Silahdar Mehmed Ağa

Historian (b. 1668, İstanbul – d. 1724). He was also known as Fındıklı due to the name of his birthplace. He grew up at the Ottoman Palace where he was brought up from his early childhood. He served in many posts at the palace including Custodian of Arms for a while during the reign of Ahmed II. He resigned from this office because he could not agree with the statesmen of the period and began to write his history.

In Silahdar Tarihi (The History of the Custodian of Arms), which he wrote as a supplement to Fezleke (Summary) of Katip Çelebi, he narrated the events between 1654 and 1665 (the reign of Mehmed IV, Süleyman II. and Ahmed II.). In his work Nusretname (Book of Victory), written on the request of Mustafa II, he narrated the years between 1695 and 1721. Silahdar Tarihi (The History of the Custodian of Arms) was published by Ahmet Refik with a preface (2 volumes, 1928); Nusretname (Book of Victory) was simplified and published by İsmet Parmaksızoğlu (2 volumes, 1962-69).