Ottoman 1923 Asia Map Showing the History of the Chinggisids Genghis Khan

Asia Map Showing the History of the Chinggisids – From Genghis Khan to Timur, Printed in Rıza Nur’s “Türk Tarihi” (1923)

Description:

This Ottoman Turkish printed map depicts the Asian continent with a specific historical focus: the major events associated with the Chinggisid (Mongol) legacy, spanning from the early 13th century through the era of Genghis Khan and extending to Timur (Tamerlane). Rather than a purely geographical representation, the map serves as a historical visualization, illustrating the expansion, influence, and key developments of Mongol and post-Mongol power across Asia.

The map measures 55.6 × 40.7 cm and originates from the book “Türk Tarihi,” written by Dr. Rıza Nur and published in 1923 in Istanbul at Matbaa-i Amire. As one of the early Republican-era attempts to construct a comprehensive narrative of Turkish history, this work occupies an important place in the intellectual and historiographical landscape of its time.

Rıza Nur’s “Türk Tarihi” is notable for presenting a broad, continuous vision of Turkish history, extending from early Central Asian steppe empires such as the Huns, Göktürks, and Uighurs, through the Seljuks and into the Ottoman period. In line with the nationalist and Pan-Turkist intellectual currents of the early Republic, the work frames these states as interconnected stages of a single historical continuum. Within this context, the inclusion of a map focused on the Chinggisid world reflects an effort to situate Central Asian and Inner Asian history within a larger narrative of Turkic and Eurasian development.

Dr. Rıza Nur himself was a prominent political figure in the early years of the Turkish Republic. He served as a minister in the first Grand National Assembly and was a delegate to the Lausanne negotiations. His later political opposition and subsequent exile add an additional layer of historical interest to his publications, making works associated with him particularly appealing to collectors interested in both intellectual and political history.

Printed at Matbaa-i Amire, one of the most significant state printing houses of the late Ottoman and early Republican periods, the map reflects the transitional moment between empire and republic, both in terms of production and historical perspective.

For collectors, this piece stands out as more than just a map. It is a visual document of early 20th-century historical thought, combining cartography, ideology, and scholarship. Its large format, clear thematic focus, and association with a notable political figure make it especially desirable for those interested in Turkish historiography, Central Asian history, and early Republican publications.

Key Features:

• Type: Historical map of Asia

• Theme: Chinggisid history from the early 13th century to Timur

• Source: “Türk Tarihi” by Dr. Rıza Nur

• Publication Date: 1923

• Printer: Matbaa-i Amire, Istanbul

• Language: Ottoman Turkish

• Dimensions: 55.6 × 40.7 cm

• Historical Scope: Mongol Empire and post-Mongol Central Asian history

• Intellectual Context: Early Republican nationalist and Pan-Turkist historiography

• Author: Dr. Rıza Nur (politician, minister, and Lausanne delegate)

• Collectible Significance: Valuable for collectors of maps, Turkish historiography, and early Republican printed works