Yenişehirli Ahmed Cemal Efendi'nin hayatı ve "Memâlik-i Osmaniye'ye Mahsus Coğrafya-yı Askerî" adlı eseri
The life of Yenişehirli Ahmed Cemal Efendi and his work "Memâlik-i Osmaniye'ye Mahsus Coğrafya-yi Askerî"
Yazar: KÜBRA TAŞDEMİR
Danışman: DOÇ. DR. HASAN KARATAŞ
İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi / Lisansüstü Eğitim Enstitüsü / Bilim ve Teknoloji Tarihi Ana Bilim Dalı / Bilim ve Teknoloji Tarihi Bilim Dalı
Derece: Yüksek Lisans, 2024
Konu: Bilim ve Teknoloji = Science and Technology ; Coğrafya = Geography ; Tarih = History

Özet:
Osmanlı Devleti'nde özellikle 18 ve 19. yüzyılda, Batılılaşma hareketlerinin bir parçası olarak Osmanlı askerî eğitim sistemi de reformlar geçirmiş ve eğitim-öğretim faaliyetlerinde gelişmeler yaşanmıştır. Bu dönemde, Avrupa ülkelerinin eğitim modelinin uygulanması tercih edilmiştir. Askerî faaliyetlerde oldukça önemli bir yere sahip olan haritalar ve coğrafya eserleri, Avrupa'da olduğu gibi Osmanlı İmparatorluğu'nda da öncelik verilen bir husus olmuştur ve askerî eğitim kurumlarında Batılı kaynaklar kullanılarak harbiyeli öğrencilere bu eserler okutulmuştur. Coğrafya eserlerinin artış yaşadığı bir dönem gerçekleşirken 19. yüzyılın son çeyreğinde askerî coğrafya alanında eserler yazan Yenişehirli Ahmed Cemal Efendi de, Avrupa'daki yayınları takip eden bir coğrafya öğretmeni olarak yıllarca görev yapmıştır. Askerî sahada görev alan harbiyeli öğrencilerin teorik bilgi sahibi olmaları ve Osmanlı sınırları içerisinde kalan toprakları iyi tanıyarak düşmana karşı başarılı stratejiler geliştirebilmeleri amacıyla Memâlik-i Osmaniye-ye Mahsus Coğrafya-yı Askerî adlı eseri kaleme almıştır. Askerî coğrafya alanında oldukça önemli bir yere sahip olan eser, coğrafya literatüründe ismi zikredilmesi gereken kaynaklardan biridir. Söz konusu eserin, Osmanlı Devleti'nde yazılan eserler içerisinde "askerî coğrafya" isminin ilk kez kullanıldığı eser olması bakımında özel bir öneme sahiptir. Ayrıca, Ahmed Cemal Efendi'nin eserini yazarken kullanmış olduğu kaynaklar da Batı'da yapılan çalışmaları ve eserleri ortaya koymaktadır. Bu durum, Batılı kaynaklarda Osmanlı Devleti'ne sık sık yer verildiğini, Osmanlı sınırları içerisinde kalan toprakların coğrafî yapısının eserlerde anlatıldığını ve bu toprakların ayrıntılı bir şekilde haritalandırıldığını da gözler önüne sermektedir. Bu tez kapsamında, Mekteb-i Fünûn-ı Harbiye-i Şâhâne'de coğrafya öğretmeni ve başarılı bir asker olan Yenişehirli Ahmed Cemal Efendi'nin yapmış olduğu çalışmalar ve yazmış olduğu Memâlik-i Osmaniye-ye Mahsus Coğrafya-yı Askerî (1894, 1898, 1906) adlı eseri incelenerek hayatına ışık tutulacaktır. Ayrıca, bizzat padişah tarafından nişanlarla onurlandırılan Ahmed Cemal Efendi'nin, yıllar içinde rütbelerinin yükselmesi de onun gayretli ve başarılı bir asker olduğu göstermektedir. Ahmed Cemal Efendi'nin hayatı ve eseriyle birlikte Osmanlı coğrafya çalışmalarındaki yeri ve bıraktığı izler bakımından değerlendirilecektir.

Abstract:
Throughout the centuries-long history of humanity, the effort to recognize and make sense of the places where people lived has been continuous, from ancient civilizations to the present day. As people sought to understand their surroundings, their curiosity about their geographical environment led to the desire to document their knowledge, resulting in the creation of early maps through urban planning. Over time, the cumulative accumulation of knowledge led to better outcomes. The increasing geographical knowledge and the development of maps during the Mesopotamian, Egyptian, and Ancient Greek periods were passed on to Islamic Civilization. The knowledge assimilated by Islamic geographers through translations was advanced by the contributions of travelers, merchants, and scholars interested in the science of geography. During this period, there was a significant increase in geographical works, with the production of regional and world maps.
The geographical explorations that began in Europe in the 15th century facilitated encounters with different societies and the discovery of new lands. These explorations led to a rapid increase in geographical knowledge, resulting in a more comprehensive understanding of the world due to the discovery of new territories and cultures. The information obtained from these explorations was of great importance not only scientifically but also commercially and politically. The development of the printing press accelerated the production and dissemination of this information, allowing geographical works to reach a wider audience. In Europe, in addition to geographical works, numerous atlases and maps were published, which circulated widely and contributed to the rapid spread of knowledge. Maps played a crucial role in explorations, helping navigators and explorers travel safely across open seas. Geographical knowledge became a strategic tool serving the interests of countries, providing guidance, particularly in navigation and trade. Thus, geography and cartography played a vital role in shaping explorations and the political and economic power dynamics of the world. The production of geographical knowledge and maps during this period laid the foundations of modern geographical science, making significant contributions to our current understanding. 
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Ottoman Empire implemented significant reforms in its military education system as part of its Westernization efforts. The primary goal of these reforms was to enhance the military capacity and efficiency of the Ottoman forces and to accelerate the modernization process by leveraging the West's superior technological and scientific knowledge. During this period, the Ottoman Empire placed great emphasis on educational activities, introducing numerous innovations and regulations in this field. Military schools, in particular, were the institutions where these reforms were most intensively and visibly applied. The education models of European countries were adopted, and significant importance was placed on learning foreign languages, especially French, which was widely taught in both military and civilian schools. Additionally, languages such as Bulgarian, Greek, and German were also considered important and were occasionally included in the curriculum.
Significant changes were made to the curriculum of military schools, with geography instruction occupying a prominent place. Geographic knowledge was critical for soldiers to understand the Ottoman geography and its borders. The 19th century, a period when the Ottoman Empire was striving to preserve its territories, necessitated soldiers to have knowledge in geography, cartography, and topography. In this context, maps and geographical works held a significant place in military education, and these works, utilizing Western sources, were taught in Ottoman military schools. The geography of Ottoman territories, their borders, and topographic features were detailed extensively. Influenced by Western education models, geography teaching not only provided students with theoretical knowledge but also supported it with practical training. In military schools, students received comprehensive education in map reading, geographical data collection, and strategic planning, which included fieldwork to familiarize themselves with Ottoman territories.
Geography classes in military schools comprehensively covered the physical and human geography of different regions of the Ottoman Empire, strategically important locations, and border areas. These classes also aimed to teach students about world geography. In the last quarter of the 19th century, Yenişehirli Ahmed Cemal Efendi emerged as a prominent geography teacher who authored significant works in the field of military geography. He followed European publications and integrated this knowledge into Ottoman military education. Geography teaching in Ottoman military schools, due to its strategic importance, held a significant place, and Ahmed Cemal Efendi's contributions considerably enriched the knowledge in this field. One of his most important works, Memâlik-i Osmaniye-ye Mahsus Coğrafya-yı Askerî detailed the geography of Ottoman territories and their topographic structures. This work extensively examined not only the physical and human geography of Ottoman lands but also their strategic points and militarily important regions. Ahmed Cemal Efendi utilized Western sources extensively to provide Ottoman military students with modern geographical knowledge and demonstrated how this knowledge could be used in military strategies. The work Memâlik-i Osmaniye-ye Mahsus Coğrafya-yı Askerî is particularly significant as it is the first work in Ottoman geography literature to use the term "military geography" highlighting its importance in Ottoman military education and geographical studies.
Ahmed Cemal Efendi, an important figure who served as a geography teacher at the Mekteb-i Fünûn-ı Harbiye-i Şâhâne, authored this work to ensure military students had theoretical knowledge and a thorough understanding of Ottoman territories. This work occupies an important place in Ottoman military geography literature and was written using Western sources, particularly French and German. This indicates that Western sources frequently included the Ottoman Empire, mapping its geographical structure in detail, and that this information was utilized in Ottoman military education.
Ahmed Cemal Efendi's life and works should be evaluated in terms of their place and impact on Ottoman geographical studies. Honored with medals by the Sultan, Ahmed Cemal Efendi was awarded various ranks for his efforts and successes in his military career. His contributions to geography teaching and military education were significant as part of the Ottoman Empire's modernization efforts. During his tenure, he authored works such as Coğrafya-yı Umûmî, Coğrafya'yı Osmânî, and Memâlik-i Osmaniye-ye Mahsus Coğrafya-yı Askerî, the latter of which is analyzed in this thesis as his most important and complementary work.
The work Memâlik-i Osmaniye-ye Mahsus Coğrafya-yı Askerî provided Ottoman military students with geographical knowledge and contributed to their development of war strategies. Ahmed Cemal Efendi's contributions to Ottoman military education were notable for his innovative approach and use of Western sources. His work detailed the geographical structure and strategic importance of Ottoman territories, imparting this knowledge to his students. This work played a significant role in the modernization of Ottoman military education, emphasizing the importance of geographical knowledge in military strategies.
Ahmed Cemal Efendi's educational approach and methodology highlight his success in imparting geographical knowledge to students. The curriculum he prepared using Western sources ensured that Ottoman military students had access to modern and up-to-date information. This demonstrates the extent to which the Ottoman Empire advanced in its Westernization process and adopted innovative approaches in military education.
In conclusion, the military education reforms implemented in the Ottoman Empire during the 18th and 19th centuries were a significant part of its Westernization efforts. These reforms placed great importance on foreign language learning, geographical knowledge, and modern educational curricula. Ahmed Cemal Efendi, as a prominent figure in these reforms, held an important place in Ottoman geographical literature. His works illustrated the use of Western sources in Ottoman military education and the significance of geographical knowledge. Therefore, examining Ahmed Cemal Efendi's life and works is essential for understanding the role and importance of geography teaching in the Ottoman Empire's modernization process. These studies shed light on the development of the Ottoman military education system and highlight Ahmed Cemal Efendi's critical role in this process. 
This thesis will explore the life and works of Ahmed Cemal Efendi, a geography teacher and successful soldier at the Mekteb-i Fünûn-ı Harbiye-i Şâhâne, focusing on his work "Memâlik-i Osmaniye-ye Mahsus Coğrafya-yı Askerî" (1894, 1898, 1906).