Topkapı Museum honors past sultan

ISTANBUL

Istanbul’s Topkapı Museum is commemorating Sultan Bayezıd II on the 500th anniversary of his death with a temporary exhibition featuring many accessories and clothes of Bayezıd, chosen from the Topkapı Museum inventory and collection exclusively.

The exhibition will continue until Jan. 28.

“Sultan Bayezıd II was seen as the protector by society. However, his fame has been forgotten as his father, Fatih Sultan Mehmed, and his son Sultan Selim Han-ı Evvel were very famous and successful,” Topkapı Palace Museum manager Haluk Dursun said at the exhibit opening.

Noting that Bayezıd was the oldest son and successor of Mehmed II, ruling as sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1481 to 1512, Dursun said that during his reign, Bayezıd II consolidated the Ottoman Empire and thwarted a Safavid rebellion soon before abdicating his throne to his son Selim I.

Beyoğlu Mayor Ahmet Misbah Demircan spoke about the cultural heritage and history of Beyoğlu and Bayezıd II. Bayezıd also did many things in terms of urbanization and arts, added Dursun.

The artifacts reflect the importance Bayezıd gave urbanization through unique announcements written by Bayezıd. Dursun said the exhibition also included a Bayezıd signature made of gold.

A very exclusive Quran written by the famous calligraphy expert and artist Şeyh Hamdullah is also being exhibited.

The artifact had been preserved in Topkapı’s treasury, said Dursun.

Another important piece in the exhibition is a Kaaba lock, which is a very rare and precious piece. The Kaaba lock is one of the pieces of a group of Kaaba locks and keys. The exhibition will also show royal clothes.

Accessories of the sultan, artifacts of the era

Dursun said the artifacts in the exhibition were already a part of the museum’s inventories. The exhibition includes many accessories of Bayezıd such as armories, kaftans, clothes and also artifacts of the era and was prepared after a long period of research by museum studies professionals.
The Galatasaray community, Beyoğlu Municipality and Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University all contributed to the exhibition, Dursun said. “The ‘Bayezıd Who Established Beyoğlu’ symposium attracted a lot of attention, and they have also contributed to this symposium and supported this event.”

The opening ceremony was attended by Province Culture and Tourism manager Dr. Ahmet Emre Bilgili, Sultan Murad V’s granddaughter Kenize Murad, Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University rector Yalçın Karayağız and also Galatasaray University rector Ethem Tolga. After the ceremony the guests toured the exhibition.