An Anonymous Work on the Baghdad Campaign of Murad IV: Feth-i Bağdâd Kıssası

Murad IV was one of the most striking Ottoman sultans by virtue of his deeds and personality. Since he came to the throne at a young age, initial years of his reign passed under the regency of his mother Kosem Sultan. Murad IV gained the full control of the state administration only after 1632. Eliminating the oppressors in the country with coercion has played a great role in strengthening his authority. The young Sultan set a campaign and took Revan in 1635 after he established his power within the whole country. Yet, Safevids took advantage of the absence of the Ottoman army and recaptured Revan. Then, Murad IV attacked on and sieged Baghdad in order to settle accounts with Safevids. After forty days of siege he conquered Baghdad in 1638. With these victories he made his mark in history and was known as the Conqueror of Revan and Baghdad. In this study, anonymous work of Feth-i Bağdâd Kıssası (The Story of the Conquest of Baghdad) which is the one and the only copy in Bibliothéque Nationale de France was examined. The Baghdad Campaign of Murad IV was narrated in this work. Feth-i Bağdâd Kıssası which was written by someone who participated the campaign with the Sultan, gives important information about that war.