A large crowd of students, scholars, political figures and members of the public gathered in Istanbul on March 16 to pay their final respects to the legendary historian and academic İlber Ortaylı, whose work transitioned from the lecture hall to the heart of the national consciousness.
Ortaylı, widely regarded as one of Türkiye’s most influential public intellectuals, died on March 13 at Koç University Hospital in Istanbul at the age of 78. He had been receiving treatment in intensive care and passed away due to multiple organ failure following complications related to a kidney condition.
Tributes opened at Galatasaray University at 11 a.m. with a moment of silence and the Turkish national anthem, reflecting on Ortaylı’s instrumental role in establishing the school’s reputation for excellence in history and social sciences during his many years on the faculty.
Several prominent figures attended the memorial, including Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel, Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş, Galatasaray Sports Club president Dursun Özbek, journalist Fatih Altaylı and geologist and academic Celal Şengör, along with many academics and citizens.
During the ceremony, Ortaylı’s daughter Tuna Ortaylı addressed the crowd and thanked the academic community for honoring her father.
She recalled that he continued working on the proofreading of a new book even during his final days in the hospital.
“Seeing the unfinished manuscript on his desk was heartbreaking,” she said, adding that despite a life filled with accomplishments, her father still had many plans for the future.
Following the memorial, Ortaylı’s funeral prayer is set to take place after the afternoon prayer at Fatih Mosque on March 16. He will then be laid to rest in the historic cemetery within the mosque complex, which traditionally hosts the graves of prominent Ottoman-era scholars, statesmen and intellectuals.
Due to ongoing restoration work in the cemetery area, Ortaylı’s family announced that only close relatives and authorized personnel will attend the burial.
Authorities also closed several roads in Istanbul’s Fatih district starting at 9 a.m. because of the funeral ceremonies. Affected routes included İtfaiye, Büyük Karaman and several adjacent streets near the mosque, while authorities advised motorists to use alternatives such as Kıztaşı and Haydar Bey.
Ortaylı’s family asked mourners not to send flowers and instead encouraged donations to the Turkish Education Foundation in his memory. The family will receive condolences on March 17 at Divan Istanbul Hotel.
Born in 1947 in Bregenz, Austria, Ortaylı moved to Türkiye as a child and later studied history at Ankara University.
Over the course of his career, he became one of the country’s most prominent historians, specializing in the administrative and institutional history of the Ottoman Empire.
Fluent in several languages and the author of more than 50 books, Ortaylı helped bring history to wider audiences through lectures, television appearances and bestselling works.
