Lessons We Should Take From History

Leave a comment

January 6, 2012 by ihtopal

 1.     On the Way of Modernity

People died of hunger even in Urla, a city of the Aegean Region. At a time when an average employee’s salary was 50 TL, an amount of money around 75 000 TL was spent on sculpture on the way of modernity…

2.     Trust Yourself With Turks

In 16^th century, when Stephan the Great, who was entitled as “Knight of Christianity” by Catholic Europe since he combated and stood up against the Turkish armies, was on the deathbed, told his children exemplarily: “Perhaps, you would sooner be in need of protection. Never lend yourselves to the Russian. They are villain and will wipe you out. Yet, trust yourselves with Turks. They are fair and merciful.”

3.     Pillaged Heritage of Us

The shrine of Hayme Hatun, blessed mother of Osman Ghazi-the founder of the glorious Ottoman Empire- was fixed meticulously by Abdulhamid Han with respect to his reverence for his ancestors. Its windows were covered with satin curtains and its floor was furnished by a gorgeous carpet woven in Hereke style.

Afterwards, when the Public Party came to power, that carpet was seized and used as a doormat by the head of district for the party’s building in Inegol, and the satin curtains were used in the governor’s building.

4.     The Inerasable Tracks of Our Ancestors

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia- In the year of 1976, when the facility-turning salt water into fresh water- was inaugurated, the Turkish ambassador of the time, Necdet Ozmen, had a talk with his colleagues saying: “This is the first refinement facility of Saudi Arabia.” Upon this, the French ambassador asked in wonder: “No, sir. This is not the first one. The first facility was the one established by the Ottomans towards the end of 18^th century.”, which put our ambassador to shame.

5.     Implacable Love for the Ottomans

Although parting with lands from Balkans to Middle-East after the World War I, the people living on those lands still raved longingly for the Ottomans. A Bosnian to one of our authors who came from Budapest: “Now that you’re going to Istanbul, for God’s sake, kiss the earth of that city for me. May God not take my life without seeing there! The old Algerians in Trablusgarp wore Ottoman coins on their necks instead of amulet.

6.     A Room in Heaven

At a time when the Ottomans rear up at their peaks, the raiders made horses dance in Europe, a clergyman at a church preached: “The sovereignty of the world belongs to Turks while the Heaven’s belongs to them.” Some people among the congregation, who were confused, said hopelessly: “Would Turks who drove us out of our hometowns spare any place for us in the Heaven?”

7.     Alms Hung on a Tree

In Fatih Sultan Mehmet’s period, a Muslim had been wandering for long days to find a poor person in that he could give his annual alms, yet he couldn’t find. Upon that, in exchange for his alms, he hang on a tree a sum of money in a bag on which it was written: “My Muslim brother, despite my entire search, I couldn’t find any person to give my alms. If you are really in need, please do not hesitate to take this.” And, this bag was hung on that tree about three months long.