26.01.2026 17:22
A teacher's lesson in which they questioned the common historical narratives about Sultan Vahdettin and emphasized Hagia Sophia has resonated widely on social media.
A video of a teacher explaining Sultan Vahdettin to his students in the classroom has become a hot topic on social media. The teacher questioned the commonly taught historical narratives during the lesson and made evaluations based on the phrase "the coward sultan" regarding Sultan Vahdettin.
"DIDN'T THEY TEACH US LIKE THIS?"
The teacher began his explanation with the words, "They taught us that Sultan Vahdettin was a cowardly sultan who fled by boarding an English ship... Didn't they teach us like this? Let's see if the truth is really like that?" and drew attention to the conditions during the last period of the Ottoman Empire.
"THE OTTOMAN LANDS WERE ALREADY UNDER OCCUPATION"
The teacher stated that during Sultan Vahdettin's reign, the Ottoman lands were effectively under occupation, explaining that weapons were confiscated and British soldiers were guarding these weapons. The female teacher mentioned that only 700 Ottoman soldiers were allowed to remain armed and that these soldiers were tasked with protecting the sultan.
"HE SAW HAGIA SOPHIA AS MORE VALUABLE THAN ME AND MY FAMILY"
In her explanation, the teacher also referred to a statement attributed to Sultan Vahdettin, conveying that the sultan expressed his concern that Hagia Sophia would be converted back into a church and therefore requested that armed soldiers protect not him but the Hagia Sophia Mosque. The teacher stated, "So that so-called coward Sultan Vahdettin sees Hagia Sophia as more valuable than himself and his children."
The video in question quickly spread on social media, while the teacher's narration also sparked discussions over historical interpretations.