13.03.2026 17:50
The late master name İlber Ortaylı was an important historian who made history beloved by a wide audience through his academic works, books, and television programs. With his colorful personality, strong oratory skills, and vast knowledge, Ortaylı created a significant impact not only in the academic world but also in the public sphere. Over the years, he became one of the most recognized figures in Turkish historiography with his studies in various fields, especially Ottoman history. He also taught at numerous universities.
One of the first names that comes to mind when talking about history in Turkey is İlber Ortaylı, an important historian and academic who made history appealing to a wide audience through his academic work, television programs, and unique style. Known for his colorful personality, strong oratory skills, and extensive knowledge, Ortaylı is remembered not only in the academic world but also in the public eye as the "teacher who tells history."
GREW UP IN A MULTICULTURAL FAMILY
İlber Ortaylı was born on May 21, 1947, in the city of Bregenz, Austria, as a child of a Crimean Tatar family. His family migrated to Turkey when Ortaylı was just two years old.
His mother, Şefika Ortaylı, served as a faculty member in the Department of Russian Language and Literature at Ankara University’s Faculty of Language and History-Geography for many years. His father, Kemal Ortaylı, an aircraft engineer, translated works on Crimean history and Tatars into Turkish. Growing up in a household where Turkish, German, and Russian were spoken, Ortaylı was raised in a multilingual and multicultural environment from a young age.
FOUNDATIONS OF HIS ACADEMIC LIFE
Ortaylı completed his secondary education at the Austrian High School in Istanbul and graduated from Ankara Atatürk High School in 1965. He then entered the History Department of Ankara University’s Faculty of Language and History-Geography.
Here, he was a student of prominent Turkish academics such as Şerif Mardin, Halil İnalcık, Mümtaz Soysal, and Seha Meray.
Graduating from university in 1970, Ortaylı pursued his master's studies at the University of Chicago in the USA with Halil İnalcık. He completed his doctorate at Ankara University’s Faculty of Political Sciences in 1974. In 1979, he became an associate professor with his work titled "German Influence in the Ottoman Empire."
TAUGHT AT UNIVERSITIES AROUND THE WORLD
In 1982, Ortaylı resigned from his position in protest against the political sanctions imposed on universities and during this period taught at various universities across Europe and the world.
Giving seminars and conferences in cities such as Vienna, Berlin, Paris, Princeton, Moscow, Rome, Munich, Cambridge, and Oxford, Ortaylı became a recognized historian in international academic circles.
Returning to Turkey in 1989, he received the title of professor and served as the head of the Department of Administrative History at Ankara University’s Faculty of Political Sciences for many years.
BECAME THE DIRECTOR OF TOPKAPI PALACE
In 2005, Ortaylı was appointed as the museum director of Topkapi Palace, one of Turkey's most important historical sites. He held this position for seven years and retired in 2012 due to age limits.
In addition to his academic work, he continued to teach at Galatasaray University, Bilkent University, and various institutions.
REACHED A WIDE AUDIENCE THROUGH TELEVISION PROGRAMS
İlber Ortaylı reached a wide audience not only through his academic work but also through television programs.
With the documentary program "With İlber Ortaylı" aired on TRT and the "History Lessons" program on NTV, Ortaylı explained historical topics to a broad audience and garnered significant interest on television.
Having written articles for Milliyet newspaper for many years, Ortaylı published numerous articles and books.
SPOKE MANY LANGUAGES
Ortaylı was proficient in Ottoman Turkish, Crimean Tatar, Arabic, Persian, German, French, Italian, Latin, Greek, Russian, Slovak, Romanian, Serbian, Croatian, and Bosnian.
Known for his extensive library and historical knowledge, as well as his unique interpretations, Ortaylı played an important role in popularizing the science of history in Turkey.
He stated that he had around 30,000 books in his library and donated 5,000 of them to Galatasaray University.
HOLDER OF THE PUSHKIN MEDAL
Due to his work in the field of history, Ortaylı was awarded the Aydın Doğan Prize in 2001 and received the Pushkin Medal awarded by Russia in 2007.
In 2017, he was awarded the Presidential Culture and Arts Grand Award, one of Turkey's most prestigious culture and arts awards.