CHALCONDYLE Laonicus Histoire général des Turcs, contenant l’histoire de Chalcondyle, traduite par Blaise de Vigenaire, avec les illustrations du même auteur. Et continuée jusques en l’an M.D.C.XII par Thomas Artus; et en cette édition, par le sieur de Mézeray, jusques en l’année 1661. De plus l’histoire du Sérail par le sieur Baudier. Les figures et descriptions des principaux officiers et autres personnes de l’Empire Turc, par Nicolai.

Atabey, I, 214 (missing the plan of the Turkish army); Koç Collection, 59; not in Blackmer.

Important collective edition (the first dates from 1632, with notes by Thomas Artus) of the French translation of one of the most famous books on Turkish history. It is also well known for its iconography of the sultans and other characters whose engravings are inspired by the woodcuts illustrating Nicolai's edition (Les Navigations, pérégrinations et voyages… Antwerp 1576).

"These collected editions of the history of Chalcondyles are particularly important as the vehicle by which Nicolay's plates of Levantine costumes became known" (Atabey).

"Laonicus Chacondyles, c. 1423-1490, was a Byzantine Greek historian from Athens. His work is one of the main sources of historical knowledge about the Byzantine Empire from 1298 to 1463. It first appeared in a Latin translation in 1556 (Basel, Oporinus), and the French translation by Blaise de Vigenère was first published in 1577 (Paris, N. Chesneau). Although a parallel Greek/Latin text was published by Petrus de la Rouière in Geneva in 1615, it was the folio editions in French, with Artus' additions, that became famous for their iconography of the sultans: the first of these editions appeared in Paris under the imprint of the widow l'Angelier in 1612, and this and many other successive editions helped to bring Nicolay's costume images to a wider audience" (Koç).

A complete copy with the 106 full-page engravings, together with the large copper-engraved plan of Constantinople, and the woodcut plan of the Turkish army which was missing from the Atabey copy. Occasional foxing and traces of waterstain notably in the first volume, small wormholes.