Ottoman History for Children 1922 Book with many Maps İhsan Şerif Empire Greece Balkans
Çocuklara Tarih-i Osmânî (Ottoman History for Children) – İhsan Şerif, 1338 (c. 1922)
Description:
Çocuklara Tarih-i Osmânî (Ottoman History for Children) is an Ottoman Turkish history textbook specially prepared for students in the second year of the intermediate level of primary schools (Mekâtib-i İbtidaiye, Devre-i Mutavassıta). The opening information states that the work was accepted in first place through a competition for use in schools, demonstrating its official educational status within the late Ottoman primary-school curriculum. Published in Istanbul by Kanaat Matbaası in 1338 (approximately 1922), the book presents Ottoman history in a simplified form suitable for young students.
The book begins with a short introduction emphasizing the importance of every nation knowing its own past. It then turns to the history of the early Turks under the heading “Eski Türkler” (The Ancient Turks), introducing their early homeland in Central Asia, major rulers such as Oghuz Khan, and traditions concerning the origins of the Ottoman dynasty in a language adapted to children's understanding.
The central subject of the work is the history of the Ottoman Empire. It covers the settlement of the Kayı tribe in Anatolia, the foundation and development of the Ottoman state, the Ottoman sultans, major political and military events during their reigns, and important historical personalities. The narrative is structured as an educational introduction to Ottoman history rather than as an exhaustive scholarly history, making it suitable for its intended young readership.
İhsan Şerif Bey was born in 1283 AH (1867) and graduated from the Dârülmuallimîn-i Aliyye (Higher Teachers' College), one of the Ottoman Empire's important institutions for the training of teachers. He spent approximately 50 years in educational service, working as a teacher and deputy director at established institutions including the Galatasaray Mekteb-i Sultânîsi. Having lived through the Balkan Wars, the First World War and the Turkish War of Independence, he incorporated his historical experience into educational publications intended to convey historical awareness to younger generations.
The volume contains numerous illustrations and maps, adding an important visual dimension to its presentation of Turkish and Ottoman history. As a school textbook accepted through a competition for primary education, and as a richly illustrated example of late Ottoman historical publishing, it provides valuable insight into the way Ottoman history and historical consciousness were introduced to young students during the final years of the Empire.
Key Features:
• Title: Çocuklara Tarih-i Osmânî (Ottoman History for Children)
• Author: İhsan Şerif
• Intended Audience: Students of the Second Year of the Intermediate Level of Primary Schools (Mekâtib-i İbtidaiye, Devre-i Mutavassıta)
• Educational Status: Accepted in first place through a competition for use in schools
• Subject: Ottoman history and early Turkish history
• Introduction: Emphasizes the importance of knowing one's own national past
• Early Turkish History: Central Asian origins of the Turks, Oghuz Khan, major rulers and traditions concerning the origins of the Ottoman dynasty
• Ottoman History: The settlement of the Kayı tribe in Anatolia, the foundation of the Ottoman state, Ottoman sultans, major political and military events, and important historical figures
• Illustrations: Numerous historical illustrations throughout the volume
• Maps: Numerous historical and geographical maps
• Publication Year: 1338 (approximately 1922)
• Place of Publication: Istanbul
• Publisher / Printer: Kanaat Matbaası
• Language: Ottoman Turkish
• Author Significance: İhsan Şerif was a graduate of the Dârülmuallimîn-i Aliyye and spent approximately 50 years in educational service, including teaching and administrative positions at major Ottoman educational institutions
• Educational Significance: An officially accepted Ottoman primary-school textbook presenting Turkish and Ottoman history in a simplified form for young students
• Historical Context: Written during the final years of the Ottoman Empire, after the author had witnessed the Balkan Wars, First World War and the Turkish War of Independence
• Collectible Significance: Particularly valuable for collectors and researchers of Ottoman Turkish books, children's books, educational history, Turkish history, Ottoman history, historical illustration and late Ottoman publishing