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Gregory Palamas Gregory Palamas 1296 - 1357 Orthodox monk and archbishop of Thessalonica
Muhammad Fadhel al Jamali Muhammad Fadhel al Jamali 1856 - 1913 Ottoman generalissimo and grand vizier
Selim II Selim II 1524 - 1574 Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
Baris Manco Baris Manco 1943 - 1999 Rock musician, singer, composer, actor
Hrant Dink Hrant Dink 1954 - 2007 Editor-in-chief of Agos
Kenan Evren Kenan Evren 1917 - 2015 President and coup leader
Ibrahim Erkal Ibrahim Erkal 1966 - 2017 Singer, songwriter, composer and actor
Markos Eugenikos Markos Eugenikos 1392 - 1444 leading the anti-unionist party in the Eastern
Wasfi al-Tal Wasfi al-Tal 1919 - 1971 Prime Minister of Jordan
Andrew Mango Andrew Mango 1926 - 2014 Writer and broadcaster on Turkish affairs
Meral Okay Meral Okay 1959 - 2012 Screenwriter and actress
Nihat Erim Nihat Erim 1912 - 1980 Prime Minister of Turkey (1971-1972)
Roohi Bano Roohi Bano 1951 - 2019 TV actress and model
Necati Cumali Necati Cumali 1921 - 2001 Writer and poet
Bayezid I Bayezid I 1360 - 1403 Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
Celal Bayar Celal Bayar 1883 - 1986 President of Turkey
Nubar Pasha Nubar Pasha 1825 - 1899 Prime Minister of Egypt
Ertugrul Gazi Ertugrul Gazi 1188 - 1280 Chieftain of the Kayı tribe
Enver Pasha Enver Pasha 1881 - 1922 Ottoman general and war minister
Yunus Emre Yunus Emre 1240 - 1320 Folk poet and Sufi mystic
Abdul Hamid II Abdul Hamid II 1842 - 1918 Sultan of the Ottoman Empire and Caliph of Islam
Ismail Cem ipeki Ismail Cem ipeki 1940 - 2007 Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey
Ahmed Djemal Ahmed Djemal 1872 - 1922 Ottoman military leader
Basil II Basil II 958 - 1025 Byzantine emperor and military strategist
Halet Cambel Halet Cambel 1916 - 2014 Archaeologist and Olympic fencer
Iakovos Koukouzis Iakovos Koukouzis 1911 - 2005 Primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese
Oguz Atay Oguz Atay 1934 - 1977 Pioneer of the modern novel in Turkey
Afif Bahnassi Afif Bahnassi 1928 - 2017 Islamic art historian and museum curator
Mesut Yilmaz Mesut Yilmaz 1947 - 2020 Prime Minister of Turkey
Murad III Murad III 1546 - 1595 Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
Sukru Kaya Sukru Kaya 1883 - 1959 Minister of Interior and Foreign Affairs
Luther George Simjian Luther George Simjian 1905 - 1997 Inventor of the Bankmatic ATM and the Teleprompter
Abdul Hamid I Abdul Hamid I 1725 - 1789 Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
Ali Husrev Bozer Ali Husrev Bozer 1925 - 2020 Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign
Duygu Asena Duygu Asena 1946 - 2006 Journalist and author
Ali Riza Pasha Ali Riza Pasha 1860 - 1932 Grand vizier of the Ottoman Empire
Ignatius Aphrem I Barsoum Ignatius Aphrem I Barsoum 1887 - 1957 Patriarch of Antioch and head
Vehbi Koc Vehbi Koc 1901 - 1996 Founder of Koç Group
Markos Vafiades Markos Vafiades 1906 - 1992 Communist leader and guerrilla commander
Ismet inonu Ismet inonu 1884 - 1973 President of Turkey
Sebouh Chouldjian Sebouh Chouldjian 1959 - 2020 Armenian Apostolic prelate
Mustafa II Mustafa II 1664 - 1703 Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
Aziz Nesin Aziz Nesin 1915 - 1995 Writer and humorist
Fahri Sabit Koruturk Fahri Sabit Koruturk 1903 - 1987 President of Turkey, Commander of the Turkish Navy
Ismail Pasha Ismail Pasha 1830 - 1895 Khedive of Egypt and Sudan
Cem Sultan Cem Sultan 1459 - 1495 Sultan of the Ottoman Empire (claimant)
Huseyin Hilmi Pasha Huseyin Hilmi Pasha 1855 - 1922 Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire
Flavian I of Antioch Flavian I of Antioch 320 - 404 Bishop of Antioch
Selim III Selim III 1761 - 1808 Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
Bulent Ecevit Bulent Ecevit 1925 - 2006 Prime Minister of Turkey
Oya Kayaik Oya Kayaik 1938 - 2020 Orphanage nurse
Mahmud Shevket Pasha Mahmud Shevket Pasha 1856 - 1913 Ottoman generalissimo and grand vizier
Suleyman Celebi Suleyman Celebi 1377 - 1411 Ottoman prince and co-ruler of the empire
Mehmed II Mehmed II 1432 - 1481 Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
Orhan Bey Orhan Bey 1281 - 1362 Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
Mustafa Dagistanli Mustafa Dagistanli 1931 - 2022 Wrestler and politician
Huner Coskuner Huner Coskuner 1963 - 2021 Classical Turkish music
Asik Veysel Asik Veysel 1894 - 1973 Poet and bağlama player
Cyril Lucaris Cyril Lucaris 1572 - 1638 Patriarch of Constantinople and Alexandria
Ibrahim Sinasi Ibrahim Sinasi 1826 - 1871 Founder of Turkish dramaturgy
Mehmed V Mehmed V 1844 - 1918 Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
Necmettin Erbakan Necmettin Erbakan 1926 - 2011 Prime minister of Turkey
Hoca Sadeddin Efendi Hoca Sadeddin Efendi 1536 - 1599 Teacher of Sultan Murad III, Shaykh al-Islam
Mehmed Fuad Pasha Mehmed Fuad Pasha 1814 - 1869 Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire
Suleyman Demirel Suleyman Demirel 1924 - 2015 President and Prime Minister of Turkey
John III Ducas Vatatzes John III Ducas Vatatzes 1192 - 1254 Emperor of Nicaea and Byzantine ruler
Naum Veqilharxhi Naum Veqilharxhi 1797 - 1846 Lawyer and scholar
Ahmed III Ahmed III 1673 - 1736 Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
Rasim Oztekin Rasim Oztekin 1959 - 2021 Actor and comedian
Bergen Bergen 1958 - 1989 Arabesque singer
Tarik Akan Tarik Akan 1949 - 2016 Actor and producer
Mahmud Tarzi Mahmud Tarzi 1865 - 1933
Yasar Dogu Yasar Dogu 1913 - 1961 Wrestler
Ilhan Berk Ilhan Berk 1918 - 2008 Poet, essayist, translator
Ahmed I Ahmed I 1590 - 1617 Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
Gulnus Sultan Gulnus Sultan 1642 - 1715 Haseki Sultan of Mehmed IV
Fehim Zavalani Fehim Zavalani 1859 - 1935 Delegate to the Congress of Monastir
Kemal Sunal Kemal Sunal 1944 - 2000 Actor and comedian
Raghda Hassan Raghda Hassan 1960 - 2021 Writer and activist
Sabiha Gokcen Sabiha Gokcen 1913 - 2001 World's first female fighter pilot
Murad I Murad I 1326 - 1389 Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
Mimar Sinan Mimar Sinan 1488 - 1588 Chief Ottoman architect and civil engineer
Manolya Onur Manolya Onur 1955 - 2017 Pageant queen and model
Sabbatai Zevi Sabbatai Zevi 1626 - 1676 Jewish mystic and messianic claimant
Dario Moreno Dario Moreno 1921 - 1968 Singer, composer, lyricist, guitarist, film actor
Defne Joy Foster Defne Joy Foster 1975 - 2011 Actress, presenter, VJ
Abdulmejid II Abdulmejid II 1868 - 1944 Last Ottoman caliph and painter
Molana Jalal Uddin Rumi Molana Jalal Uddin Rumi 1207 - 1273 Sufi poetry, Hanafi, Maturidi theology
Mehmed Emin Ali Pasha Mehmed Emin Ali Pasha 1815 - 1871 Grand Vizier , Foreign Minister Ottoman Empire
Hayreddin Barbarossa Hayreddin Barbarossa 1478 - 1546 Ottoman naval commander and corsair
Simeon Metaphrastes Simeon Metaphrastes 900 - 1000 Hagiographer and writer
David Josiah Brewer David Josiah Brewer 1837 - 1910 Associate Justice of the Supreme Court
Halide Edib Adivar Halide Edib Adivar 1884 - 1964 Novelist and feminist activist
Murad V Murad V 1840 - 1904 Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
Mehmed VI Mehmed VI 1861 - 1926 Sultan of the Ottoman Empire and Caliph of Islam
Alec Issigonis Alec Issigonis 1906 - 1988 Automotive designer and engineer
Muslum Gurses Muslum Gurses 1953 - 2013 Arabesque singer and actor
Anthimus VII Tsatsos Anthimus VII Tsatsos 1827 - 1913 Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople
Osman Hamdi Bey Osman Hamdi Bey 1842 - 1910 Painter, archaeologist, museum curator
Namik Kemal Namik Kemal 1840 - 1888 Poet, playwright and social reformer
Abdulhak Hamid Tarhan Abdulhak Hamid Tarhan 1852 - 1937 Turkish Romantic poet and playwright
Mehmed I Mehmed I 1386 - 1421 Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
Jani Vreto Jani Vreto 1822 - 1900 founder of the Society for the Publication
MUnir Ozkul MUnir Ozkul 1925 - 2018 Theater and cinema actor
Suleiman the Magnificent Suleiman the Magnificent 1494 - 1566 Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
Ali Kemal Ali Kemal 1869 - 1922 Minister of the Interior in the Ottoman Empire
Helen of Troy Helen of Troy -1200 - -1242 Queen of Sparta, cause of the Trojan War
Osman III Osman III 1699 - 1757 Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
Ahmed Sefik Midhat Pasha Ahmed Sefik Midhat Pasha 1822 - 1883 Grand Vizier and author of the Ottoman Constitutio
Iihan Erdost Iihan Erdost 1944 - 1980 Publisher of Sol and Onur Publications
Mirza Muhammad Ali Mirza Muhammad Ali 1853 - 1913 Ottoman generalissimo and grand vizier
Theodosius the Cenobiarch Theodosius the Cenobiarch 423 - 529 organizer of the cenobitic way of monastic life
Selim I Selim I 1470 - 1520 Ottoman sultan and caliph
Murad II Murad II 1404 - 1451 Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
Theophanes the Confessor Theophanes the Confessor 732 - 817 Monk and chronicler
Parthenius of Nicaea Parthenius of Nicaea -140 - -100 Poet and grammarian
Artemisia I of Caria Artemisia I of Caria 350 - 450 Queen of Halicarnassus and ally of Xerxes I
Ahmed II Ahmed II 1642 - 1695 Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
Safiye Ali Safiye Ali 1894 - 1952 Physician
Ahmet Tevfik Pasha Ahmet Tevfik Pasha 1845 - 1936 Last Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire
Arif Mardin Arif Mardin 1932 - 2006 Music producer and arranger
Philotheos Bryennios Philotheos Bryennios 1833 - 1917 Metropolitan of Nicomedia
Deniz Gezmis Deniz Gezmis 1947 - 1972 Marxist-Leninist revolutionary
Mehmed IV Mehmed IV 1642 - 1693 Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
Fevzi Cakmak Fevzi Cakmak 1876 - 1950 Chief of General Staff of Turkey
Yildirim Akbulut Yildirim Akbulut 1935 - 2021 Prime Minister of Turkey
Naji al Jerf Naji al Jerf 1977 - 2015 Documentary filmmaker
Abbas Vesim Efendi Abbas Vesim Efendi 1689 - 1760 Physician, calligrapher, poet and scholar
Cevdet Sunay Cevdet Sunay 1899 - 1982 President of Turkey and army officer
Constantine XI Palaiologos Constantine XI Palaiologos 1405 - 1453 Last Byzantine emperor
Athenagoras I of Constantinople Athenagoras I of Constantinople 1886 - 1972 Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople
Tevfik Fikret Tevfik Fikret 1867 - 1915 Founder of the modern school of Turkish poetry
Cetin Altan Cetin Altan 1927 - 2015 Writer, journalist and member of parliament
Ibrahim Kaypakkaya Ibrahim Kaypakkaya 1949 - 1973 Founder and leader of the Communist Party Turkey
Neset Ertas Neset Ertas 1938 - 2012 Folk singer and baglama player
Zeki Muren Zeki Muren 1931 - 1996 Turkish classical music singer and composer
Frederick I Frederick I 1122 - 1190 Holy Roman Emperor and King of Germany and Italy
Ziya Gokalp Ziya Gokalp 1876 - 1924 Sociologist, writer, poet, and politician
Birol Unel Birol Unel 1961 - 2020 Actor
Ahmet Ertegun Ahmet Ertegun 1923 - 2006 Co-founder and president of Atlantic Records
Halit Akcatepe Halit Akcatepe 1938 - 2017 Actor
Yousuf Karsh Yousuf Karsh 1908 - 2002 Portrait photographer
Aytac Yalman Aytac Yalman 1940 - 2020 Turkish Army Commander
Suleiman II Suleiman II 1642 - 1691 Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
Matild Manukyan Matild Manukyan 1914 - 2001 Real property investor and brothel owner
Timothy Timothy 17 - 97 Disciple of Paul the Apostle
Abdulaziz Abdulaziz 1830 - 1876 Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
Ragip Gumuspala Ragip Gumuspala 1897 - 1964 Chief of the General Staff
Germanus I of Constantinople Germanus I of Constantinople 634 - 740 Patriarch of Constantinople and theologian
Piri Reis Piri Reis 1465 - 1553 Navigator, geographer and cartographer
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  • 1. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk

    Died: 1938 A.D
    Slogan: Peace at home, peace in the world

    Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was a Turkish soldier, statesman, and reformer who is widely regarded as the founder of the modern Republic of Turkey. He rose to prominence as a military commander in the Ottoman army during World War I, where he successfully defended the Gallipoli peninsula against the Allied invasion. After the war, he led the Turkish War of Independence against the occupying forces of the victorious powers. He established a provisional government in Ankara and repelled the Greek forces that aimed to annex western Anatolia. He abolished the Ottoman monarchy and proclaimed the Republic of Turkey in 1923, becoming its first president. He embarked on a series of radical reforms that transformed Turkey into a secular and westernized nation-state, with a new alphabet, civil code, education system, and women's rights. He also promoted Turkish nationalism and cultural identity, while suppressing Kurdish and other ethnic minorities. He is revered by many Turks as the "Father of the Turks" and the "Great Leader", and his mausoleum in Ankara is a national symbol. He is also widely respected internationally as a visionary leader and a military genius. He died of liver cirrhosis in 1938, leaving behind a lasting legacy of modernization and secularism.

    Mustafa Kemal Ataturk Profile

  • 2. Necmettin Erbakan

    Died: 2011 A.D
    Slogan: The whole of mankind is one nation

    Necmettin Erbakan was a Turkish politician, engineer, and academic who was the Prime Minister of Turkey from 1996 to 1997. He was the leader of the Islamist Welfare Party from 1983 to 1998. He was also the leader of the National Outlook Movement from 1969 to 1983. Erbakan was the founder and leader of several prominent Islamic political parties in Turkey from the 1960s to the 2010s, namely the National Order Party, the National Salvation Party, the Welfare Party, the Virtue Party, and the Felicity Party. He was the first Islamist prime minister of Turkey and the first to be forced to resign by the military. He was later banned from politics by the Constitutional Court of Turkey for allegedly violating the separation of religion and state as mandated by the constitution. Erbakan was born in Sinop, at the coast of Black Sea in northern Turkey. He was the son of one of the last Islamic judges of the Ottoman Empire, whose system of religious courts was replaced by a secular legal code after the founding of modern Turkey by Kemal Atatürk in 1923. He received degrees in mechanical engineering from Istanbul Technical University, where he later taught, and the Rhenish-Westphalian Technical University of Aachen, then in West Germany. He was elected in 1969 to the legislature as an independent and formed an Islamic party the following year, but it was banned by the military government in 1971. He re-formed the party in 1972 and twice during the 1970s served as a deputy prime minister. In 1980 the military again banned the party and briefly imprisoned Erbakan. He was prohibited from engaging in politics from 1980 to 1987. When he returned to politics, Erbakan became a leader of the pro-Islamic Welfare Party, which was well organized on the local level and opposed what many saw as the arrogant corruption of the leaders of the established parties. In the run-up to the 1995 parliamentary elections, Erbakan advocated withdrawing from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, abrogating agreements with Israel, and developing closer ties with such Middle Eastern countries as Syria and Iran. His proposals were particularly unsettling to Western leaders, who had long depended on a friendly secular government in Turkey as a basis for their policy in the Middle East. A large segment of voters, however, seemed to support his views, as the Welfare Party won the largest number of seats, capturing 158 of the 550 seats in the legislature and thereby becoming the first Islamic party ever to win a general election in Turkey. Early in 1996 Erbakan tried but failed to form a coalition government. A centre-right coalition of the True Path and Motherland parties then held power until internal disagreements brought it down in June. Erbakan then formed a coalition with the True Path Party, led by Tansu Çiller, and became the prime minister. His tenure was marked by tensions with the secular establishment, especially the military, which saw him as a threat to the secular order. Erbakan pursued a pro-Islamic foreign policy, visiting Iran, Libya, and Nigeria, and hosting a summit of the Developing Eight, a group of Muslim-majority countries. He also faced criticism for his attempts to ease the restrictions on religious expression in Turkey, such as allowing women to wear headscarves in public institutions and promoting religious education. In February 1997, the military issued a memorandum demanding Erbakan to implement a series of measures to curb the influence of Islamism in Turkey. Erbakan reluctantly agreed, but his coalition partner Çiller withdrew her support and called for early elections. Erbakan resigned in June 1997, ending his 11-month term as prime minister. In January 1998, the Welfare Party was banned by the Constitutional Court for violating the principle of secularism. Erbakan was also banned from politics for five years. He was succeeded by Recai Kutan as the leader of the Virtue Party, which was formed by the former members of the Welfare Party. In 2001, the Virtue Party was also banned by the Constitutional Court, and its members split into two factions: the traditionalists, who followed Erbakan and formed the Felicity Party, and the reformists, who formed the Justice and Development Party (AKP) under the leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Abdullah Gül, both former protégés of Erbakan. The AKP went on to win the 2002 general elections and became the dominant force in Turkish politics, while the Felicity Party remained a minor party with little influence. Erbakan returned to politics in 2003, after his ban expired, and became the leader of the Felicity Party. He ran for president in 2007, but received only 21 votes in the parliament. He resigned as the party leader in 2004 and 2010, but was re-elected each time. He remained the leader of the party until his death in 2011. He died of heart failure at the age of 84 in Ankara. He was buried in Istanbul, next to his wife Nermin, who had died in 2005. He was survived by his three children, Zeynep, Elif, and Fatih, who also became a politician and the leader of the Yeniden Refah Partisi (Refah Party Again). Erbakan was a controversial figure in Turkish politics. He was known for his strong opposition to the secularization of Turkey and his support for Islamic values. He was also known for his strong anti-Western stance and his support for closer ties with the Muslim world. He was regarded as the founder of the Millî Görüş (National View) ideology and movement, which argued that Turkey could develop with its own power by protecting its religious values and moving forward with faster steps by rivaling the Western countries. He was also seen as the pioneer of Turkish political Islam and the mentor of many prominent Islamist politicians, including Erdoğan and Gül. He was respected by his supporters as a visionary leader and a devout Muslim, but he was also criticized by his opponents as a divisive and reactionary figure who threatened the secular and democratic foundations of Turkey.

    Necmettin Erbakan Profile

  • 3. Hamit Kaplan

    Died: 1976 A.D
    Slogan: I am a wrestler, not a fighter.

    Hamit Kaplan was born on 20 September 1934 in Hamamözü, a town in Amasya Province, Turkey. He started wrestling as a youngster in the traditional Turkish sport of oil wrestling. He soon switched to sports wrestling and became a junior champion in the heavyweight class. He joined the national team in 1954 and was trained by the renowned wrestler Celal Atik. He competed in both freestyle and Greco-Roman styles and won many medals at international competitions. He represented Turkey at three consecutive Olympic Games in 1956, 1960 and 1964, winning gold, silver and bronze medals in freestyle wrestling. He also won three gold, two silver and three bronze medals at the World Championships, and one gold and one silver medal at the Mediterranean Games. He was known for his defensive style, which often resulted in draws. He retired after the 1964 Olympics, as he could not match the strength of his opponents. He had 175 international caps for his country. He died on 5 January 1976 at the age of 41 following a traffic accident in Çorum. He was buried in his hometown Hamamözü. A sports hall in Amasya and another one in Hamamözü are named after him. He is regarded as one of the greatest Turkish wrestlers of all time.

    Hamit Kaplan Profile

  • 4. Bulent Ecevit

    Died: 2006 A.D
    Slogan: Democracy is not an aim, but a way of life.

    Bülent Ecevit was a Turkish politician, statesman, poet, writer, scholar, and journalist, who served as the Prime Minister of Turkey four times between 1974 and 2002. He was the leader of the Republican People's Party (CHP) from 1972 to 1980, and the founder and leader of the Democratic Left Party (DSP) from 1987 to 2004. He is known for being Turkey's only leftist prime minister and for ordering the Cyprus Peace Operation in 1974. Ecevit was born in Istanbul in 1925 to a middle-class family. His father was a physician and a member of parliament, and his mother was a painter. He graduated from Robert College in Istanbul and studied literature, art history, and Sanskrit at the universities of Ankara, London, and Harvard. He began his career as a journalist and joined the CHP in 1954. He was elected to the parliament in 1957 and became the Minister of Labour in 1961. He introduced significant labour reforms, such as the right to strike and collective bargaining. He also advocated for a "left-of-center" orientation for the CHP, which aimed to address the social and economic problems of the country. Ecevit became the leader of the CHP in 1972, after the resignation of İsmet İnönü. He led the party to victory in the 1973 and 1977 elections, forming coalition governments with various parties. He also faced several challenges, such as the 1971 military memorandum, the 1974 Cyprus crisis, the 1978 Kahramanmaraş massacre, the 1979 oil crisis, and the rise of political violence and terrorism. He was ousted from power by the 1980 military coup, which banned him and his party from politics. He spent four months in prison and was later released. Ecevit returned to politics in 1987, after the ban was lifted. He founded the DSP and became its leader. He initially struggled to gain popular support, but his party gradually increased its votes in the 1990s. He formed a coalition government with the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the Motherland Party (ANAP) in 1999, after the DSP won the most seats in the parliament. He pursued a pro-European Union and pro-democracy agenda, as well as a peaceful solution to the Kurdish issue. He also faced the 1999 İzmit earthquake, the 2001 economic crisis, and the 2002 Iraq War. He lost the 2002 election, as his party failed to pass the 10% electoral threshold. He resigned from the DSP leadership in 2004 and retired from politics. Ecevit was also a poet, writer, and translator. He published several books of poetry, essays, and memoirs, as well as translations of Rabindranath Tagore, T. S. Eliot, and Walt Whitman. He was married to Rahşan Ecevit, who was also a politician and the co-founder of the DSP. He had no children. He died in 2006, after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage. He is buried at the Turkish State Cemetery in Ankara.

    Bulent Ecevit Profile

  • 5. Aziz Nesin

    Died: 1995 A.D
    Slogan: The world is a big test, people are the questions.

    Aziz Nesin was a Turkish writer, humorist and the author of more than 100 books. Born in a time when Turks did not have official surnames, he had to adopt one after the Surname Law of 1934 was passed. Although his family carried the nickname "Topalosmanoğlu", after an ancestor named "Topal Osman", he chose the surname "Nesin". In Turkish, "Nesin?" means "What are you?". Nesin was born on December 20, 1915, on Heybeliada, one of the Princes' Islands of Istanbul, in the days of the Ottoman Empire. He graduated from the military academy as an engineer officer in 1937 and served in the army until 1944, when he resigned after being accused of communist activities. He then started his literary career as a writer and editor of various newspapers and magazines, such as Karikatür, Yedigün, and Marko Paşa. He wrote satirical stories, novels, plays, poems, and essays, often with a socialist slant. He was jailed several times and placed under surveillance by the National Intelligence Organization (MAH in Turkish) for his political views. He also faced censorship, lawsuits, and assassination attempts for his controversial writings. Nesin was a prolific and versatile writer, who experimented with different genres and styles. He wrote more than 100 books, some of which were translated into over 30 languages. He was especially known for his humorous stories, which often mocked the hypocrisy, corruption, and oppression of the Turkish society. He created memorable characters, such as Zübük, the cunning and unscrupulous politician, and Memleketin Birinde, the fictional town where absurd and hilarious events take place. He also wrote adaptations of foreign classics, such as Don Quixote, The Three Musketeers, and The Count of Monte Cristo, as well as original works based on Turkish folklore and history, such as The Tales of Nasrettin Hoca, The Dance of the Eagle and the Fish, and The History of the Turkish Revolution. Nesin was not only a writer, but also a social activist and philanthropist. He devoted his last years to combating religious fundamentalism and promoting secularism, democracy, and human rights. He was one of the signatories of the Petition of Intellectuals, which denounced the military coup of 1980 and demanded the restoration of civil liberties. He also founded the Nesin Foundation in 1972, which provides education and shelter for poor and orphaned children. He donated all his copyrights and royalties to the foundation, which also houses a library, a museum, and a cultural center. Nesin died on July 6, 1995, in Çeşme, İzmir, due to a heart attack. After his death, his body was buried at an unknown location in land belonging to the Nesin Foundation, without any ceremony, as requested in his will.

    Aziz Nesin Profile

  • 6. Halide Edib Adivar

    Died: 1964 A.D
    Slogan: I am one of those who think that the most beautiful

    Halide Edib Adıvar was a Turkish writer, scholar, and public figure dedicated to the rights of women and their emancipation. She attempted to analyze the rapid transition of Turkish society and to depict the deep-seated conflict the society faced through the clash between Eastern and Western culture. She was also a Pan-Turkist and several of her novels advocated for the Turanism movement. Halide Edib was born in Constantinople (Istanbul), Ottoman Empire to an upper-class family. Her father was a secretary of the Ottoman sultan Abdul Hamid II. ² Halide Edib was educated at home by private tutors from whom she learned European and Ottoman literature, religion, philosophy, sociology, piano playing, English, French, and Arabic. She learned Greek from her neighbors and from briefly attending a Greek school in Constantinople. She attended the American College for Girls briefly in 1893. In 1897, she translated Mother by Jacob Abbott, for which the sultan awarded her the Order of Charity (Şefkat Nişanı). She attended the American College again from 1899 to 1901, when she graduated. Her father's house was a center of intellectual activity in Constantinople and even as a child Halide Edib participated in the intellectual life of the city. After graduating, she married the mathematician and astronomer Salih Zeki Bey, with whom she had two sons. She continued her intellectual activities, however, and in 1908 began writing articles on education and on the status of women for Tevfik Fikret's newspaper Tanin and the women's journal Demet. She published her first novel, Seviye Talip, in 1909. Because of her articles on education, the education ministry hired her to reform girls' schools in Constantinople. She worked with Nakiye Hanım on curriculum and pedagogy changes and also taught pedagogy, ethics, and history in various schools. She resigned over a disagreement with the ministry concerning mosque schools. She received a divorce from Salih Zeki in 1910. Her house became an intellectual salon, especially for those interested in new concepts of Turkishness. She became involved with the Turkish Hearths (Türk Ocağı) in 1911 and became the first female member in 1912. She was also a founder of the Elevation of Women (Taali-i Nisvan) organization. ² Halide Edib was a prominent figure in the Young Turk Revolution of 1908 and the subsequent political and social reforms. She supported the Committee of Union and Progress (CUP) and became close friends with its leaders, such as Talat Pasha and Mustafa Kemal (later Atatürk). She was a vocal critic of the Ottoman Empire's involvement in World War I and the Armenian genocide. She also opposed the Treaty of Sèvres, which partitioned the Ottoman territories among the Allied powers. She joined the Turkish nationalist movement led by Mustafa Kemal and became a member of the executive committee of the Turkish Women's Union (Türk Kadınlar Birliği). She participated in the Turkish War of Independence as a soldier, a journalist, and a propagandist. She wrote the Turkish national anthem, İstiklâl Marşı, which was later replaced by another version. She also wrote several novels based on her experiences in the war, such as Ateşten Gömlek (The Shirt of Flame), Vurun Kahpeye (Strike the Whore), and Kalp Ağrısı (The Pain of the Heart). ² After the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, Halide Edib became a member of the Progressive Republican Party (Terakkiperver Cumhuriyet Fırkası), which opposed Mustafa Kemal's authoritarian policies. She criticized his reforms on secularism, language, and education, and accused him of betraying the ideals of the revolution. She also denounced the suppression of the Kurdish rebellion in 1925. She was exiled from Turkey in 1926, along with her second husband, Adnan Adıvar, a prominent politician and scholar. They lived in various European countries and India until 1939, when they returned to Turkey after the death of Mustafa Kemal. During her exile, she wrote several novels and memoirs, such as The Turkish Ordeal, The Clown and His Daughter, and House with Wisteria. She also lectured at various universities and institutions, such as Columbia University, Sorbonne, and the School of Oriental and African Studies. ² Halide Edib continued her literary and political activities in Turkey until her death in 1964. She was elected as a member of the parliament in 1950 and 1954, representing the Democrat Party (Demokrat Parti). She also founded the Turkish Association for the Defense of Human Rights (Türkiye İnsan Hakları Derneği) in 1956. She wrote more novels, such as Sinekli Bakkal (The Clown and His Daughter), Tatarcık (The Little Ant), and Yolpalas Cinayeti (The Yolpalas Murder). She also wrote essays and articles on various topics, such as Turkish history, culture, literature, and politics. She was awarded the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade in 1958 and the Turkish State Prize for Literature in 1962. She died of cancer in Istanbul in 1964 and was buried at the Merkezefendi Cemetery. ²

    Halide Edib Adivar Profile

  • 7. Suleiman the Magnificent

    Died: 1566 A.D
    Slogan: I am God's slave and sultan of this world.

    Suleiman the Magnificent was the tenth and longest-reigning sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1520 to 1566. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest rulers in history, presiding over the apex of the Ottoman Empire's economic, military and political power. He personally led Ottoman armies in conquering the Christian strongholds of Belgrade and Rhodes, as well as most of Hungary, before his conquests were checked at the siege of Vienna in 1529. He annexed much of the Middle East in his conflict with the Safavids and large areas of North Africa as far west as Algeria. Under his rule, the Ottoman fleet dominated the seas from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea and through the Persian Gulf. He also instituted major judicial changes relating to society, education, taxation and criminal law, harmonizing the relationship between the two forms of Ottoman law: sultanic and religious. He was a distinguished poet and goldsmith, and a great patron of culture, overseeing the "Golden" age of the Ottoman Empire in its artistic, literary and architectural development. He broke with Ottoman tradition by marrying Hürrem Sultan, a woman from his harem, an Orthodox Christian of Ruthenian origin who converted to Islam, and who became famous in the West by the name Roxelana, due to her red hair. Their son, Selim II, succeeded Suleiman following his death in 1566 after 46 years of rule. Suleiman is known in the West as Suleiman the Magnificent and in the East, as "The Lawgiver" (in Turkish Kanuni; Arabic: القانونى‎, al‐Qānūnī), for his complete reconstruction of the Ottoman legal system.

    Suleiman the Magnificent Profile

  • 8. Mimar Sinan

    Died: 1588 A.D
    Slogan: I have built a dome that has never been built before.

    Mimar Sinan was the most celebrated architect and engineer of the Ottoman Empire, who served under the sultans Suleiman the Magnificent, Selim II, and Murad III. He was born in a small village in Anatolia, and was recruited into the Janissary corps at a young age. He received a military education and became a skilled engineer, building fortifications, roads, bridges, and aqueducts during various campaigns. He also developed an interest in architecture and studied the works of previous masters. He rose through the ranks and became the chief royal architect around the age of 50. He remained in this position for almost 50 years, during which he designed and supervised the construction of more than 300 buildings, including mosques, schools, hospitals, palaces, caravanserais, and mausoleums. He also trained many assistants and apprentices, who continued his legacy and influenced the development of Ottoman architecture. His style was characterized by a harmonious blend of Islamic, Byzantine, Persian, and Renaissance elements, as well as a mastery of geometry, proportion, and aesthetics. He experimented with different types of domes, vaults, columns, and arches, and created innovative solutions for structural and technical challenges. He was also attentive to the environmental and social aspects of his buildings, and incorporated features such as gardens, fountains, libraries, and public baths. Some of his most famous works are the Suleymaniye Mosque and the Selimiye Mosque, which are considered among the finest examples of Ottoman architecture. He died in 1588, at the age of 100, and was buried in a tomb of his own design, near the Suleymaniye Mosque. He is widely regarded as the greatest architect of the classical period of Ottoman architecture, and has been compared to Michelangelo, his contemporary in the West. He is also revered as a national hero in Turkey, and many streets, schools, and institutions are named after him.

    Mimar Sinan Profile

  • 9. Piri Reis

    Died: 1553 A.D
    Slogan: The coasts and islands on this map are taken from Colombo's map

    Piri Reis was a 16th-century Ottoman admiral, navigator, geographer and cartographer who is best known for his world map of 1513, which is the oldest known Turkish map showing the New World and one of the oldest maps of America still in existence. He also wrote a book of navigation, the Kitab-ı Bahriye, which contains detailed information on the Mediterranean coast, islands, straits, and ports, as well as early navigational techniques and charts. Piri Reis was born around 1470 in Gallipoli, an important Ottoman naval base on the Dardanelles. His father was Hacı Mehmed Piri, a Turk from Karaman, and his uncle was Kemal Reis, a famous corsair and admiral of the Ottoman navy. Piri Reis followed his uncle's footsteps and became a privateer and seafarer at a young age, participating in many naval wars and expeditions against the Spanish, the Genoese and the Venetians. He also traveled to Egypt, Arabia, India and China, collecting maps and geographical information from various sources. In 1513, he compiled his first world map, using about 20 foreign charts and maps, including one by Christopher Columbus, as well as his own observations and knowledge. The map shows the western coasts of Europe and Africa, the eastern coasts of North and South America, and a part of Antarctica, which was not officially discovered until the 19th century. The map also contains colorful illustrations and annotations, describing the lands, peoples, animals, and plants of the different regions. The map was presented to Sultan Selim I, who was impressed by its accuracy and beauty. In 1528, Piri Reis drew a second world map, of which only a small fragment survives, showing Greenland and parts of North America and Central America. He also revised and expanded his Kitab-ı Bahriye, adding more maps and information, and dedicating it to Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. Piri Reis continued his naval career, serving as the captain of the imperial fleet and the governor of several provinces. He fought in the Ottoman–Portuguese conflicts in the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf, and captured several Portuguese fortresses and ships. He also explored the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, and visited Mecca and Medina. In 1553, he was sent to Egypt to assist the Ottoman governor Kubad Pasha in the siege of Hormuz, a strategic island controlled by the Portuguese. However, he found his ships in poor condition and decided to lift the siege and return to Egypt. This angered Kubad Pasha, who accused him of disobedience and treason, and ordered his execution by beheading. Piri Reis was around 87 years old when he died. His maps and books were preserved in the Topkapı Palace in Istanbul, where they were rediscovered in the 20th century and attracted worldwide attention and admiration. Piri Reis is regarded as one of the greatest cartographers and navigators of the Ottoman Empire and the Islamic world, and his works are valuable sources of historical and geographical knowledge.

    Piri Reis Profile

  • 10. Yasar Dogu

    Died: 1961 A.D
    Slogan: Wrestling is not a sport, it is a philosophy of life

    Yaşar Doğu was a renowned Turkish wrestler of Circassian descent, who won Olympic and world championships in both Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling. He started his wrestling career at the age of 15 in oil wrestling, a traditional folk sport in Turkey. He was discovered by the wrestler Celal Atik in 1936 and joined the national team in 1939. He won his first international medal, a silver, at the European Championships in Oslo, Norway in the same year. He went on to win eight gold medals in various international competitions, including the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, where he competed in the welterweight category. He was known for his strength, speed, and technique, and was regarded as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. He retired from active wrestling in 1951 and became the trainer of the national team. He suffered a heart attack during the 1955 championships in Sweden and died on 8 January 1961 in Ankara following a second heart attack. He was buried with a state ceremony at the Cebeci Military Cemetery. He was married to Hayriye Doğu and had two children, a son named Gazanfer and a daughter. His son followed his footsteps and became a physical education and sports lecturer at Abant Izzet Baysal University in Bolu. Yaşar Doğu's legacy lives on in the Turkish wrestling scene, as he inspired many young wrestlers to pursue the sport. He was also honored with a sports hall named after him in his hometown of Samsun, and an international wrestling tournament that bears his name.

    Yasar Dogu Profile

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