USING OTTOMAN CHRONICLERS’ WORKS OUTSIDE ACADEMIA: THE CASE OF ENVERÎ’S TARİH

Abstract

In this study, vakayinüvis (official Ottoman court historian) works-one of the principal sources of Ottoman historiography-are examined from a perspective that aims to expand their use in the national education curriculum beyond academia. The potential of these works to foster historical thinking skills is analyzed through Sadullah Enverî’s Tarih. The focus of the research is on the council (meclis) records that appear throughout all three volumes of Enverî Tarihi and were predominantly convened during wartime. Conducted within a qualitative research framework, the study employs document analysis; the data obtained are evaluated using content and thematic analysis techniques. The analyses demonstrate that, owing to the plain language of the council meetings, the dialogical presentation of discussions, and the detailed reflection of decision-making processes, these records offer rich content that supports historical thinking skills such as chronological reasoning, cause–effect analysis, developing multiple perspectives, empathy, and the use of evidence. These features render the texts distinctive examples suitable for use in history teaching. In conclusion, the study shows that vakayinüvis works are not merely narratives conveying historical events; rather, they can be considered functional resources capable of contributing to the development of historical thinking skills in modern history education outside academia. In this respect, the research aims to contribute to linking classical Ottoman historical texts with contemporary history teaching and to fostering a sustainable historical consciousness between past and present.