Kolodziejczyk Dariusz. The Crimean Khanate and Poland-Lithuania (ENG)

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874 document 47 (april 1622)

will come aer him, and my sons and brothers, may come as guests to the land

of His Royal Majesty, cultivating good manners and in friendship, provided

that His Majesty, the king of Poland, authorizes it and sets [the size of ] their

retinue. And we should not suer any harm done to us, our men, or belongings

by His Royal Majesty or His Royal Majesty’s subjects; on the contrary, they

[i.e., we] should be honestly welcomed and respected by His Royal Majesty,

and safely return home.

And while we remain in good friendship with His Majesty, the king of

Poland, merchants and traders may come and go along with any merchandise

from our state to the states of His Majesty, the king of Poland, and from his

states to our state and towns; and having paid the customary tolls, they should

not suer any harm from anybody. And if they suer any harm from anybody,

immediate and severe justice should be administered and the damage should

be restored.

And His Majesty, the king of Poland and the grand duke of Lithuania,

promises certain and inviolable peace to me, Djanibek Giray Khan, my sons,

brothers, people, and land, rstly on his own part, and on the part of the Lords

Senators of the Crown, and his subjects.

Also, as the ancestors of His Royal Majesty regarded our [enemies], and as

our ancestors regarded His Royal Majesty’s ancestors’ enemies as their proper

enemies, he will not assist them [i.e., such enemies].

Moreover, in order to display the generosity of His Royal Majesty towards

me, Djanibek Giray, and my servants, so that I be more willing and ready to

bring due assistance (as is described above) to His Royal Majesty against all

his enemies, His Royal Majesty promises to henceforth give me annual gis

out of his generosity and grace, half in cash and half in goods, just as the old

king Sigismund

used to do, and send them to Kamieniec by the 1st day of the

month of November; and I, Djanibek Giray Khan, should send my envoys to

Kamieniec, up to twelve horsemen, and collect them [i.e., the gis] there on the

1st day of November. Also the khans, who will come aer me, should collect

the gis in no other place than Kamieniec. And we will transport [them] to

Akkerman and to the Crimea by our horses and carts.

And the bey (starosta)

of Kamieniec should host and provide for my envoys,

sent by us to collect the gis, and look aer their horses only for two weeks.

And if they wish to remain in Kamieniec any longer, they will provide for

themselves. However, while we remain in good friendship, I and my brother,

the qalga Devlet Giray, may send couriers [posłańców] with news, along with

a set retinue numbering only ve persons, to His Royal Majesty, and His Royal

Majesty should receive them favorably and send them back with an allowance

tting his favor and generosity.

I.e., King Sigismund the Old (r. 1506–1548).

See n. bv above; it is interesting that the Polish chancery used the Turkish term

beg (an older form of bey) in reference to the starosta of Kamieniec. e same term,

alternatively pronounced as bek, also appears in the previous document (cf. Document

46, n. 16).

document 47 (april 1622) 875

Also my brother, His Royal Majesty, may send to us envoys and couriers with

news and other matters, and we should quickly send them back, not detaining

them longer than one month.

Hence I, Djanibek Giray Khan, and the qalga Devlet Giray Sultan, and

other qalgas who will come aer him, along with my sons, brothers, mirzas,

princes, qaraçıs, ulans, beys, and all commanders, engage to maintain true and

inviolable peace towards His Royal Majesty and His Royal Majesty’s subjects,

castles, towns, boroughs, villages, hamlets, farms, apiaries, and pastures, invari-

ably keep and fulll all the conditions mentioned in the present letter of agree-

ment, assist His Royal Majesty against his Muscovian or any other enemy,

and eectively and materially execute all the duties and obligations described

above, without any falsity, deceit, or excuses, and forever, [this engagement

being made] under our oath that we take and pronounce to His Majesty, the

king of Poland, the grand duke of Lithuania, and the lord of other states, by the

name of one God and Prophet Muhammad: by God, with God, and through

God!

And if we do not fulll it, then His Majesty, the king of Poland, will be

free from his promise to us.

And we have ordered to seal our letter of agreement [list przymierny] with

our golden seals. Dated. . . .

e Arabic formula vallahi ve billahi ve tallahi (in Turkish pronunciation) is

correctly rendered in the Polish text.

Empty space was le to ll in the date. e royal instruction for Krauzowski was

issued on 30 April 1622; therefore we may assume that also the present formula was

prepared in the royal chancery in April 1622; cf. Skorupa, Stosunki polsko-tatarskie,

pp. 245–248. Of course the khan’s genuine document would have contained a later

date.

DOCUMENT 48 (24 OCTOBER–2 NOVEMBER 1624)

e ‘ahdname (list przymierny) sent by Khan Mehmed III Giray

to King Sigismund III

e original document is missing.

Polish translation:

A. AGAD, AKW, Dz. tat., k. 65, t. 135, no. 712 (by Samuel Otwinowski).

B. AGAD, AKW, Dz. tat., k. 65, t. 135, no. 713 (copied by Crutta).

C. Bibl. Czart., ms. 612, pp. 403–410 [old pagination: 387–394].

Przymierny list:

Wielka dzięka i wielka chwała onemu, który wszelkie stworzenie według

wolej swej uczyniwszy, człowieka z niszczego prawie stworzywszy żywotem

obdarzył, i nad nimi

wszytkiemi, czyny swojemi przełożył i wywyższył; takie

ustawiczne i bez przestanku pozdrowienie niechaj będzie onemu, który jest

między rodzajem ludzkim najchwalebniejszy, a z świata tego wybrany; niechaj

będzie więc i tym wszytkiem, którzy z jego rodzaju i liniej idą, i którzy jego

społpracownikami Zakonu były, pozdrowienie i pokój boży niech na wieki

nad niemi będzie!

Ponieważ on wszechmocny i możny, wszytek świat żywiący i wszytkim

opatrujący, i niepodobne u ludzi rzeczy sprawujący Pan, z niezmiernej swej

miłości i możności płaszczem panowania i szatą rozkazowania ramiona moje

odziawszy, a z wolej swojej koroną głowę swoję

ozdobiwszy, stolicę

zacności, i

częścią pełną możnym dziełem swojem mnie uweselił i pocieszył, a moje zrodze-

nie z wolej swojej w takim stanie postanowił (jako napisano w Alkoramie

“i poleci ludowi, stworzeniu swemu rząd ziemie” (dawszy im namiestnictwo

na ziemi), według tego rozumiem; i przystojnością i sprawiedliwością oszlach-

ciwszy sprawę panowania i rząd rozkazowania, trudne rzeczy sam otwierając

(to jest trudności sam uprzątając) nam przejrzał i naznaczył według tego

pisma, jako mówi Bóg: “będę dawał pragnącym mądrość i rozeznanie, a oni

e 18th-century copies B. and C. are based on Otwinowski’s 17th-century trans-

lation. Hence only their variations that oer an amendment or alternative reading of

the text are noted. Yet another copy from the Polish National Library (ms. B. N. Pol.

F IV 232), which was known to Bohdan Baranowski (cf. idem, Polska a Tatarszczyzna

w latach 1624–1629, p. 39, n. 48), perished in Warsaw during WW2.

B. and C. innemi.

It should rather read także.

It should rather read moję.

B. and C. stolicą.

B. and C. Alkoranie.

document 48 (24 october–2 november 1624) 877

będą mię wychwalać;” mnie tedy taką łaską nadarzywszy, wodza państwa ojca

mego do rąk mi podał.

Patrząc na to, ktokolwiek z przodkami Porty naszej przyjaźń i przyjacielstwo

wiódł, zawierać drzwi przyjaźni naszej takim, i przyjaźni odmawiać nie zdało

i nie godziło się. Przeto Wielkiej Ordy i wielkiego państwa, i pól lipciackich,

stolice krymskiej, i wiele Tatarów, i bez liczby Nahayczyków, i prawej strony

i lewej strony, i sto tysięcy Tatarów, i wielu w górach siedzących Cerkiesów,

i Tatów

wielki cesarz i wielki chan, podobny Ferydunowi, zacnością jako

słońcem oświecony, możności i sprawiedliwości pełny, najjaśniejszy krymski

chan Mechmed Gyray chan (któremu niech Bóg pomocnikiem będzie i niech

go błogosławi na długie czasy!), wielkich państw i wielkich ord ruskiemu, pru-

skiemu, mazowieckiemu, żmudzkiemu, inanckiemu, kiiowskiemu, smoleń-

skiemu, cirkaskiemu, szwedzkiemu, gottskiemu, vandalskiemu, litowskiemu

wielkiemu cesarzowi, bratu naszemu, królowi polskiemu Zygmuntowi Trze-

ciemu, którego sprawy dobre niech mają wywyższenie, i przymierze albo

pokój stanowiony niech będzie do dnia sądnego trwały.

Po pozdrowieniu i o zdrowiu brata naszego się pytaniu, przez ten list nasz

carski, miłości pełny i uczciwości godny, oznajmujemy, iże cześć i wola nasza

do uczynienia pokoju się ściąga, opowiadamy i mówiemy, i w tym jednaniu

takie postanowienie czyniemy, i ono aby jawne wszytkiem było chcemy i roz-

kazujemy:

Przedtym sławni i wielmożni przodkowie nasi, których odpoczynek jest raj,

jako Mengili Giray chan z przodkami waszymi, bracie nasz, królu Zygmuncie,

z królem Augustem, z sobą się pobratawszy, przymierze i pokój, i przyjaźń

uczynili byli; według którego pobratymstwa i przyjaźni listy przymiernemi

utwierdzonego zwyczajny skarb abo upominek, część pewną gotowizną,

część też w pięknych materiach, część w inych zwyczajnych towarach z

państw waszych na własne wozy włożywszy aż do Krymu, do miejsca miesz-

kania szczęśliwego naszego, do Bachca Saraia posyłając oddawali. A z temi

upominkami idącym, tak samemu posłowi wielkiemu, jako i kupcom, i lu-

dziom inszym z nim będącym w drodze, tak samym, jako i rzeczom, towarom

ich żadnej szkody się nie działo. A jeśliby z przygody jaka się stała, nagroda i

karanie z przestępników czynione było.

Także sułtan gałdze i muradyn [sic] sułtanowi, i inszym, ile ich jest, sułtanom

braciej naszej, tak samym, jako i ich urzędnikom, agom podarki

posyłano.

Więc i przy samym chanie wielkim, znaczniejszym, i na przedzie będącym

agom: podskarbiemu, szafarniemu, koniuszemu, nad odźwiernemi starszemu,

spiżarnemu, pisarzowi dywańskiemu, i inszym potrzebnym ludziom, których

w liczbie jest dwanaście, podarki zawsze posyłane bywały. Więc begom i mur-

zom przednim także posyłano. Takim tedy sposobem kożdego roku upominki

gdy oddawane bywały, z gruntu i mocno przymierzu i pokojowi uczciwość

Evidently it should read kipciackich or rather kipczackich.

In C. erroneously corrected to Tatarów; in B. Tatarów. Apparently the 18th-

century scribes were not familiar with the term Tat (cf. n. 8 below).

In B. and C. erroneously corrected to podatki.

878 document 48 (24 october–2 november 1624)

czyniona była. Zatym obuch państw ubodzy i poddani w pokoju byli, i nad

Dnieprem z obu stron będący Tatarowie i Nachaycy nasi dnieprową wodę

pijąc, trawę pasąc, w pokoju władzej cesarskiej posłuszni będąc siedzieli.

Kozacy też dnieprowi w pokoju siedząc, zawsze najjaśniejszego cesarza w

uczciwości mając, przeciwko wolej jego nic nie czynili.

Takim że sposobem mało przedtym, wspomnienia godnym Gazy Gierey

chanem (który niech odpoczynek ma w raju!) w ziemi wołoskiej na Cze-

czorze przez sprawę i śrzodkowanie naonczas będącego hetmana i kanclerza

waszego, bracie nasz królu Zygmuncie, postanowienie i pokój uczynione

było. Zaczym i list przymierny według dawnego zwyczaju dany był, w którym

część gotowizną tak wiele tysięcy czerwonych,

część towary, część też mate-

riami pięknemi na wozy swoje włożywszy, do Dzian Kermana przyniózszy,

na drugą stronę o przywiezieniu tego znać dawali.

My teraz temże kształtem i takim że obyczajem ten list nasz przymierny

posyłając, postanowienie przez zacne i czcigodne przodki nasze, Mengili

Giray chana i Dewleta

Giray chana z przodkami waszemi, z królem Augustem

uczynionemu, jako oni koło tego pokoju chodząc uczciwość przymierzu

czynili, tak i ja uczciwość czynić chcę i pozwalam. A jako wy, bracie nasz,

Zygmuncie królu, z Gazy Gierey chanem wspomnienia godnym przez kan-

clerza swego braterstwa i przyjaźń uczyniliście byli, takież że

więcej ja, wielki

chan Mechmed Girey chan z wami, bratem naszem królem Zygmuntem, od

dzisiejszego dnia przyjaźń i braterstwo czynię, stanowię, i trzymać chcę. Na

toż i list przymierny daję i opowiadam:

Naprzód że wy, bracie nasz, królu Zygmuncie macie być w zgodzie i

dobrej przyjaźni z najjaśniejszym cesarzem i państwem musułmańskim, więc

wołoskiej ziemi, i multańskiej, biełogrodowej, echymej,

Kiliej, i inszym

miejscom aby żadna szkoda od was i od ludzi waszych aby nie była. Kozacy

także wasi z Niepru aby czajkami na Czarne Morze wychodząc szkód nie

czynili, i aby mimo Oczaków żadna czajka już nie przychodziła. Krymskiemu

państwu także aby się od Kozaków szkoda nie działa.

Więc roku podle roku zwyczajny skarb, to jest upominki, tak nam samym, jako i

agom, urzędnikom naszym wyżej mianowanym, i inszym do tego przynależącym,

których wszytkich w liczbie dwanaście, murzom także i przednim begom, więc

sułtan gałdze Sachyn Giereiowi, i muradym [sic] sułtanowi, i inszym sułtanom

braciej naszej, i potym będącym, i ich agom podarki aby oddawane były.

Jeśli tedy według tego i według zwyczaju dawnego uczciwość przymierzu

czynić będziecie, ja też, wielki chan Mechmet Girey chan tak osobą swą, jako

ze wszystkim niezwyciężonym wojskiem naszym, i wybornym w męstwie

bratem naszym Sahin Giereiem gałgą, i muradyn sułtanem, i z inszemi małemi

i wielkiemi sułtanami, i wybranemi do rządu przedniemi begami, i murzami

krymskiemi, nachayskiemi, i ze wszytkiemi w Krymie mieszkającemi znacz-

nemi i przedniejszemi ludźmi, i poddanemi naszemi, i wojski nachayskiemi, i ze

B. and C. czerwonych złotych.

B. and C. Dewlet.

Strangely spelled: takiesze że; in B. and C. “corrected” to takie ja też.

Sic; it should read Techyniej.

document 48 (24 october–2 november 1624) 879

wszytkiemi, którzykolwiek posłuszeństwo swe nam oddają, na się bierzem

i podejmujemy się, wkładając to na swoję głowę, iż do tego czasu waszym

wsiom, osadom, miasteczkom pokój od nich będzie, i wpadać, ani nieprzyjaźni

żadnej okazować będą, i aż do samego Czarnego Morza wojska żadne, ani

Tatarzyn widzian nie będzie, bośmy już wam, bracie królu Zygmuncie na

długo bratem zostali; i przyjacielowi przyjacielem waszemu,

a nieprzyja-

cielowi nieprzyjacielem jestem: przyjaciel wasz, przyjaciel nasz, a nieprzyjaciel

wasz, i nas nieprzyjaciel.

Więc pojawi li

się też jaki nieprzyjaciel, a ode mnie pomocy

potrzebowalibyście, ile będzie potrzeba wojska poślemy. Nam też będzie li

trzeba, wy także, bracie nasz, wojska swego poślecie.

Więc tak od was do nas, jako i od nas do was posłowie i kupcy niech przechodzą,

a przechodzącym w dobry obyczaj żadna szkoda tak samym, jako i rzeczom dziać

się nie będzie. Jeśliby się też z przygody szkoda jaka stała, tak u was jako i u nas,

złoczyńce wynalezszy, rzeczy powracawszy z nagrodą, bez miłosierdzia karać.

Z obu stron tedy napisanym artykułom uczciwość

potrzeba. Jeśliby też

nam osobą naszą lub bratu naszemu sułtanowi gdzie z wojskiem iść, abo

wojsko przyszło posłać, przez Polskę ani przez państwa wasze, aby osady i

wsi wasze nie były spustoszone i podeptane, chodzić nie mamy.

Owa,

krótko mówiąc, od wojsk tatarskich, krymskich, i nachayskich

państwom waszym, królu Zygmuncie Trzeci, szkoda nie będzie się działa.

Ten tedy list przymierny, i w nim z początku aż do końca napisane i ozna-

czone sprawy, i artykuły, i punkta mocno, nienaruszenie, do skończenia dni

moich trzymać obiecuję, i na Boga wszechmocnego, Boga miłosiernego, i na

Proroka naszego przysięgą utwierdzamy. A żeby to ważniej było, ręką swą

własną i braterską pieczęć przycisnęliśmy. Zatym pokój boży dobrym.

Pisan we środku miesiąca mucherren

nazwanego, tysiącnego trzydziestego

czwartego roku, to jest w pośrodku samego miesiąca stycznia tysiąc sześćset

dwudziestego piątego roku.

Na pieczęci: Sułtan Mechmed Giray chan,

syn Sachadet Girey chana

Translation:

e letter of agreement:

Let the great gratitude and great praise be pronounced to the One, who cre-

ated all creatures according to His will, and who, having created a man from

nothing, endowed him with life and placed him above all his creatures; and

let the permanent and unending salutation be pronounced to the one, who is

B. and C. waszym.

B. and C. pojawiłby.

In B. and C. corrected: uczciwości.

In B. and C. corrected: owo.

B. mucharem; C. mucherrem.

880 document 48 (24 october–2 november 1624)

the most praiseworthy among mankind and the chosen from this world;

also,

let the salutation and divine peace be upon all his descendants and those, who

assisted him in [designing his] Law!

As He, the Lord, is almighty and powerful, nourishes and provides for the whole

world and makes things unthinkable for humans, from His unlimited love and

might He dressed my shoulders with the robe of reign and gown of sovereignty,

and from His will He embellished my head, being the seat of righteousness, with

a crown, raising my spirit with His powerful act; and, as I understand it, He thus

[pre]ordered my birth by his will (as is written in the Koran

): “and He will entrust

the people, whom He created, with the rule of earth”

(by giving them the lieuten-

ancy on earth

); and having ennobled the matters of reign and the administration

of sovereignty with decency and justice, having opened dicult issues (that means

having smoothed away diculties

) before us, He foresaw and assigned, according

to the Writing, as God says: “I will give wisdom and experience to those who desire

it, and they will praise me;”

having thus endowed me with such grace, He put the

reins of my father’s state into my hands.

Having seen, who used to remain in friendship and amity with the ancestors

of our Porte [i.e., our ancestors], we did not consider proper or seemly to close the

gate of friendship and refuse [our] friendship to such [ancient friends]. erefore

[I,] the great emperor and great khan of the Great Horde and great state, the Kip-

chak Steppe, the Crimean throne, numerous Tatars and innumerable Nogays, the

right side and the le side, one hundred thousand Tatars, numerous Circassians

dwelling in the mountains, and the Tats,

the illustrious Crimean khan Mehmed

e adjectives “praiseworthy” (Ar. muhammad ) and “chosen” (Ar. mustafa) are

obvious references to the two names of Prophet Muhammad.

is explanation, written in parentheses in the Polish text, is apparently by the

translator, Samuel Otwinowski.

I was unable to nd a Koranic fragment that would entirely match Otwinowski’s

translation. e closest would be the fragment of the 165th verse of the 6th sura:

ضرﻻا ﻒﺋﻼﺧ ﲂﻟﻌﺟ یﺬﻟا ﻮﮬو (“He is the One, who made you lieutenants [lit. caliphs] of

earth”), or perhaps the fragment of the 14th verse of the 10th sura:

ضرﻻا ﻰﻓ ﻒﺋﻼﺧ ﻢﮐﺎﻨ

ﻠﻌﺟ

ﻢﺛ

(“We made you lieutenants [lit. caliphs] on earth”); cf. Muhammad F. ‘Abd al-Baqi,

al-Mu‘jam al mufahras li-alfaz al-Qur’an al-Karim, p. 29.

In this entry, again written in parentheses in the Polish text, Otwinowski appar-

ently oered the reader his explanation of the above Koranic quotation.

Yet another Otwinowski’s explanation, written in parentheses in the Polish text.

Again, I was unable to nd a Koranic fragment that would entirely match Otwi-

nowski’s translation. e closest would be the fragment of the 269th verse of the 2nd

sura:

ءﺎﺸ

ﻳ

ﻦﻣ ﺔﻤﻜﺤﻟا ۍﺗﻮﯾ (“He giveth wisdom to whom He pleaseth”), or perhaps the

fragment of the 12th verse of the 31st sura (referring to Lokman, the legendary sage):

ﻪﻟﻟ ﺮﮑﺷا نا ﺔﻤﻜﺤﻟ نﺎﻤﻘﻟ ﻴﺗا ﺪﻘﻟ و (“Once we bestowed wisdom to Lokman [saying] ‘show

[thy] gratitude to God!’ ”); cf. Muhammad F. ‘Abd al-Baqi, al-Mu‘jam al mufahras li-

alfaz al-Qur’an al-Karim, pp. 213–214.

e term Tat appears already in the eigth-century Turkic Orkhon inscriptions

denoting “a subjected foreign people.” In the seventeenth-century Crimean context

it probably denoted various peoples of foreign (i.e., non-Turkic) origin living under

the khan’s rule, especially the Greeks, Italians, and the remnants of the Goths and

Alans inhabiting the mountainous southern section of the Crimea; cf. Edmond Schütz,

“e Tat people in the Crimea,” pp. 77–84 and 89–97; Mary Ivanics, “Formal and

document 48 (24 october–2 november 1624) 881

Giray Khan (may God assist and bless him for a long time!), similar to Feridun,

enlightened with righteousness like with sunlight, full of power and justice, [hereby

announce] to our brother, the great emperor of the great states and great hordes:

Ruthenia, Prussia, Mazovia, Samogitia, Livonia, Kiev, Smolensk, Čerkasy, of the

Swedes, Goths, Vandals, and of Lithuania, the king of Poland, Sigismund the

ird (may his aairs be well elevated

and may the established agreement and

peace last till the Day of Judgment!):

Aer we have greeted our brother and asked about his health, we announce

by our present monarchic letter, full of amity and sincerity, that our devotion

and will is directed towards accomplishing peace, [hence] we narrate and com-

municate, and reach the following decision, and we want and command that

it be known to everybody:

Previously our famous and mighty ancestors, who rest in paradise, such as

Mengli Giray Khan, commenced brotherhood, agreement, peace, and friend-

ship with your, our brother King Sigismund, ancestors, [such as] King Augus-

tus;

according to that brotherhood and friendship, conrmed by the letters of

agreement, they used to send customary treasure[s] or gi[s], partly in cash,

partly in beautiful textiles, partly in other customary goods, from your states

as far as to the Crimea, to our prosperous seat in Baghchasaray, having loaded

them on their own carts.

And those traveling with the gis, the great envoy,

merchants, and other people in his retinue, were not harmed in any way nor

were their property or goods damaged. And if any [damage] occurred by acci-

dent, it was compensated and the wrongdoers were punished.

Moreover, presents used to be sent to the qalga sultan, the nureddin, and

other sultans, our brothers, whatever their number, both to them and their

ocials, the aghas. Also, presents used to be sent to the major, prominent,

linguistic peculiarities of 17th century Crimean Tatar letters adressed to princes of

Transylvania,” pp. 217–218; Alexander Vasiliev, e Goths in the Crimea, p. 193. In

the now lost original document in Turkish, the reference to the Tats was probably

accompanied by a reference to the Tavgaches, like in the later Crimean documents

and in the almost contemporary şartname sent by Mehmed III Giray to Moscow,

dated 11 September 1624; cf. RGADA, f. 123, op. 2, no. 36; published in Materialy dlja

istorii Krymskago xanstva, p. 21 (the Turkish copy reads: Tat bile Tavgaçnıŋ, whereas

in the contemporary Russian translation both terms are le out as they were appar-

ently unknown to the translator; cf Pamjatniki diplomatičeskix snošenij . . . . Edited by

F. Laškov, p. 47). Otwinowski seems to have been familiar with the term Tat, but not

with Tavgaç, so he le it out. On the Tavgaches, see Document 49, n. 1.

Feridun was the legendary ancient Persian hero and king.

is might be an imprecise translation of the standard Arabic formula hutimet

‘avakibühü bi`l-hayr (“may his latter moments end with good!”), typically entered by

Muslim chanceries aer the names of non-Muslims and expressing the hope in their

conversion to Islam.

e examples of Khan Mengli Giray and King Sigismund Augustus do not match

chronologically as the rst one died in 1515 while the second was born in 1520. Yet,

Sigismund Augustus’ contemporary, Devlet Giray, is mentioned below.

is paragraph refers to the earlier eorts of the Polish court to stipulate that the

delivery of the gis should take place in Kamieniec, Jassy, or Akkerman at the furthest;

cf. Documents 36, 39 (n. 16), 42, 46 and 47.

882 document 48 (24 october–2 november 1624)

leading aghas in the khan’s retinue: the treasurer,

the bookkeeper,

the mas-

ter of the horse,

the head doorkeeper,

the butler,

the scribe of the divan,

and other indispensable men, who amount to twelve. ey also used to be sent

to the leading beys and mirzas. When gis were delivered each year in this

way, the agreement and peace was thoroughly and rmly respected. Hence the

poor and [other] subjects of the two states lived in peace, and our Tatars and

Nogays, who dwelled on both sides of the Dnieper, drinking the Dnieper water

and grazing, obeyed the imperial authority

and remained in peace. Also the

Dnieper Cossacks remained in peace, always respecting the illustrious emperor,

without any violation of his will.

And also, our brother, King Sigismund, shortly before peace was concluded

[with you] by Ghazi Giray Khan (may he rest in paradise!), worthy of remem-

brance, through the mediation of your hetman and chancellor of that time, in

Ţuţora [Cecora] in the Moldavian

land. Hence, according to the ancient custom,

a letter of agreement was issued, in which [a gi] was recorded, partly in cash

amounting to thousands of golden [ orins], partly in goods, partly in beautiful

textiles; [and] having loaded your carts, you brought [all this] to Djankerman

[i.e., Očakiv] and sent a message of its arrival across [the Dnieper river].

Now, we send our present letter of agreement in analogous shape and manner,

in desire to respect peace and agreement, as the peace and agreement concluded by

our upright and respectable ancestors, Mengli Giray Khan and Devlet Giray Khan,

with your ancestors, [namely] king Augustus, was respected by them. And as you,

our brother, King Sigismund, established brotherhood and friendship with Ghazi

Giray Khan, worthy of remembrance, through your chancellor, from now on I,

the great khan Mehmed Giray Khan, likewise establish with you, our brother,

King Sigismund, even stronger friendship and brotherhood, which I want to

keep. And in accordance with that I give a letter of agreement and announce:

Pol. podskarbi; apparently a translation of Tur. hazinedar or hazinedar başı.

Pol. szafarny; it probably refers to the deerdar. In a list of the prominent

aghas who appeared as witnesses before the khan’s court in 1681, the deerdar g-

ures likewise between the hazinedar and the mirahor; see St. Petersburg, Rossijskaja

nacional’naja biblioteka, font 917 “Kazy-askerskie knigi Krymskogo xanstva,” no. 23a,

fol. 138b. e quoted court document is admittedly half a century later, but the ocial

hierarchy did not change that fast.

Pol. koniuszy; apparently a translation of Tur. mirahor.

Pol. nad odźwiernemi starszy; apparently a translation of Tur. qapıcı başı; in the

Polish translation of the khan’s instrument from 1637, the same term is rendered as

kapudzi baszy; cf. Document 52, n. 7.

Pol. spiżarny; apparently a translation of Tur. kilerci başı.

Pol. pisarz dywański; apparently a translation of Tur. divan katibi.

Although both the Crimean khan and the Polish king are referred to in the pres-

ent document as “emperors,” the term “imperial authority” (władza cesarska) appar-

ently refers to the Ottoman sultan; cf. the paragraph below where the “illustrious

emperor” (najjaśniejszy cesarz) is mentioned in relation to Moldavia, Wallachia, and

other Ottoman lands.

In seventeenth-century Polish, the adjective wołoski/wołoska (lit. “Wallachian”

or “of Wallachia”) referred to either Wallachia or Moldavia. In the given case it refers

to Moldavia.

document 48 (24 october–2 november 1624) 883

Firstly that you, our brother, King Sigismund, should live in concord and

sound friendship with the illustrious emperor and the Muslim state,

therefore

no damage should be done by you and your subjects to the lands of Moldavia,

Wallachia,

Akkerman, Tighina [i.e., Bender], Kilia, and other places. Your

Cossacks on their boats should not enter the Black Sea from the Dnieper, and

no boat should pass Očakiv. Also the Crimean state should not suer any dam-

age from the Cossacks.

Moreover, each year the customary treasure, that is the gis, should be

delivered to us while presents [should be delivered] to our aghas, the ocials

mentioned above and others [of similar position], who altogether amount to

twelve, also to the mirzas and leading beys, moreover to the qalga sultan, Sha-

hin Giray, to the nureddin sultan, and to other sultans, our brothers, as well

as their successors, and to their aghas.

And if you respect the agreement according to the above [written clauses]

and the ancient custom, also I, the great khan Mehmed Giray Khan, along

with all my invincible troops, and our brother, excelling in bravery, the qalga

Shahin Giray, and the nureddin sultan, and other younger and older sultans,

and the leading beys, chosen to rule, and the Crimean and Nogay mirzas, and

all notable and prominent men living in the Crimea, and our subjects, and the

Nogay troops, and all, who obey us, we undertake and engage, and we will see

to it that for that time your villages, settlements, and boroughs should experi-

ence peace from their side, and they [i.e., my subjects] should not invade or dis-

play enmity, and no [Tatar] troops and no Tatar should be seen [in the lands

extending] as far as the Black Sea, because, [our] brother King Sigismund, we

have become your brother for long; and I am a friend of your friend, and an

enemy of your enemy: your friend [is] our friend, and your enemy [is] our

enemy.

Moreover, if an enemy appears and you need help from us, we will send

as many troops as needed. And if we need [your help], you, our brother, will

likewise send [us] your troops.

Moreover, let envoys and merchants travel both from your side to our side,

and from ours to yours, and no harm should be done to those who travel and

respect sound customs, or to their goods. And if any damage occurs by accident,

either in your or our [state], the evildoers should be found and punished with-

out mercy, and the [stolen] goods should be restored and compensated.

Hence the registered articles should be respected by both sides. And if we

personally, or our brother, the sultan,

are to set out with troops or send troops

in any direction, we should not march through Poland or your [other] states, so

that your settlements and villages should not be devastated and trampled.

Hence, to sum up, oh King Sigismund the ird, your states will not experi-

ence any damage from the Tatar, Crimean, and Nogay troops.

I.e., the Ottoman sultan and the Ottoman state; cf. n. 19 above.

Respectively referred to as ziemia wołoska and ziemia multańska; cf. Document

47, notes 4 and 13.

Apparently a reference to the qalga, Shahin Giray.