13.03.2026 17:21
Ilber Ortaylı, one of Turkey's leading historians who had been struggling with various health issues for a long time, passed away after his ailments. Due to health problems that began with a prostate surgery he underwent in January, Ortaylı's immune system weakened, and he was receiving treatment for diabetes. Last Thursday, he was hospitalized and taken to intensive care, where he was intubated.
One of Turkey's most important historians, the esteemed figure İlber Ortaylı has passed away. The news of the 79-year-old Ortaylı's death, who had been receiving treatment for health issues for some time, caused great sorrow in the academic world and among the public.
IMMUNE SYSTEM WEAKENED
Ortaylı's health problems first began with a prostate issue he experienced last January. It was learned that Ortaylı, who was operated on and discharged after a while, had a weakened immune system during this process.
It was stated that the 79-year-old historian received diabetes treatment three days a week, which led to significant fatigue in his body and organs.
HIS DAUGHTER HAD SHARED HIS HEALTH STATUS
The esteemed historian's daughter, Tuna Ortaylı, had also made a statement regarding her father's health during this process. Tuna Ortaylı noted that the health issues were largely due to age-related organ fatigue.
In the statement, it was expressed that the master historian was under the supervision of a qualified medical team and was receiving all necessary medical support.
ADMITTED TO HOSPITAL, TAKEN TO INTENSIVE CARE
Ortaylı, who fell ill last Thursday and was taken to a hospital in Istanbul's Topkapi, was initially reported to be conscious. However, shortly after, he was taken to intensive care and intubated due to respiratory problems.
While it was stated that his condition remained stable for a while, it was announced that İlber Ortaylı passed away today despite all interventions.
"HE TRIED NOT TO LET US FEEL HIS ILLNESS"
İlber Ortaylı's sister, Nuriye Ortaylı, also drew attention to her brother's health issues.
"He had been struggling with various health problems for a long time. With increasingly worsening issues... But since he was someone who loved to live actively, he tried to stay energetic as much as possible. He tried not to let anyone, even us, feel it too much," said Nuriye Ortaylı. "He received the best possible care; both medically and humanely. We owe them a lot of gratitude. Thank you very much to everyone who called, inquired, and supported," she expressed.
WHO IS İLBER ORTAYLI?
He was born in 1947 in Bregenz, Austria. He completed his primary and secondary education in Istanbul and Ankara. He graduated from Ankara Atatürk High School in 1965. In 1968, he graduated from the Faculty of Political Sciences and the Department of History at the Faculty of Language and History-Geography at Ankara University. Later, he studied Slavic and Oriental studies at the University of Vienna.
He completed his master's thesis with Prof. Halil İnalcık at the University of Chicago. In 1978, he received his doctorate degree with his thesis titled "Local Administrations After the Tanzimat" from the Faculty of Political Sciences at Ankara University. In 1979, he became an associate professor with his work titled "German Influence in the Ottoman Empire," and in 1989, he became a professor. He has served as a visiting faculty member at universities in Vienna, Berlin, Paris, Princeton, Moscow, Rome, Munich, Strasbourg, Yanya, Sofia, Kiel, Cambridge, Oxford, and Tunis, giving seminars and conferences. He has published articles related to Ottoman history and Russian history from the 16th century to the 19th century in both domestic and foreign scientific journals.
Between 1989 and 2002, he served as the Head of the Department of Administrative History at the Faculty of Political Sciences, and in 2002, he moved to Galatasaray University, and two years later to Bilkent University. In 2005, he was appointed as the Director of Topkapi Palace. He still continues to hold this position. He is currently also teaching history courses at Galatasaray University. İlber Ortaylı is also a board member of the International Ottoman Studies Committee and a member of the European Society of Iranian Studies. He speaks Turkish, Ottoman Turkish, Crimean Tatar, Arabic, Persian, German, French, Italian, Latin, Greek, Russian, Slovak, Romanian, Serbian, Croatian, and Bosnian.
Some of his publications are as follows:
In the Footsteps of History, Profil Publishing, Istanbul, 2008.
History of Organization and Administration in Turkey, Cedit Publishing, Ankara, 2007.
Rediscovering the Ottomans: Ottomans in Three Continents, Timas Publishing, Istanbul, 2007.
Local Government Tradition from Tanzimat to Republic, Hil, Istanbul, 1985.
The Longest Century of the Empire, Hil, Istanbul, 1983.
German Population in the Ottoman Empire, Kaynak Publishing, Istanbul, 1983.
From Tradition to Future, Hil, Istanbul, 1982.
History of Administration in Turkey, TODAIE No. 180, Ankara, 1979.
With İlhan Tekeli, The Evolution of Municipalism in Turkey, Turkish Administrators Association, 1978.