8vo. viii, 222 pp., [2, errata], half-title, contemporary beige binding with marbled boards, title gilt on spine, previous owner’s stamp on title page, light scattered foxing, heavier on first three leaves, otherwise copy generally in good condition, Chez Crapart, Paris, first edition, 1810.

Synopsis

A rare document about the Wahhabi movement in Arabia. It is considered the first European study of the origins and history of Wahhabism. The book was published after the taking over of Mecca by the Wahhabis in 1804, and printed in Paris at a time when the Wahhabi name was known throughout Europe. Corancez (1770-1832) lived for eight years in Aleppo where he was the French Consul; he married a Syrian lady and gathered first hand information about the Wahhabi movement from Egypt, Syria and Baghdad by corresponding with influential people. The book consists of sixteen chapters in which he studies the origin of the movement and demonstrates the progression of its influence in the Near East. Contents as follow:
Origine des Wahabis. Histoire du schekh Mohammed et d’Ibn Seoud – Religion et usages des Wahabis – Première expédition du pacha de Bagdad contre les Wahabis. Prise d’Imam-Hussein – Prise de la Mecque – Siége de Djedda; attaque de Médine; déroute des Wahabis Situation des Wahabisaprès la mort d’Abd-elazis. Premières expéditions de Seoud – Première attaque de Bassora par les Wahabis. Mort de l’Imam de Mascate – Expédition du Pacha de Bagdad contre les Wahabis – Prise de Médine. Accueil des pèlerins à la Mecque – Attaque d’Imam-Ali, de Zeber, et de Semawa – Prise de Djedda; interruption du Pèlerinage de la Mecque – Situation des Wahabis, et des provinces voisines, en 1807 – Principaux événmens de l’année 1808. Tentatives des Wahabis contre la Syrie et l’Egypte – Dernière expédition des Wahabis contre Bagdad. Défaite des Algiwasems – Réflexions sur les Wahabis; idée du caractère national qui doit se développer chez aux dans la suite – Considérations générales sur les mœurs des Orientaux.
The pseudonym of the author is L. A. member de la Legion d’Honneur. “Corancez’s account of the Wahabis precedes by many years that of Burckhardt, which was published posthumously in 1830, although both men were living and travelling in Syria at the same time, and presumably knew each other”. [Atabey]
Bibliographic references: Macro: Bibliography of the Arabian Peninsula, 750; Atabey, 282; Querard 1, 143; Gay, 3461; Macro 750; Wilson, 48. COPAC locates four holdings in the UK: at the British Library (2 copies), SOAS, London, Manchester and Oxford.