WANDA OR MEHMED SADIK (CHAYKA) PASHA'S ANECDOTAL MEMOIRS ABOUT TURKEY

Abstract

Souvenirs Anecdotiques sur la Turquie (1820-1870), a book about important events in Ottoman history of the 19th century, has not attracted the attention of researchers for a long time. An assessment of the book had not been conducted because the identity of its publisher " Wanda" could not be verified. In DATE It was found out that the original book, entitled Turetskiye Anekdoti, was written by Michael Czajkowski in DATE in Russian. During his late life the book was translated into French by his daughter Karolina Suchodolska who used the pseudonym "Wanda." Starting from the comments and estimations about the book and its author by researchers who utilized its French translation, this article deals with the original author of the book, Michael Czajkowski's journey to Istanbul. In Istanbul the events and stories developed on which the book was based and included later developments following his conversion to Islam and employment by the Ottoman Empire. In addition this article addresses the period in which he wrote his memoirs after moving to Kiev, his conversion into Orthodoxy in his late life, the value of his memoirs as a source for Ottoman history of 19th century, their comparison with Turetskiye Anekdoti, and the originality of his Turetskiye Anekdoti as an example of anecdotal writing.