Turkish historian Halil İnalcık laid to rest in Istanbul's Fatih

ISTANBUL

DHA photo

World-renowned Turkish historian Halil İnalcık, who was dubbed the “Şeyhü’l-Müverrihin” (sheikh of historians) and died of multiple organ failure in Ankara on July 25 at the age of 100, was laid to rest on July 28 in Istanbul. 

Following an order by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and a decision by the cabinet on July 27, İnalcık’s body was buried in Fatih Mosque’s graveyard. 

Before his remains were sent to Istanbul, İnalcık was commemorated on July 27 in ceremonies at the Ankara University Faculty of Language, History and Geography and Bilkent University Music and Performance Arts Faculty. 

The first ceremony at the Ankara University was attended by the historian’s daughter Günhan İnalcık, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s spokesman İbrahim Kalın, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) deputy Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, Turkish Historical Society head Professor Refik Turan, as well as a number of academics. 

Kalın said İnalcık was an important intellectual. “Reaching him and participating in one of his conversations was a great honor and hope for us,” he added.

“When we got chance to listen to his conferences in Turkey, we saw that he was a warm, friendly and reachable person. We were afraid of asking questions but he shared his deep knowledge with us,” he said.
Kalın said İnalcık left his mark on Turkish and world historiography. “One of his most important proven arguments was that ‘it is not possible to write world history without understanding Ottoman and Turkish history.’ İnalcık proved this fact through his works of 70-80 years. He is a great person who served as a history detective.”

Speaking of the decision to bury İnalcık at Fatih Mosque, Kalın said: “Our historians said it was the right place for him. Many of the great figures of Ottoman history, including Mehmet the Conqueror, are there. He will be together with them forever.”  

Following the commemoration at Bilkent, a funeral ceremony was held at the Bilkent Doğramacızade Ali Paşa Mosque for the professor before his body was taken to Istanbul. 

Along with Günhan İnalcık and relatives, former Prime Minster and Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputy Ahmet Davutoğlu, Istanbul Gov. Vasip Şahin, Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topbaş, AKP Istanbul Provincial Chairman Selim Temurci and many figures from the culture, arts and academic worlds attended the funeral ceremony at Fatih Mosque on July 28. 

After a noon prayer, İnalcık was buried in the graveyard of the mosque, which is the final resting place for many well-known figures in Ottoman history such as Mehmet the Conqueror, his wife Gülbahar Hatun, Ottoman Field Marshall and hero of Plevna Gazi Osman Pasha and vizier Dinozâde Âbidin Pasha. 


Halil İnalcık 

İnalcık was one of the most respected historians in Turkey and the founder of the Department of History at Bilkent University.
 
He gave various seminars and conferences in Turkey and abroad and published numerous books and articles on Ottoman history. 

He was a member and president of many international organizations, as well as the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts in the Department of Historical Sciences and the Institute of Turkish Studies. He was also a founding member of the Eurasian Academy who had received many honorary doctorates and awards over the years.