OCKLEY, Simon. The Conquest of Syria, Persia, and Aegypt, by the Saracens: Containing the lives of Abubeker, Omar and Othman, the immediate Successors of Mahomet. Giving an Account of their most remarkable Battles, Sieges, &c. particularly those of Aleppo, Antioch, Damascus, Alexandria and Jerusalem. Illustrating the Religion, Rites, Customs and Manner of Living of that Warlike People. Collected from the most Authentick Arabick Authors, especially Manuscripts, not hitherto publish'd in any European Language. London: printed for R. Knaplock in St. Paul's Church-Yard, J. Sprint in Little Britain, R. Smith in Cornhill, B. Lintott in Fleetstreet, and J. Round in Exchange-Alley. 1708.
8vo. Contemporary full panelled calf (modern re-back); pp. xxiv, [4, tables, cut a bit short], 391, [21]; a little wear to extremities, lower panel with one scratch, minimal toning or spotting, otherwise clean and crisp; a very attractive copy.
First edition of Ockley’s ground-breaking history of the first three Rashidun Caliphs: Abu Bakr (r. 632-34), Umar (r. 634-44) and Uthman (r. 644-56). It was the first English work on early Islamic and Arab history to make extensive use of texts by Muslim authors, and did much to transmit their learning to the reading public. This is the main work by the Cambridge pofessor of Arabic.
ESTC T134334.
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