Piri Reis' Scholarly Works
If Piri were only a helpmate to Kemal Reis, even with the grand titles and high posts that he had
won, he would not be a subject important enough for the history of civilization today. We would
cite him only as one of the great admirals of the Ottoman Empire when she was a great power on
various seas. For, at the time, not only were the Black Sea and the Marmara exclusively Turkish
seas, but the eastern and the southern coasts of the Mediterranean and all the neighboring islands
as well as the eastern coast of the Adriatic were under Turkish domination. The Turkish banner
reigned on the Red Sea and the Arabian; the Turkish fleet carried it to the coasts and islands of
the Indian Ocean
To be the ruler of so many seas the Ottoman Empire was bound to have great seamen. And yet
Piri Reis, life and works differ from those of his contemporaries. He was not content to secure for
his country more powers and victories but left written works on the science of navigation, which
have survived to this day.
The Book "Bahriyye-on Navigation"
Piri Reis then young but quite experienced, traveled on Kemal Reis' ships almost the full length of
the Mediterranean coasts, and on many occasions he was able to study various Spanish, Tunisian,
French and Adriatic harbours. Acquiring information on various geographic and naval conditions
of these legions, he recorded his own observations on them, and all this formed the basis for his
book "Bahriye-On Navigation". In it Piri described the towns and countries along the
Mediterranean coasts, and drew maps, charts and pictures of them. He did not neglect giving
important information on navigation there, either. Reading the book page by page will take us on
a delightful trip along these regions in the XVI th century. It is, basically, a kind of naval guide
book. He gathered all previous information on the subject, but added to it other practical
knowledge necessary for sailors on the most important coastal routes, and drew large maps of all
the spots he considered important there. In this way the book came out not only as a mere guide
book, but also it became the greatest contemporary "portulano" with the most advanced technique
of cartography.
One can see in this book a most significant invention: to make available all that he could not
squeeze into the maps, for his readers he drew large maps and complemented them with indexes.
The book has many versions. 29 of them exist in the libraries of Europe and Istanbul. Some of
them bear the date 1520 (Arabic 927) the others 1525 (Arabic 932).
The book was published in 1935, with an introduction, an index and a facsimile, based on the
version now in the St. Sophia Museum in Istanbul. It has 858 large pages and a section all in verse
form, consisting of 78 pages; the latter is divided into 23 chapters, 1107 couplets in all. Into these
lines Piri has put all that he learned and observed as well as information indirectly acquired, on the
seas of the world, in a style easy to remember and memorize.
The main theme in the book is the Mediterranean coast and the islands there. In Chapters I and II
(pp. 7-19). he explains his aim in writing the book and also his life at sea with Kemal Reis In
Chapters III, IV, and V (pp. 19-23).he gives information about storms, winds and the compass
Chapters VI and VII (pp.23-29) are about maps and emblematic signs on maps. In Chapter VIII
(p. 29) he says that one fourth of the seas that cover the earth has continents on them, and by
giving names to each he cites 7 seas. Chapter IX (pp.30-32) is devoted to the geographic
discoveries of the Portuguese. In Chapter X (pp. 33-37) he discusses Abyssinia as extending as far
as the Cape of Good Hope and wishes that the Turks may drive back the Dutch and the
Portuguese from the Red Sea. In Chapter XI (pp.37-43) on the globular chart which he calls "the
ball of the earth" be talks about the poles, the tropics, and the equator, and relates what the
Portuguese know about them. Chapter XII (pp. 43-52) recounts how the Portuguese make
voyages from their own country to the Indies with favourable winds, in a most profitable way.
Chapter XIII (pp. 52-56) is general information on navigation, but it also relates some sailors'
stories based on fantastic rumours.
It includes an account of the Chinese seas, and considering that part of the world as the end of the
East, he gives information on the Chinese people, their customs and traditions and their skill in
pottery. The explanations in Chapters XIV and XV (pp. 56-61) about the Indian Ocean and the
monsoons are valid even today. He also discusses the wind situations in the Mediterranean and
the Aegean Seas. He describes, here, the implement called the "Indian Measure" which measures
heights, and also gives information about the Pole Star.
In Chapter XVI (pp. 61-66) he describes the Persian Gulf from what he has heard about it,
because then he has not yet been able to visit that part of the world. He gives a very good account
of pearl-fishing and the spots for it. This piece of information is as good as modern since
pearl-fishing is still performed in the same way and at the same spots. In Chapters XVII, XVIII,
XIX and XX (pp.67-77) he calls the Indian Ocean "the Sea of the Negroes", and gives an account
of the coast and the islands there.
In Chapter XXI (pp. 77-84) he studies the Atlantic Ocean under two different names: "the
Western Sea" and "The Great Ocean". He says that the "Western Sea" begins from the Straits of
Gibraltar and extends 4000 miles towards the west. He also informs the reader of the continent he
calls "the Antilia". He says, that there the mountains contain rich gold ores, and four fathoms deep
in the sea pearl is to be found (p.78). He discusses the history of the continent and says that it was
discovered by sailors. About the inhabitants there he says that they have flat faces, and eyes a full
span apart from each other; they are large in build and frightful creatures. He recounts all this on
hearsay. He adds to it, though, some personal experiences as to how he once got a hat belonging
to the natives on some Mediterranean island. The hat was made of parrots' feathers. There was
also an axe made of some hard, black stone that could cut even iron. In this way
Piri wrote most
of the information in the margin of the map of America into this book.
In the chapter on this "Western Sea" we read all that is known about the' discovery of America at
the time. Of this he recounts, on hearsay again, how a certain book from the time of Alexander
the Great was translated in Europe, and after reading it how Christopher Columbus went and
discovered the Antilles with the vessels he obtained from the Spanish government.
It is quite evident today that Piri Reis came into possession of the map that the great discoverer
had used.
He makes a reference to the Caspian Sea and says that it is a closed sea. He gives no information,
however, about the Red Sea or the Black Sea.
Thus in these 74 pages of verse he was able to gather all the contemporary information about
navigation.
The main body of the book consists of 743 pages (pp. 85-848), and these are divided into
209
chapters with 215 maps and charts. This part is written in prose, the aim being to make it available
and easy for every sailor. It begins with the Dardanelles, then goes on to the Aegean Sea, the
coastline and the islands there, then the Adriatic Sea and the coasts along Western Italy, Southern
France and Eastern Spain; geographic and historical information about the islands there are given
and then along the Straits of Gibraltar to the African coast as far as Egypt, then to the shores of
Palestine and Syria, to Cyprus and then the Anatolian coastline up to Marmaris. At the end of this
part he studies Crete and other islands which he had not previously mentioned. Later coming back
to the Straits of Dardanelles he finishes the book with a description of the Gulf of Saros.
In composing the work Piri first gives historical and geographical information and then he
discusses the necessary practical knowledge on navigation. Each chapter contains detailed charts,
some in different colours. Since his method is still used in modern guide books on navigation and
seas one cannot help wondering at the advanced outlook, which the book presents. On many
points the accuracy of his statements are indisputable. The work, therefore, must he regarded as
very important for the science of navigation.
The great sailor-writer draws maps of and gives information about the Adriatic coast in general
and about the Bay of Venice in particular. About the latter he says, "The city of Venice extends to
an area of 12 miles. The whole district consists of parts of land and parts of an "ear" of the sea.
The sea is at some places quite shallow and at others deep. The people have put piles upon these
shallow spots and upon them built their city. Before the city was thus constructed fishermen used
to come to these lonely spots, spread their nets and catch fish. When fishing flourished there,
more people began to come and then to settle there by building houses over those piles. In the
course of time they increased in number. The wise ones among them thought that they must see
to it that the city they were building must be able to stand for all time". (Bahriye, p.422-423).
Then Piri describes the building of the famous St. Marco, the purpose and the process involved in
building it. He later tells us that the inhabitants live by trade, and that one has to hire a guide from
the fortress of "Yaransa" to go to the city, otherwise, they do not take the responsibility for any
loss or damages incurred because of the shallow waters.
The final judgment arrived at about the book, after profound study, is as follows: "Research
work done on it reveals that not a single statement can be found in it that is not based on facts".
This becomes very obvious in the ease of Crete when knowledge concerning the island at two
different periods in history is compared. Unfortunately, however, since this great work was not
published in the XVI th century and was there fore unknown to the world of science, it has not
been as useful as it could have been. Nevertheless the work still retains its Importance and value
despite the intervening centuries.
Next: Piri's First Map of the World
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