ΘΕΟΔΩΡΟΣ ΣΠΑΝΔΟΥΝΗΣ ΚΑΝΤΑΚΟΥΖΗΝΟΣ THEODORO SPANDUGINO CANTACUCINO GENTILHUOMO CONSTANTINOPOLITANO: COMMENTARI DELL ORIGINE DE PRINCIPI TURCHI ET DE COSTUMI DI QUELLA NATIONE. FIORENZA 1551 Third edition (all editions published within one year) of a unique account, written by a post Byzantine Greek. In 8vo,19th century full leather,spine gilt,complete,text with few scattered spotting in some pages,overall very good condition of a 500 years old book. It is a highly regarded work notable for its high production quality and its perspective as a direct Greek source.Theodore Spandugino (Θεόδωρος Σπανδούνης) belonged to the noble Cantacuzenos family, one of the most powerful dynasties of the late Byzantine Empire. Unlike many Western chroniclers who relied on hearsay, Spandugino spent time in Constantinople, travelled widely in the Levant and spoke Greek and Turkish. He had relatives who had converted to Islam and served in high Ottoman offices, giving him an insider knowledge that was unparalleled in Europe at the time. While he sought to warn Christendom of the Turkish menace, his account is prized by historians for its relatively objective and detailed description of Ottoman administration and court life. He referred to European countries as ΕΛΛΑΣ (Hellas),as his real country of origin was under Ottoman barbarian rule and he had a strong Greek identity. The Commentari are divided into sections that cover a chronological history of the Sultans from Osman I to the contemporary Suleiman the Magnificent,one of the earliest and most accurate descriptions of the forced recruitment of young Christian boys,the famous Devshirme and training of the elite Ottoman infantry,the Jannissaries,and rare details about the Sultan’s private life and the hierarchy of the Seraglio. Spandugino provides a famous account of the Sultan’s death at the Battle of Kosovo, noting that ever since that event, ambassadors were required to be held by their arms when approaching the Sultan. Spandugino’s initial work was first published in various forms as early as 1509/1519, but his full account finished around 1538 and appeared in 1550. It remains a primary source for the study of the transition from the Byzantine to the Ottoman administrative systems and unique as written by a contemporary Greek.