İlber Ortaylı's daughter details historian's final wishes and legacy

Tuna Ortaylı has shared details regarding the final days and legacy of her father, the renowned Ottoman historian Prof. Dr. İlber Ortaylı, who passed away due to multiple organ failure.

Addressing public interest in his estate, Tuna Ortaylı explained that her father owned seven different homes, primarily to house his extensive collection of approximately 50,000 books. She noted that these residences allowed his books to ‘live different lives’ through various locations, such as a library house in Yeşilköy and his primary residence in Baltalimanı.

Regarding the sale of some of his belongings, Tuna Ortaylı clarified that the proceeds are intended for donation to the TEMA Foundation to support the ‘İlber Ortaylı Memorial Forest’ project.

She also detailed her father's evolving wishes regarding his final resting place. While he initially expressed interest in being buried near the Black Sea due to his Crimean Tatar heritage, or in locations like Ayvalık and Gelibolu, his final preference was the Fatih Haziresi. This site is a traditional resting place for prominent Ottoman historians, including Halil İnalcık and Kemal Karpat.