Historian and
writer (b. 10 October 1880, İstanbul - d. 1937). He used the pen names
Nasrettin Hoca and Rıfkı Ali as well. He graduated from Kuleli High School and
the School of War. He worked as a teacher in military schools. He served in the
army during the Balkan War. Although he retired after the Balkan War, he joined
the army as captain again and was assigned the task of arranging the archives
of the army. He gave history lectures at a university after the First World War
and was promoted to professor. Upon the death of Abdurrahman Şeref, he was
appointed to the Chair of the Ottoman History Council (1924).
He wrote in many
publications such as İkdam, Yeni Mecmua and Tarih
Encümeni Mecmuası. Some of his works were serialized in newspapers. His
main feature was that he wrote works that put the joy of history in people. He
wrote many lyrics most of which were set to music. He was also known for his
excessive indulgence in alcohol. He was awarded a medal by the Swedish
government because of his work Demirbaş Şarl (Charles the Habitué, 1918). His works number more than a hundred.
Sixteen works of
Ahmet Refik Altınay that were published by Kitaphane-i Hilmi İbrahim Hilmi in a
series under the title Geçmiş Asırlarda Osmanlı Hayatı (Ottoman Lifestyle
in the Previous Centuries) between 1915-1927, started to be republished by the
İş Bank Foundation of Historical Culture, National Publications in the Tarihe Yolculuk (Journey to
History) series from 2001.
MAIN WORKS:
Gazâvât-ı
Celile-i Peygamberî (Glorious Wars of the Prophet Muhammed,
1906), Meşhur Osmanlı Kumandanları (Famous
Ottoman Commanders, 1907), Tarih-i Umûmî (General
History, 6 volumes, 1910-1912), Lale Devri (The Tulip
Period, 1912), Kadınlar Saltanatı (Sultanate
of Women, 4 volumes, 1914-1923), Tarihî Simalar (Historical
Faces, 1914), Köprülüler (Those Bridged, 2 volumes, 1915), Memaliki Osmaniye'deDemirbaş
Şarl (Charles the Habitué in the Ottoman Dominions, 1918), X. Asrı Hicrî'de İstanbul Hayatı (10th
Century İstanbul Life in the Hegira, 1917, 1987), Âlimler ve Sanatkârlar (Scholars
and Artists, 1922), Anadolu'da Türk Aşiretleri (Turkish
Tribes in Anatolia, 1930), Osmanlı Devrinde Türkiye Madenleri (Turkish
Mines in the Ottoman Period, 1930), Viyana Önünde Türkler (Turks
Outside Vienna, 1931), Turhan Valide (Turhan
Valide, 1931), Tarih ve Müverrihler (History
and Historians, 1932), Kâtip Çelebi (Katip
Çelebi, 1932), Türk Mimarları (Turkish Architects, 1932), İki Komite İki Kıtal (Two
Committees, Two Wars, 1994), Kafkas Yollarında (On The
Road to Caucasus, 1998).
REFERENCE:
Mükrimin Halil / Müverrih Ahmed Refik (Millî Mecmua, sayı: 39, 1925), Reşad
Ekrem Koçu / Ahmed Refik: Hayatı, Seçme Şiir ve Yazıları (1938) - İstanbul
Ansiklopedisi (c. 2, s.732-743), Türk Ansiklopedisi (c. 11, s. 219, 1966), TDE
Ansiklopedisi (c. 1, s. 125- 126, 1977), M. Muzaffer Gökman / Ahmet Refik
Altınay (1978), Abdülkadir Özcan / TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi (c. 2, 1988), Behçet
Necatigil / Edebiyatımızda İsimler Sözlüğü (18. bas. 1999), Şükran Kurdakul /
Şairler ve Yazarlar Sözlüğü (gen. 6. bas. 1999), Köprülüler Ahmet Refik Altınay
(Cumhuriyet Kitap, 1.11.2001), TBE Ansiklopedisi (2001), Dr. Mustafa Duman /
Trabzon’u Anlatan Birkaç Kitap (Cumhuriyet Kitap, 11.7.2002), Mustafa Özbalcı /
Büyük Türk Klâsikleri (c. 13, 2002), İhsan Işık /
Yazarlar Sözlüğü (1990, 1998) - Türkiye Yazarlar Ansiklopedisi (2001, 2004) –
Encyclopedia of Turkish Authors (2005) - Resimli ve Metin Örnekli Türkiye
Edebiyatçılar ve Kültür Adamları Ansiklopedisi (2006, gen. 2. bas. 2007) -
Encyclopedia of Turkey’s Famous People (2013).