On the Explanation of a Red-Ink Marginal Note by Reader-Friendly Ottoman Judge

Abstract

Readers leave notes on manuscripts for various purposes, and just like authors and copyists, they contribute to the compilation of the book. These notes are called by various names such as paratextual elements and “kuyûdât” (lit. records). Kuyûdât encompasses manifold sub-branches such as “kıraat” (recitation), “temellük” (ownership record), and “fevaid” (useful information). By filling the gaps in a book, and becoming auxiliary sources for history and cultural history, they, in fact, turn out to be a text themselves. This brief article is centered on the story of a marginal note, written in red ink by an Ottoman judge in Humus in the mid-16th century. This article examines the nature of this marginal note, the reason for its composition, and its indirect references to historical and cultural narratives.