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Book/Printed Material The Qurʼan in the Earliest Printed Version, with the Life and Teachings of Muhammad and Other Works. Machvmetis Saracenorvm Principis eivsq́ve svccessorvm vitae, ac doctrina, ipséqve Alcoran

About this Item

Title

  • The Qurʼan in the Earliest Printed Version, with the Life and Teachings of Muhammad and Other Works.

Other Title

  • Machvmetis Saracenorvm Principis eivsq́ve svccessorvm vitae, ac doctrina, ipséqve Alcoran

Summary

  • This volume contains the first-ever printing of the Qurʼan, presented in the 12th-century Latin translation by the English scholar Robert of Ketton. This translation was commissioned by Abbot Peter the Venerable of the monastery of Cluny in France, who was also responsible for monasteries in Spain. Islam was still a strong presence in Spain in the 1300s, although Muslim control of the Iberian Peninsula was waning. When this edition was printed 400 years later, Islam was again a pressing concern for Christian authorities: in 1529 the Ottoman Turkish sultan, Suleiman the Magnificent, had besieged Vienna. A notable feature is the preface by Martin Luther, who found a manuscript of Ketton's translation and arranged for its printing. Luther wanted Christians to be informed about Islam so that they could refute its theological positions, "for the propagation of the Christian faith and of Holy Mother Church." Luther was criticized for this publication by critics who maintained that even printing the Qur'ān for polemical purposes was a dangerous acknowledgment of its religious significance. In addition to the translation of the Qur'ān itself, the volume contains "the refutations by many of the most worthy Arabic, Greek, and Latin authors, together with a foreword by the most excellent theologian, Martin Luther," making it the most comprehensive set of materials on the subject available in the West at the time. These writings include Confutatio legis latae Saracenis a maledicto Mahometo (Refutation of the law enacted by the curse of the Saracens, Mahomet) by Ricoldo da Montecroce (circa 1243--1320), with a parallel Greek translation; Historiae de Saracenorum sive Turcarum origine, moribus, nequitia, religione, rebus gestis (History of the Saracen or Turkish origin, behavior, wickedness, religion, and history), prefaced by Luther; and the Greek original and Latin translation of Contra Mahometicam fidem Christiana & orthodoxa assertion (Against Mohammedanism and a Christian Orthodox faith assertion) by John VI Cantacuzenus, Emperor of the East (1292--1383).

Names

  • Bibliander, Theodorus, circa 1504-1564 Editor.
  • John VI, Cantacuzenus, Emperor of the East, 1292-1383 Contributor.
  • Luther, Martin, 1483-1546 Author of Introduction, etc..
  • Ricoldo, da Montecroce, circa 1243-1320 Contributor.
  • Robert, of Chester, flourished 1143 Translator.

Created / Published

  • Basel : Johannes Oporinus, 1543.

Headings

  • -  Switzerland
  • -  500 to 1543
  • -  Koran

Notes

  • -  Title devised, in English, by Library staff.
  • -  Original resource extent: 860 pages ; 30 x 20.5 x 6 centimeters.
  • -  Original resource at: Hill Museum & Manuscript Library.
  • -  Content in Modern Greek (1453-) and Ancient Greek (to 1453) and Latin.
  • -  Description based on data extracted from World Digital Library, which may be extracted from partner institutions.

Medium

  • 1 online resource.

Source Collection

  • Arca Artium Rare Books

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2021666830

Online Format

  • compressed data
  • pdf
  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

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Credit Line: [Original Source citation], World Digital Library

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Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Bibliander, Theodorus, Circa Editor, Cantacuzenus John Vi, Martin Luther, Da Montecroce Ricoldo, and Of Chester Robert. The Qurʼan in the Earliest Printed Version, with the Life and Teachings of Muhammad and Other Works. Basel: Johannes Oporinus, 1543. Pdf. https://www.loc.gov/item/2021666830/.

APA citation style:

Bibliander, T., John Vi, C., Luther, M., Ricoldo, D. M. & Robert, O. C. (1543) The Qurʼan in the Earliest Printed Version, with the Life and Teachings of Muhammad and Other Works. Basel: Johannes Oporinus. [Pdf] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2021666830/.

MLA citation style:

Bibliander, Theodorus, Circa Editor, et al. The Qurʼan in the Earliest Printed Version, with the Life and Teachings of Muhammad and Other Works. Basel: Johannes Oporinus, 1543. Pdf. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2021666830/>.