Now arch. or Hist. Forms: α. 3–7, 9 soudan (4 -en, -on, 6 -ane), 4–6 sowdan (4 -ane, 5 -on, 6 -en, -own), 6 sowdeyn, 6–7 -aine (7 -ayne). β. 4, 6 saudan (4 -ayn, 6 -ant), 4 sawden, 5–6 sawdon, 6 -ant, -an, sodan, -en. γ. 4, 6–7 souldan (5 -one, 7 -en), 6 sowldan, 7 sauldan, suldan. δ. 4– soldan (6 -ane, 7 -ian). [a. OF. soudan, sodan, souldan, soldan (also -ain, -ant), = Prov. soudan, saudan, Cat. soldá, Sp. soldan, Pg. soldão, It. soldano (med.L. soldanus), ad. Arab. sulṭān: see SULTAN.]
1. The supreme ruler of one or other of the great Mohammedan powers or countries of the Middle Ages; spec. the Sultan of Egypt.
The Soldan is sometimes contrasted with the (Great) Turk and with the Sophy of Persia.
α. 1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 10901. Þe soudan somdel uor fere Triwes wiþ him nom.
1338. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 140. Bode com … How þe fals soudan destroied alle þe lond.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 375. Þei harmen Cristen men more cruely þen þo Soudon of Sarazenes.
c. 1440. Generydes, 3942. The Sowdon went ayeyn to his disporte.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, V. viii. 174. With hym he fond slayne the Sowdan of Surrey.
1513. More, Rich. III. (1883), 79. In a stage play all the people know right wel that he that playeth the sowdayne is percase a sowter.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 87. Feare of treason … to be wrought betwene Saladine the Soudane and king Richard.
1832. trans. Sismondi’s Ital. Rep., xi. 257. James, who, with the aid of the soudan of Egypt,… seized the crown from his sister and the duke.
attrib. 15[?]. Droichis Part of Play, 5, in Dunbar’s Poems (S.T.S.), 314. A sargeand out of Sowdoun land.
β. 13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 1323. Emperour of alle þe erþe & also þe saudan.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), VI. 43. The Sawden and duke of Turkes, the grete malle of Cristen peple.
c. 1500. Melusine, 275. My right redoubted lordes the Sawdants of Barbarye & of Damaske.
c. 1511. 1st Eng. Bk. Amer. (Arb.), Introd. 31/2. As the[y] wryte to the Sodan, than gyueth he them that they dyssyre.
γ. 1390. Gower, Conf., I. 180. Thei gon to Barbarie ayein, And ther the Souldan for hem sente.
1475. Bk. Noblesse, 11. The souldone of Babiloyne had waged hym to doo it.
1587. Greene, Penelopes Web, Wks. (Grosart), V. 181. That Saladyne the mighty Souldan of Ægipt.
1592. Warner, Alb. Eng., VIII. xliii. 207. Richard … wonne Cyprus, Syria, and Ierusalem, debelling quite the Sowldan from his land.
1630. Brathwait, Eng. Gentlem. (1641), 364. This is all that Souldan Saladine hath left of all his ensignes.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., VII. 321. The Mamaluks … were the guard of the Suldans, as the Iannizaries are to the great Turke.
δ. 1390. Gower, Conf., I. 245. The grete Soldan thanne of Perse.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), VI. 313. The Soldan of Babilony.
1562. Whitehorne, Ord. Souldiers, 38. The Turke by meanes of artillerie, againste the Sophi and the Soldan, hathe had victory.
1594. Greene, Selimus, 566, Wks. (Grosart), XIV. 216. We that haue … stript th’ Egyptian soldan of his camp.
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, II. 199. He plainely shewes, that the Soldans of Egypt were not Lords of the Countrie.
1667. Milton, P. L., I. 764. Where Champions bold … at the Soldans chair Defi’d the best of Panim chivalry To mortal combat.
1708. J. Philips, Cyder, II. 83. The Soldan, as he fled, Oft call’d on Alla.
1742. Hume, Ess. & Treat., I. iv. (1777), I. 29. The soldan of Egypt, or the Emperor of Rome, might drive his harmless subjects … against their sentiments and inclination.
1849. J. A. Carlyle, Dante, Inf., V. She held the land which the Soldan rules.
1864. Bryce, Holy Rom. Emp., xii. (1875), 189. It [a letter] bids the Soldan withdraw at once from the dominions of Rome.
† b. The governor of a town. Obs.–1
1660. F. Brooke, trans. Le Blanc’s Trav., 16. A little turret … where the treasure belonging to the Soudan or Governour of the Town is kept.
2. With a and pl. A Mohammedan ruler; one having the rank of sultan.
α. 13[?]. K. Alis., 1781 (W.). Darie … holdith riche gestnyng, Of dukes, eorles, amiraylis, And of soudans.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 98. More [harm] þan ony soudon or sarsyn or oþer men of wrong bileue.
1430–40. Lydg., Bochas, IX. xxii. (1554), 29. Mightye princes Soudans twayne.
c. 1475. Rauf Coilȝear, 898. Thow slane hes oft,… of my Counsingis, Soudanis and sib men.
1572. Bossewell, Armorie, II. 108. The malignitie and cruell attemptates of the deuelishe rablement, and wicked sowdanes.
γ, δ. 1390. Gower, Conf., III. 145. A Soldan whilom was of Perce.
1483. Cath. Angl., 348/2. A Soldan, soldanus.
1598. Hakluyt, Voy., I. 55. We saw in the Emperours court … many great Soldanes receiuing no due honour.
1601. R. Johnson, Kingd. & Commw., 195. Who … made paiment to his souldans and soldiers.
1611. Cotgr., Sultan, a Sultan, or Souldan.
1795. Southey, Maid of Orleans, II. 337. Cæsars and Soldans, Emperors and Kings,… here they were all.
1840. Macaulay, Ess., Ranke’s Hist. (1851), II. 136. He could no longer hope to strike down gigantic soldans.
1884. Tennyson, Becket, IV. ii. I had it from an Arab soldan.
