Guest Post by my Father: Osman Selahaddin Efendi

When I first set up this Blog, I asked my father if he would like to read the posts I had written. “What is a Blog?” he asked! After a lengthy explanation, I am certain that he still doesn’t quite understand! However, despite this small hurdle, I invited him to be my first guest contributor… And, he happily agreed.

Post by Şehzade Osman Selahaddin Efendi

Türkçe

İlk blog yazımı kızım Ayşe Gülnev’in blog sayfası münasebetiyle yazmaktan pek memnun oldum. Kendisinin 20. asrın bidayetinde Çırağan Sarayı’nda geçen tarihi vakalarla müteşekkil bir tarihi roman yazma teşebbüsünden dolayı çok gurur duyuyorum. Bunu beş tane çocuğuna bakarken başarması takdire şayandır.

Tarih mezunu olması ve masters çalışmasını Osmanlı Tarihi üzerinde tekâmül edip, istifade etmesinden ayrıca gurur duyuyorum. Hem de kendisi istisnai olarak kitabının baş rollerinde olan şahısların, Boğaz kıyısında Çırağan Sarayı’nda tevellütlü büyükbabası ve Dolmabahçe Sarayı’nda doğan büyükannesinden ilk ağızdan duyması, kitapta mühim bir rol oynamıştır. 

Kızımı “Boğaz’da Yaldızlı Kafes” kitabını yayınlanması için teşvik ettim ve ümit ederim ki yayınlama kararına varır.

Eminim ki geniş ailemiz bu kitabı okumaktan zevk alır ve müşterek ecdadımızla kendilerini daha yakın hissederler. Bu roman onların hayatlarına bir pencere olacaktır. Benim bulduğum gibi, genel okuyucunun da bu bakışı aydınlatıcı ve duygulandırıcı bulacağını temenni ederim. 

İngilizce

It gives me great pleasure to write my first blog post as a contribution to my daughter Ayşe Gülnev’s blog. I am extremely proud of her for having undertaken the task of writing a book full of historical facts about life in the Çırağan Palace at the start of the 20th century. It is particularly commendable in view of the fact that she has done so whilst also looking after her five children.

I am also delighted that she is making constructive use of her education. In particular of her History and Politics degree and her Masters degree which specialised in Ottoman History. She has interestingly had the unique opportunity of hearing first-hand accounts of many of the characters who play a major role in the book from her Grandfather, who was born in the Çırağan Palace, and from her grandmother, who was born in Dolmabahçe Palace. 

I have encouraged my daughter to publish her book, ‘The Gilded Cage on the Bosphorus’ and hope that she decides to do so. 

I am sure that members of our extended family will enjoy it and feel more connected with our shared ancestors. In many ways, the book is a window into their lives. A glimpse that I found both informative and deeply moving, as I trust the general reader will likewise do so. 

Thank you, Babacım

Without my father’s constant love, support and encouragement, I really do not think that I would have ever finished writing my book, ‘The Gilded Cage on the Bosphorus’. He has been extremely generous with both his time and his advice, never tiring when I turned to him with a question. His help and his knowledge have been invaluable. And now he is the driving force pushing me to publish my work so that the story of Sultan Murad V and his family can finally be told. And, because I think he would also love to see my book sitting on his bookshelf in the study of his home in Beylerbey, in İstanbul…

With his 80th birthday fast approaching, I have found the last bit of motivation that I needed. To publish or not to publish, that was the question. Everyone who read my posts and sent me encouraging messages over the last couple of months have also helped me reach this decision, and for that I thank you all. The answer is now clear – the book will be published! Firstly in English and, İnşallah, followed soon after by a Turkish edition. After all, what daughter does not strive to make their father proud of them? What daughter does not want to make their father happy? Babacım, I am doing this for you; for Dede, and for Nine too…