Mahmud Abdulbaki

Bâkî was one of the greatest lyric poets of the classical period of Ottoman Turkish literature. He was born to a poor family in Constantinople, his father being a muezzin at the Fatih Mosque. He showed an early interest and talent for poetry, and was helped by the established poet Zâtî. He attended a religious school, where he studied Islamic law and literature. He later became a teacher and a judge, and rose to high positions in the Ottoman bureaucracy. He was close to the Ottoman palace, especially during the reign of Süleymân I, with whom he had good relations. He also received attention and respect from the public and the literary circles. He wrote poems on various topics, such as love, nature, and death. He was influenced by Persian and Arabic poetry, but also developed his own style and language. He was known as Sultânüş-şuarâ, or "Sultan of poets". He wrote a famous elegy for Süleymân I, which is considered one of the best examples of Turkish elegiac poetry. He died in Istanbul in 1600, and was buried near the tomb of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad. His tomb became a pilgrimage site and a place of inspiration for many poets.