An Attempt To Date
Khan
G.D.O'Bradovich III
July 29, 2015
[Unfinished]
Courtesy of the Oxford English Dictionary: What did the English know about Khan and when did they know it?
Forms:
ME caan, ME–15 cane, ME–16 can, 15 canne, 16 caunn; ME chaan, ME–15 chane, 16chahan, chawn, ME, 16–18 chan; 16–17 han; 18 khaun, khan ( kan, kaan)
Etymology:
< Turki (hence Persian and Arabic) khān lord, prince, generally regarded as a modified form of khāqān : see khakan n. and chagan
n.
The title became known in Europe partly through the Mongol invasions in the first half of the thirteenth century (appearing in medieval Latin as chanis, canis, Greek κάνης, κάνις, Old French chan, cham, etc.), but more especially through the European missions to the Mongol court in the same century (1245–55) and by the narrative of Marco Polo (1298).
n the original French text of the latter the spelling Kan, Can or Chan varies with Kaan or Caan, apparently intended to represent Tartar qā'ān, the special title adopted by Oktai, the son of Chingīz Khan, and his successors.
Caanus is also found in medieval Latin (Du Cange, s.v. Cagan), but the usual forms in the European languages are based on Khān.
a. Hist. The specific title (usually with great, †grand, or the additions of Tartary, of Cathay) given to the successors of Chingīz Khan, who were supreme rulers over the Turkish, Tartar, and Mongol tribes, as well as emperors of China, during the middle ages.
b. In later use: A title (now of slight import) commonly given to rulers, officials, or men of rank in central Asia, Afghanistan, etc.
c1400 Mandeville's Trav. (Roxb.) xiv. 64
Þis Tartary es halden of þe Grete Caan of Cathay.
a1513 R. Fabyan New Cronycles Eng. & Fraunce (1516) II. f. xxiiv,
The Great Chaan of Tartharys..sent an hooste into the Lande of Hungry.
a1535 T. More Dialoge of Comfort (1553) iii. xix. sig. R.vv,
Both prester Iohns land & ye graund Canis to.
1555 R. Eden tr. Peter Martyr of Angleria Decades of Newe Worlde f. 253,
They haue much knowleage of the great cane of Cathay.
1623 St. Papers, Col. 1622–4 211
Sold the small ship to the ‘Caunn, being very desirous of her’.
1634 T. Herbert Relation Some Yeares Trauaile 52
A Citie..vnder the Iurisdiction Royall of Emang Ally, the Chawn or great Duke of Shyras.
1667 Milton Paradise Lost xi. 388
Cambalu, seat of Cathaian Can.
1682 London Gaz. No. 1724/1
The last Week arrived here an Envoy from the Kam of Tartary.
1705 London Gaz. No. 4102/2
The old Han of Tartary is lately dead.
1788 Gibbon Decline & Fall (1869) II. xlii. 562
The pride of the great khan survived his resentment.
Forms:
Also 15 cam, 16 chaem: see khan n.1
Etymology:
< French and medieval Latin cham, chan, can (also caanus , canis ),
< Turki khānlord, prince, khan n.1 a contracted form of the earlier khāqān chagan n.; it was assumed by Chingīz when he became supreme ruler of the Mongols and Tartars; the modified form qā'ān became the specific title of the successors of Chingīz Khān as emperors of China.
a. An obsolete form of khan n.1 formerly commonly applied to the rulers of the Tartars and Mongols; and to the emperor of China. (Rarely to governors of provinces.)
[c1400 Mandeville's Trav. xviii. 188
The grete Cane of Cathay.
c1400 Mandeville's Trav. xxi. 222
Whi he was clept the gret Chane.]
1553 R. Eden tr. S. Münster Treat. Newe India sig. Fi,
Vnder the dominion of the great Cham Emperour (whiche some call the great Can) of Tartaria.
1577 R. Willes & R. Eden tr. Peter Martyr of Angleria Hist. Trauayle W. & E. Indies265
They haue muche knowledge of the great Cam of Cathay.
1600 Shakespeare Much Ado about Nothing ii. i. 251,
I will..fetch you a haire off the great Chams beard.
1653 H. Cogan tr. F. M. Pinto Voy. & Adventures xxiii. §3. 84
One of those [chairs] wherein the principall Chaems of the Empire are usually carried.
1709 London Gaz. No. 4579/1
The Grand Signior had received an Express from the Cham of Tartary.
1762 O. Goldsmith Citizen of World I. 181
Prodigal in the production of kings, governors, mandarines, chams, and courtiers.
b. transf. and fig.
1596 W. Warner Albions Eng. (rev. ed.) x. lviii. 256
Against this Cham [sc. Duke of Guise], and his Beau-Peeres, inuited English goe.
1655 tr. C. Sorel Comical Hist. Francion v. 4,
I..am the great Cham..of all the wits.
The citations in chronological order.
1400c Þis Tartary es halden of þe Grete Caan of Cathay.
1400c The grete Cane of Cathay.
1400c Whi he was clept the gret Chane.]
1513c (1516) The Great Chaan of Tartharys....
1535c (1553), Both prester Iohns land & ye graund Canis to.
1553 ...the great Cham Emperour ...the great Can) of Tartaria.
1555 ...the great cane of Cathay.
1577 ...of the great Cam of Cathay.
1596 Against this Cham [sc. Duke of Guise], and his ...
1600 I will..fetch you a haire off the great Chams beard.
1623 Sold the small ship to the ‘Caunn, being very desirous of her’.
1634 ..., the Chawn or great Duke of Shyras.
1653 the principall Chaems of the Empire...
1655 I..am the great Cham..of all the wits.
1667 Cambalu, seat of Cathaian Can.
1682 The last Week arrived here an Envoy from the Kam of Tartary.
1705 The old Han of Tartary is lately dead.
1709 The Grand Signior had received an Express from the Cham of Tartary.
1762 ... kings, governors, mandarines, chams, and courtiers.
1788 (1869) The pride of the great khan survived his resentment.
Forms:
ME caan, ME–15 cane, ME–16 can, 15 canne, 16 caunn; ME chaan, ME–15 chane, 16chahan, chawn, ME, 16–18 chan; 16–17 han; 18 khaun, khan ( kan, kaan)
Etymology:
< Turki (hence Persian and Arabic) khān lord, prince, generally regarded as a modified form of khāqān : see khakan n. and chagan
n.
The title became known in Europe partly through the Mongol invasions in the first half of the thirteenth century (appearing in medieval Latin as chanis, canis, Greek κάνης, κάνις, Old French chan, cham, etc.), but more especially through the European missions to the Mongol court in the same century (1245–55) and by the narrative of Marco Polo (1298).
n the original French text of the latter the spelling Kan, Can or Chan varies with Kaan or Caan, apparently intended to represent Tartar qā'ān, the special title adopted by Oktai, the son of Chingīz Khan, and his successors.
Caanus is also found in medieval Latin (Du Cange, s.v. Cagan), but the usual forms in the European languages are based on Khān.
a. Hist. The specific title (usually with great, †grand, or the additions of Tartary, of Cathay) given to the successors of Chingīz Khan, who were supreme rulers over the Turkish, Tartar, and Mongol tribes, as well as emperors of China, during the middle ages.
b. In later use: A title (now of slight import) commonly given to rulers, officials, or men of rank in central Asia, Afghanistan, etc.
c1400 Mandeville's Trav. (Roxb.) xiv. 64
Þis Tartary es halden of þe Grete Caan of Cathay.
a1513 R. Fabyan New Cronycles Eng. & Fraunce (1516) II. f. xxiiv,
The Great Chaan of Tartharys..sent an hooste into the Lande of Hungry.
a1535 T. More Dialoge of Comfort (1553) iii. xix. sig. R.vv,
Both prester Iohns land & ye graund Canis to.
1555 R. Eden tr. Peter Martyr of Angleria Decades of Newe Worlde f. 253,
They haue much knowleage of the great cane of Cathay.
1623 St. Papers, Col. 1622–4 211
Sold the small ship to the ‘Caunn, being very desirous of her’.
1634 T. Herbert Relation Some Yeares Trauaile 52
A Citie..vnder the Iurisdiction Royall of Emang Ally, the Chawn or great Duke of Shyras.
1667 Milton Paradise Lost xi. 388
Cambalu, seat of Cathaian Can.
1682 London Gaz. No. 1724/1
The last Week arrived here an Envoy from the Kam of Tartary.
1705 London Gaz. No. 4102/2
The old Han of Tartary is lately dead.
1788 Gibbon Decline & Fall (1869) II. xlii. 562
The pride of the great khan survived his resentment.
Forms:
Also 15 cam, 16 chaem: see khan n.1
Etymology:
< French and medieval Latin cham, chan, can (also caanus , canis ),
< Turki khānlord, prince, khan n.1 a contracted form of the earlier khāqān chagan n.; it was assumed by Chingīz when he became supreme ruler of the Mongols and Tartars; the modified form qā'ān became the specific title of the successors of Chingīz Khān as emperors of China.
a. An obsolete form of khan n.1 formerly commonly applied to the rulers of the Tartars and Mongols; and to the emperor of China. (Rarely to governors of provinces.)
[c1400 Mandeville's Trav. xviii. 188
The grete Cane of Cathay.
c1400 Mandeville's Trav. xxi. 222
Whi he was clept the gret Chane.]
1553 R. Eden tr. S. Münster Treat. Newe India sig. Fi,
Vnder the dominion of the great Cham Emperour (whiche some call the great Can) of Tartaria.
1577 R. Willes & R. Eden tr. Peter Martyr of Angleria Hist. Trauayle W. & E. Indies265
They haue muche knowledge of the great Cam of Cathay.
1600 Shakespeare Much Ado about Nothing ii. i. 251,
I will..fetch you a haire off the great Chams beard.
1653 H. Cogan tr. F. M. Pinto Voy. & Adventures xxiii. §3. 84
One of those [chairs] wherein the principall Chaems of the Empire are usually carried.
1709 London Gaz. No. 4579/1
The Grand Signior had received an Express from the Cham of Tartary.
1762 O. Goldsmith Citizen of World I. 181
Prodigal in the production of kings, governors, mandarines, chams, and courtiers.
b. transf. and fig.
1596 W. Warner Albions Eng. (rev. ed.) x. lviii. 256
Against this Cham [sc. Duke of Guise], and his Beau-Peeres, inuited English goe.
1655 tr. C. Sorel Comical Hist. Francion v. 4,
I..am the great Cham..of all the wits.
The citations in chronological order.
1400c Þis Tartary es halden of þe Grete Caan of Cathay.
1400c The grete Cane of Cathay.
1400c Whi he was clept the gret Chane.]
1513c (1516) The Great Chaan of Tartharys....
1535c (1553), Both prester Iohns land & ye graund Canis to.
1553 ...the great Cham Emperour ...the great Can) of Tartaria.
1555 ...the great cane of Cathay.
1577 ...of the great Cam of Cathay.
1596 Against this Cham [sc. Duke of Guise], and his ...
1600 I will..fetch you a haire off the great Chams beard.
1623 Sold the small ship to the ‘Caunn, being very desirous of her’.
1634 ..., the Chawn or great Duke of Shyras.
1653 the principall Chaems of the Empire...
1655 I..am the great Cham..of all the wits.
1667 Cambalu, seat of Cathaian Can.
1682 The last Week arrived here an Envoy from the Kam of Tartary.
1705 The old Han of Tartary is lately dead.
1709 The Grand Signior had received an Express from the Cham of Tartary.
1762 ... kings, governors, mandarines, chams, and courtiers.
1788 (1869) The pride of the great khan survived his resentment.