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Anon.: Sira Sayyid Battal (Epic of Sayyid Battal)

in Turkish (14-15th)

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Left a page from this ms.

The epic romance of Sayyid Battal (Turkish) describing the Ottoman struggle against the Byzantines in the fifteenth century. The adventures are mainly built around the opposition between the Christians and the Muslims (apart from the Jewish sorcerer). The Christians are depicted in a negative way and are systematically humiliated. The story is centred in Malatya, in Anatolia, and spreads out to Tarsus, Caesarea, Baghdad, North Africa, and India. Zanguebar is mentioned several times as the place where fighter and princes and slaves come from.

 

Taken from: Kleinere Schriften by Fleischer, Heinrich Leberecht

 

Since the tribute decreases from year to year, Battal under the name Sohrab loots an embassy for the Emperor of China at the Greek territory of Margrave (1) Tariun and his daughter Gulendam. Battal falls in Tariuns captivity, and Gulendam falls in love with him, is converted by him, and hids him for a whole year after he escaped from the prison. An infidel prisoner, killed by Battal and his face made unrecognizable and wrapped in his clothes, is burned in his place. Again approaches an army under the emperor himself against Malatia (2), Battal leaves the pregnant Gulendam, paints himself black and as Mohr Prince of Zanguebar and spies of the Greek army, he mingles as water carrier under them and kills every night all valiant men; last he brings by false alarm the Greeks to kill each other in a nocturnal massacre, during which he captures several of the leaders  among them the Princes Simeon and Constantin, and Margrave (1) Tariun and his son, and throws them in a dry well in the monastery of Simias.

 

Taken from: Die Fahrten des Sajjid Batthal by Battal Gazi (seyyid), ‎Hermann Ethé

 

Sayyid lifted the Kintar Emperor up, threw him to the ground, tied his hands and sent him to the foot of the banner. Now

rushed from the enemy's side two Pahlewanen, unbelievers to attack, Akhtar from Chata and Mankui from Zanguebar;

from two directions, they stormed and took the Sayyid in the center. One swung against him his leg, the other his saber;

Sayyid jumped up and grabbed with his right hand Akhtar on the belt, and with the left Mankui from Zanguebar. With all

his power, he tore down finally those two dragons Pahlewanen from their horse. But now was Mankui a devious fellow;

hastily he drew his dagger, cut his belt and slipped away from Sayyid's hand. Sayyid fell into anger and struck so violently

on Akhtar that he was all crushed to dust.

 

Taken from: Battalname: kısım. Giriş ve ingilizce tercüme by Yorgos Dedes

 

The vizier Bahnam said, I can take you there but there are two zangis on the way, they call one of them Anjaf and the other

Azraf, and, also, that demon is quite scary. Sayyid said, Come with me and you have nothing to fear. The vizier and Sayyid

both set out and on the fourth day they reached a certain place and Bahnam said, Lord, this is the place of that Zangi I

mentioned.  Sayyid said, May God lead us right. Right that moment there came a loud voice, Hey…