Marino Sanuto, vol. 29, col. 395-396
Copia di la letera dil Signor turco Suliman, scrita a la Signoria nostra, portata per il suo
ambasator,...
“Sia noto a la Vostra Serenità, come el beato nostro padre è morto, et è fatto beato ...”
240 According to the Redhouse Turkish and English Lexicon. Istanbul, 1890, this means a large
carbuncle or boil, thus in fact confirming the Baylo's report. Of course, some other disease, such as
anthrax, might have provoked this symptom.
241 see Giese, Anonim Tevârîh-i Al-i Osman, 139.
242 Marino Sanudo regularly mentions the death from plague of important merchants as indeed of
the infortunate Baylo Priuli. With a sense for detail, and without making any distinction, he matterof-factly
records any cause of death, be it plague, colics, fevre terziana, flusso etc.
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