Biography writer,
historian, poet (B. 1857, Diyarbekir – D. January 23, 1923, Istanbul). He is
the son of Seyyid Mehmed Şerif Effendi, one of the grandsons of Poet Saim
Seyyid Mehmet Emiri Chelebi. He was firstly trained at Diyarbakir Sülükiyye
Madrasah. He learned Persian from his uncle Fethullah Feyzi Effendi. Then, he
went to Mardin while his uncles were correspondence and accounting directors in
that city, and received courses from several professors such as Ahmed Hilmi
Effendi for three years; he advanced in Arabic and Persian. During his
childhood, he wrote poems in old style. He participated in telegraphy courses
in 1875 and became a telegrapher. He wrote an enthronement book for the
enthronement of V. Murad in 1876. He worked as a script next to Abidin Pasha
who came to Diyarbakir with Adjustment Committee in 1878; and he traveled to
Harput, Sivas and Thessaloniki with him. He then worked as Sis (Kozan) sanjak
Tax director and as Adana Tax Ministry head clerk. He worked as accountant in
Leskovik, Kirsehir and Trablussam sanjaks; in the revenue offices of Elazig and
Erzurum; in the financial inspection units for Yanya and Iskodra, and as Halep
revenue office director and Yemen financial inspector. He was honored by high
class ranking order during this period. He was retired upon his own request
after the declaration of Second Constitutional Monarchy in 1908.
After his retirement, he
worked as the President of National Examinations Council, Historical Documents’
Ordering Council and as a member of Ottoman History Council. During his
presidency at Prime Ministry Ottoman Archives Office Sorting Commission; he
created the Ali Emiri Sorting, which is named after him. He has also written
long letters of conscience to the Ministry of Endowments. He mentioned about
the neglecting of old works and represented the conscience of public.
Ali Emiri Effendi has
collected books wherever he went during his life; and his scientific and
literature activities were accelerated after his retirement. He went to a
former Oguz city, Cend, where he collected several valuable works and
documents; and he has made the Hacı Bektaş-ı Veli Order repaired while he was
the accountant of Kirsehir; of which the costs were covered by him and the
labor by dervishes. Ali Amiri Effendi was an intermediate poet and a master
critic; and he donated his invaluable library with invaluable books to the
Millet Library, which he established at Feyzullah Effendi Madrasah in Fatih. He
has donated 16.000 volumes of work to this library, most of which are unique
and single copies; and he worked as the director of this institution until his
death.
Another important
contribution by Ali Amiri Effendi was to discover the famous work of Kasgarli
Mahmud, Divân-ı Lügâti’t-Türk;
and to provide it for the scholastic world. He wrote several works such as
biography and collection of biographies. He published some old works under the
title “Nevâdir-i Eslâf”. Ali Emiri Effendi has also published journals
such as Osmanlı Tarih ve Edebiyat Mecmuası (March 31, 1334- September
1336 31 issues; Tarih ve Edebiyat, August 31, 1338 – November 31, 1338,
5 issues) and Âmid-i Sevdâ (1908-1909, 6 issues); and he published his
articles in these journals along with others.
Along with his
researches, he also has an important spot in Turkish literature with his poems
and collection of biographies in which he introduced the poets of different
cities and regions. His tomb is in Fatih Mosque, Istanbul.
“He has devoted his life to his books, and during his
retirement years he used to visit Used-Book Bazaar where he discovered the
famous book of Kaşgarlı Mahmud, Divan-ı
Lûgat’it Türk, which was known but never discovered until that day. This unique
work with the single copy in the world was then published with the support of
Grand Vizier Talat Pasha. The important point in here is the realization of Ali
Emiri Effendi of this unique writing , purchasing it and offering it for the
utilization of everyone. The “novel” of finding this book is explained in all
the resources.” (Şevket Beysanoğlu)
“Ali Emirî is not a
strong Divan poet, but he is a successful and productive author. It is obvious
that he has written any writing very fast. Basically, the real value of Ali
Emiri is not in his skills as a poet, but in his superior knowledge on
literature. Ali Emiri never liked self-praise and did not compose very valuable
works when compared with his great knowledge. His greatest contribution is the
library he endowed to our country, which includes valuable books and writings.
Today, the section of Millet Library that consists of books by Ali Emiri are so
valuable in terms of history, Divan and journals. He has purchased any valuable
work he has seen during his life and tried to enrich his library. Many valuable
works, including Divan-ı Lügat-it Türk,
which is a very important source of Turkish language, were obtained by him and
some of them were published.” (Sadeddin Nüzhet Ergun)
Famous Turkish poet
Yahya Kemal Beyatlı has written a lyric for Ali Emiri Effendi, named Ali
Emirî Efendi‘ye Gazel where he said the following about him:
“Muhtâc isen füyuzuna
eslâf pendinin
Diz çök önünde şimdi
Emirî Efendi‘nin
Âmid o şehr-i nur
öğünsün ilelebed
Fazl ü faziletiyle bu
necl-i bülendinin”
WORKS:
PRINTED
WORKS: Tezkire-i Şuârâ-i Âmid (vol. 1. 1910), Cevahir-ül Mülûk (Osmanlı
padişahlarının şiirleri, 1901), Yavuz Sultan Selim’in Türkçe Eş’arının
Tahmisatı, Osmanlı Vilayat-ı Şarkıyyesi (1918), Osmanlı Şairleri
Tezkiresi (16 vol,) (First volume in the collection of Muzaffer
Esen, and other volumes are in Millet Library), Divan, Levami-ül Hamdiyye (Hamdedenlerin
Nurları, 1911), Ezhar-ı Hakîkat (Hakîkat Çiçekleri, 1918; in Kızılırmak
jpurnal by Assist. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Arslan, Issue: 9, September 1992, Sivas),
Emin-i Tokadî Hazretlerinin Terceme-i Hâli (1950), Sivani (3 vol,
Millet Kütüphanesi Emiri kitapları, Seen No: 37, 38, 39).
HAND
WRITTEN MANUSCRIPTS: İşkodra Şairleri, Yanya Şairleri, Esâmi-i Şuarâ-i Âmid,
Diyarbekirli Bazı Zevatın Tercüme-i Halleri, Tunus Tarihi, Teselya Osmanlı
Şairleri, Yemen Hâtırâtı, Divan.
PREPARED
FOR PUBLICATION (under the general heading of Nevâdir-i Eslaf): Câm-ı
Cem-âyîn’i (Selimnâme-i Osmani, Bayâtî Hasan b. Mahmûd’un, 1331), Mardin
Mülûk-i Artukıyye Tarihi ve Kitâbeleri ve Sâir Vesâik-i Mühimme (Ferdi
Kâtib, 1331), Âsafnâme (Lütfi Pasha’s, 1326), Nizâmü’d-Düvel,
Acaibü’l Letâif (Gıyâseddin Nakkâş’s, 1331).
LOST WORKS: Tuhfetü’l- Leyliyye (satires, jokes), Mir’âtü’l-Fevâid fi Teracim-i Şuarâ-i Âmid, Abâü’l Akvam, Kitâbü’l- Egâni Tercümesi.
ABOUT:
Dursun Gürlek / Büyük Kitabiyat Alimi Ali Emirî Efendi (2023).
REFERENCE: Agâh Sırrı Levend / Türk Edebiyatı Tarihi (c. 1, 1973), Yurt Ansiklopedisi (c. IV, 1982), TDV İslam Ansiklopedisi (c. 2, 1989), Prof. Dr. Aykut Kazancıgil - Doç. Dr. Bekir Karlıga / Louis Massignon’dan Ali Emîrî Efendi’ye İki Mektup (Yedi İklim dergisi, c. 4, sayı: Şubat 1993), Şevket Beysanoğlu / Diyarbakırlı Fikir ve Sanat Adamları (c. 2, 1997, s. 59-62, 66-68), İbnülemin Mahmud Kemal İnal / Son Asır Türk Şairleri (c. I, 1999), Ali Birinci / Tarihin Gölgesinde Meşâhir-i Meçhuleden Birkaç Zat (2001), Mehmet Serhan Tayşi / Ali Emiri’nin İzinde (2009), İhsan Işık / Resimli ve Metin Örnekli Türkiye Edebiyatçılar ve Kültür Adamları Ansiklopedisi (2006, gen. 2. bas. 2007) - "Ünlü Bilim Adamları" (Türkiye Ünlüleri Ansiklopedisi, c. 2, 2013) - Diyarbakır Ansiklopedisi (2013) - Encyclopedia of Turkey’s Famous People (2013) - Geçmişten Günümüze Diyarbakırlı İlim Adamları Yazarlar ve Sanatçılar (2014), Dursun Gürlek / Büyük Kitabiyat Alimi Ali Emirî Efendi (2023).
