By Yavuz Tandoğan
From: Trabzon
Attending: Boğaziçi University, İstanbul
Age: 20 years old
The Ottomans, a renowned dynasty of global significance, were a Turkish family that governed three continents for six centuries. While they are predominantly recognized for their political decisions and military victories, the lesser-known intellectual dimensions of the Ottomans merit exploration alongside their political achievements.
Ottoman princes and sultans received meticulous education from an early age, tailored to the nobility of the dynasty. They cultivated expertise in diverse domains such as art, literature, crafts, politics, and administrative sciences, emerging as prominent figures in their respective fields.
Among these fields, literature stands out as the most prominent. In the Ottoman Empire, the dynasty and the elite palace circle regarded poetry as the highest form of expression, engaging in competition to produce superior literary works. This resulted in the creation of exquisite poems and the emergence of a cultural treasure known today as Divan literature.
The literary proficiency of the Ottoman dynasty, along with the poetry composed by its rulers, remains highly esteemed and is regarded as among the most significant contributions to classical Turkish literature.
The sultans’ poems cover a wide range of themes, including love, state affairs, praise of the Prophet, warfare, and reflections on life, forming a substantial portion of Divan literature. Notably, Suleiman the Magnificent, under the pseudonym “Muhibbi,” is the second most prolific writer among all Divan poets.
Below, we have included a selection of verses along with their explanations to exemplify the poetic works produced by the sultans:
Mehmed II (Mehmed the Conqueror)
Turkish:
İmtisal-i cahid-ü fillah oluptur niyetim
Din-i İslam’ın mücerret gayretidir gayretim
English Translation:
My intention is to serve an example of fighting in the way of Allah
All my efforts are solely dedicated to the religion of Islam
This poem not only reflects Mehmed’s ideology but also reveals the political trajectory pursued by the Ottoman state at that time.
Turkish:
Sâkiyâ mey sun ki bir gün lalezar elden gider
İrüşür fasl-ı hazan bağ ü bahar elden gider
English Translation:
Cupbearer, bring us a drink, for this rose garden will one day be lost
Autumn will arrive, and spring will pass
Here, it is suggested that the state’s strong position at that time will eventually fade, and there is a desire to cherish the present days with this awareness.
Selim I (Selim the Resolute)
Turkish:
Şirler pençe-i kahrımda olurken lerzan
Beni bir gözleri ahuya zebun etti felek
English Translation:
While the lions tremble under my heavy paws
Fate made me weak and fond of one with hazel eyes
According to the rumor, while Selim I was on a campaign in Egypt, a maid in his service fell in love with him. In the well-known story surrounding them, he composed this poem as a memento after the maid, overwhelmed by excitement and fear, died just before she could confess her love.
Suleiman I (Suleiman the Magnificent)
Turkish:
Halk içinde muteber bir nesne yok devlet gibi
Olmaya devlet cihanda bir nefes sıhhat gibi
English Translation:
There is nothing more prestigious than the state in the eyes of the people.
I wish the state in the world were like a breath of health.
The Sultan underscores the significance of health here, suggesting that a healthy breath would be as esteemed as a crucial institution, such as the state, in the eyes of the Turkish people.
Selim II
Turkish:
Biz bülbül-ü muhrik dem-i şekva-yı firakız
Ateş kesilir geçse saba gülşenimizden
English Translation:
We are the nightingale with a burning breath complaining about separation from our love
If the morning wind passes through our garden, it turns into fire
Selim II compares himself to a nightingale, lamenting that he cries out in anguish due to separation from his lover. He asserts that even the wind blowing beside him will be transformed into fire because of the intensity of his pain, he exaggerates.
Mustafa III
Turkish:
Yıkılıpdur bu cihan sanma ki bizde düzele
Devleti çarh-ı deni verdi kamu müptezele
Şimdi ebvab-ı saadette gezen hep hazele
İşimiz kaldı heman merhamet-i lemyezele
English Translation:
Don’t think we’re doing well when the world is falling apart
The vile fate left the affairs of state to worthless people
Now, those who walk around the gates of happiness are always disgraceful people
Our solution is left to the mercy of the Eternal (Allah)
Mustafa III discusses the dire state of affairs during that period, highlighting the appointment of unqualified individuals to state positions, and perceives divine mercy as the sole remedy for this predicament.
Mahmud II
Turkish:
Dü alemde kıl istishab Han Mahmud-u Adli’yi
Senindir evvel ü ahirde devlet ya Resulallah
English Translation:
Keep Mahmud Khan with you in both worlds and include him in your conversations
O Messenger of Allah, wealth and sovereignty are yours, both before and after
In this poem, Mahmud II expresses his love for the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and seeks his assistance for both this world and hereafter.
Mehmed V
Turkish:
Savlet etmişti Çanakkal’a’ya bahr u berden
Ehl-i İslam’ın iki hasm-ı kavisi birden
Lakin imdad-ı ilahi yetişip ordumuza
Oldu her bir neferi kal‘a-i pulad-beden
English Translation:
They attacked the Dardanelles from both land and sea
Two formidable enemies of Muslims together
But divine assistance came to our army
Each of our soldiers became a castle with a steel body
Sultan Mehmed V composed this poem while the Gallipoli Campaign was ongoing. Furthermore, it is an example of the last poems written by the sultans.
As can be understood from these unique verses, of which we can only include some, the underlying cultural background and worldview of the Ottomans also manifest themselves in the field of literature. The Ottomans’ appreciation for beauty and the aesthetic pleasure inherent in their subconscious permeate every field they engaged with.
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