Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v2.c20.s3.66

v2.c20.s3.66

"What is remarkable is that in this city there are not lacking courtezans so wealthy that single one of them from her own wealth pays for several thousands of soldiers and despatches them for war. And because, as Lorenzo relates, they themselves take part in the battle, they stimulate by love of themselves the spirit of the fighting men to fortitude." Katib Chelebi, *Jehan Numa, Geographia Orientalis ex Turcico in Latinum versa Math. Norberg, Londini, Gothorum (1818), t.i, p. 126. Katib Chelebi began his work of translating the Atlas Minor of Hondius in A. H. 1064, he died in A. H. 1068. The oriental part of Jehān Nümā was printed with additions by Ibrāhim Muteferrikah in A. H. 1145. The British Museum Catalogue of Turkish Mss. p. 111. (1888). In the above account of Katib Chelebi there is a mixture of details given by 'Abdur Razzāq and by the Portuguese travellers. B.A.S.