ABSTRACT
The narration of a victory in a fethname, at a very basic level, marks the event as significant: it is a victory worthy of note. It thus helps to inscribe a particular history: a history articulated, or marked, by victories of the Ottoman Empire over its enemies. Through this potential to appropriate the past within an official framework, fethnames can participate in the process of determining a particular version of events as the true or correct version and thus also legitimise the actions of particular protagonists. This chapter justifies the appointment and argue against the subsequent dismissal of Cigalazade Sinan Pasha as grand vizier through a rather eulogistic description of his actions and achievements during the battle. Fethnames could also have played a role in the process of identity construction. The sultanic fethname concludes with a reference to the "loving affection and agreement and love and sincere friendship" held by the English towards the Ottomans.
