History of Seyd Said, Sultan of Muscat; together with an Account of the Countries and People on the Shores of the Persian Gulf, particularly of the Wahabees. By Shaik Mansur, a Native of Rome, who after having practised as a Physician in many Parts of the East, became Commander of the Forces of the Sultan of Mascat, against the Geovasseom and Wahabees Pirates. Translated from the original Italian M.S. hitherto not published.

Descripción:

FIRST EDITION. Large 8vo. (22.5 x 14 cm). Title+1 errata leaf+[20, preface]+pp.174+[1, folding table]+[1, colophon]. Sometime reacked with half brown sheepskin (preserving original vellum corners) over speckled paper boards, smooth spine with gilt rules and red morocco title label. Engraved folding map entitled "Map of the City of Muscatt and adjacent Country", small diagram of a pyramid in the preface, and folding table "On the Climate and Atmosphere of the City of Muscat, during the Twelve Months of the Year". Small tear in the margin of the map without loss, occasional light foxing, generally a very good copy. One of the rarest books in English on Arabia and the earliest extensive source on Oman, the present work played an important part in informing western opinion about the country, and is especially significant due to its account of early Wahhabism. The author was an Italian, Vincenzo Maurizi "a native of Rome who having practised as a physician in many parts of the East, became a commander of the forces of the Sultan of Muscat, against the Geovasseon and Wahabee Pirates". Maurizi was one of the earliest European visitors to spend a considerable period of time in Oman. He visited Greece and Constantinople, practised medicine in Anatolia, Egypt and Yemen, and arrived in Muscat in 1809. He remained there for a year and was nicknamed "Sheik Mansur" by the ruler Seyd Said, with whom he was closely associated as his personal physician and as commander of his artillery. In 1810 Maurizi proceeded to Baghdad and Persia, but returned to Oman in 1814 before travelling to India. His book, "The History of Seyd Said," is the first European account of Oman and provides a fascinating study of daily life in Muscat and the personality of the Sultan. It is an extraordinary tale, told with a brio unusual in the travel literature of the time. It is full of incident and anecdote, intrigue and opinion, and while entertaining has much interesting material not found elsewhere. For instance his long interview with the Wahabi emissary from Saud, to whom the Sultan paid tribute, gives a colourful account of life in Derrieh, not only a description of the country but also how Maurizi, as a physician, might get employment and what he might expect as an infidel, together with a short account of the overland journey from Katif to the Wahabi capital. The hardships of this journey put Mansur off the venture and it was not undertaken by a westerner until Sadleir (qv) made his Trans-Arabian crossing. Of particular interest too, is his interview with the Nubian assassin of Seyd Said's predecessor, whose ulcer Maurizi treated at the behest of the Sultan. According to Robin Bidwell, "[Maurizi's] is the only account ever given by a participant in the coup in which Sayyid Said seized power and his eye-witness reporting of the Omani army in action is well worth reading. However, the most important contribution that Maurizi makes to knowledge of Arabia is his record of a long conversation with a Wahhabi envoy who explained the basis of his beliefs" (Bidwell, introduction to History of Seyd Said, reprint 1984, p.xi). The envoy, sent to Muscat by Saud II bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud (1748-1814), not only outlined his faith (Wahhabism), but also described the Saudi capital Diriyah, his route to Muscat and his people's resistance to the Ottoman Egyptian army: "Toson Pascià [Tusun Pasha]. has a sufficient force to conquer all of the cities and villages situated on the shores of the Red Sea, but we shall always be masters of the desert, from our superior ability of enduring fatigue and privations" (p.45). Gay 3688 (under 'Mansur'); Robin Bidwell, "Bibliographical Notes on European Accounts of Muscat 1500-1900", in Arabian Studies, IV, 1978, pp.123-160; Ibid. Introduction to the facsimile reprint of "History of Seyd Said" (Cambridge: Oleander Press, 1984). N° de ref. del artículo 62021

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