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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Soudan(e, -ain, Soldan(e, n. Also: sowdan(e, -oun, souldane, suldan. [ME and e.m.E. soudan (a1297), saudan (14th c.), so(u)ldan (1390), soltan(e (1555), sultan (1596), OF so(u)(l)dan, F. sultan (16th c.), med. L. soldanus, sultanus.]

1. a. A sultan; the ruler of a (specified) Muslim country.(1) ?1438 Alex. ii 5587.
The speke … That the soudain [MS sondain] of Bauderis maid ?1438 Alex. ii 6361.
The Bauderane, That of Bauderis was soudane 1456 Hay I 302/34.
The grete Souldane of Babilone cummys bot thris in the ȝere in publik audence a1500 Colk. Sow i 330.
Sum the cane of Tartary Sum the soldane of Surry All his dansis desynd(2) a1500 Rauf C. 898.
Thow slane hes oft … of my counsingis Soudanis and sib men

b. The Soudane, the supreme ruler of one of the Muslim or Arab peoples or countries, specif. the Saracens (see Saracen(e n.), Babylon, or Egypt.(a) 1460 Hay Alex. 15633.
The landis of Babillon To quhome he send his messingeris … To the soudane … And als to the ammerall of Cartage 15.. Clar. iii 1076.
[He] ischit furth … Upon the awfull Turkis … He … schot upon the heathin … Full monie ane Sarasine lay deid … The Caine … forward com in haist; The michtie Sowdane him followed fast c1590 Fowler II 136/4.
The state of this soudan is disconformable from all other prences [etc.](b) c1420 Wynt. vi 414.
The Sarracenys … The cyte of Rome than oure-yhud … sum fals Crystyne men … Wrat owt off Rome till the Soldan [C. Sowdan] And sayd [etc.] c1500 Crying of Play 113.
Sophea and the soldane strang With weris that has lestit lang Furth of thar boundis maid me [sc. Wealth] to gang 1533 Boece 23b.
How the soldane supprisit the halyland 1632 Lithgow Trav. vii 321.
The mamaluks … were the guard of the suldans as the iannizaries are to the great Turke(c) c1590 Fowler II 135/30.
Now all prences except the sultan and the great Turk suld rather [etc.]

2. transf. A powerful and frightening figure. Also attrib. c1500 Crying of Play 5.
Se quha is cummyn nowe … With the quhorle wynd A soldane owt of seriand land A gyand strang c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) li 19.
He is … mekle of mycht, To keip ȝour wardroippe … Fra the grytt Sowdan Gog-ma-gogattrib. c1500 Interl. Droich 5.
A sargeand out of Sowdoun land