July 11, 1690 Earthquake: Istanbul (Constantinople), Turkey

1690 July 11, Istanbul. A damaging earthquake in Istanbul after sundown on Tuesday night, 4 Sevval a.H. 1101 (11 July 1690) caused some domes of the mosques of Sultan Mehmed II to crack (Ozcan 1979, i. 510). The section of the Land \Valls in the vicinity of the Topkapi Gate was overthrown and subsequently repaired ( El, Nafia no. 89). Contemporary European authors date the event to 16 July, noting that a number of houses collapsed, killing 20 people (Coronelli 1693, 323). A minaret of the mosque of Sultan Mehmed II collapsed in the town of Buyuk Cekmece, and prayers could not be performed within (Erdo~an 1977, 164). Aftershocks continued to be felt for several days (Rasid 1282, ii. 122). Although it was described as a major event ( al-Umari, al-Athar, 219), the English ambassador Trumbull, on his return front outside the city, found little evidence of damage therein (Trumbull, Diary, 157), while the absence of data from other towns suggests that this was a local shock, probably with an offshore epicentre. The European press reports a damaging earthquake in Istanbul in 1691 (PGB 1691, 07.17,), most probably an echo of the event of the previous year for which there is no evidence in local sources. Later press reports consider it certain, 'che sia stata una favola' (reference #9116)

Note: lat/long based on description in references