 “Pax-Ottomana” is an intriguing and debated term and may not be found as an appropriate title for a book dealing with the Ottoman Empire. The editor who prepared this volume, have given a considerable thought to this, and in the end, decided that personality of Prof. Dr. Nejat Göyünç, to whom this book is devoted, could not have been better expressed in any other term than Pax-Ottomana. Those of us, who met Prof. Göyünç during his continuos work in the archive, would agree with editor’s use of the term and would offer as many reasons as him for the appropriateness of the title of the book. Prof. Göyünç’s hospitality, friendship, and personality was beyond imagination, and was open to all scholars, regardless of race, religion and nationality. As many scholars, the editor also personally met him in the Ottoman Archives of the Prime Minister, and when needed his help in deciphering an Ottoman term. He listened to him with admirable patience, and answered with the same gratitude. He was never exhausted by the endless questions of historians, and was never indifferent to anybody or any question, scholarly or simple. When the editor first met him in 1987 in the archive he had the impression that Prof. Göyünç was there not only to do his own research or work, but also for all other scholars who need his deep knowledge of history, historiography and diplomatic. He gave the impression that he helped scholars in order to become one of their friend. Most of us, without a doubt, had the temptation to ask him some questions in order to have an opportunity to listen to his scholarly explanations even to our simple questions, or to have his compliments as a real gentlemen in times of tiredness. The more question you ask the more friendly he would become with you, and in the end one would find himself at his superb balcony overlooking the Bosphorus and Üsküdar and enjoying his tea service. The editor, as most of you, went through the same process to enjoy his hospitality, friendship and conversation. Needless to say, he was not only a good friend, but also an eminent historian. His friendship with scholars from among different nations made him a trusted, impartial and objective historian. As he was friend of historians, was also friend of history. His personality would not allow him to become an enemy of history. For him the Ottoman Empire did not conquer the territories but the heart of the people. He was of the opinion that the Ottomans ruled vast territories, but to bring justice, peace, security and stability, and thus aimed at creating pax-ottomana. In his view, history should not be a tool for nationalism and for sowing seeds of enmity between people or nations. This is what he aimed at his books and writings. In the opinion of the editor, his approach to history was of exemplary. He read texts to find social and cultural contacts, neighbourly relations, and so on but never hostility. One can say, without a shadow of a doubt, that it was not his style to study wars, and massacres, and therefore while everyone was dealing with political history, wars and hostilities between the nations in the cold war period, he dug out the archives to find the documents to bring forward the social and economic contacts between the people. He was alone, perhaps, when he completed his book on Mardin Sancağı, but he knew that he would set an example in future, and this he did. He never changed his style depending on certain incidents or current situation. For instance, at the height of the Armenian terror against the foreign representations of Turkey in Europe and the United States of America, he wrote a book entitled Osmanlı İdaresinde Ermeniler (İstanbul, 1983) and looked at the Armeanian question from a very different angle. In that book he aimed at showing friendly relations, cultural contacts and other peaceful relations between the Armenians and the Turks in the Ottoman Empire. This was exactly his style and way of look at history. He had always studied history to develop mutual relations and understanding between the historians in Turkey and abroad. Journal of Ottoman Studies, which he had edited from 1981 until his death, has served to this end. It was the first and only journal in Turkey, to which students of the Ottoman Studies from Turkey and abroad, submitted contributions, equally respected and referred.
The editor would like to clarify a few points about the preparation of this volume. First of all, the articles that are selected for publication was intended to bring together scholars from areas not too far from the interest area of Prof. Göyünç. Also special effort has been made to include the manuscripts of Ottomanists from abroad in order to match the standards which Prof. Göyünç had managed to attain in his publications during his career. Secondly, the editor of this Memoriam Book has diligently refrained from making changes in the style of the authors, thus, all contributors were left free in their choice of drawing their own frames of reference and style of writing. The articles are listed to conform to a subject order of relations. However, the editor suggested some modifications to avoid repetitions and to secure a degree of uniformity in footnotes. Selected Index have also been added by the editor, and therefore, he is solely responsible for all mistakes and misunderstanding concerning this part. Otherwise the authors are responsible for the content, comments and conclusions of their articles.
Several people helped me in preparation of this Memoriam Book for Prof. Dr. Nejat Göyünç, to whom I am most grateful. First of all My special thanks should go to Mrs. Ayten Göyünç, his wife, who contributed substantially by all her means to the preparation and the publication of the book. Mr. Armağan Göyünç, the son of Prof. Göyünç, gave me invaluable help in collecting photos and other materials. Prof. Dr. Yusuf Halaçoğlu, president of the Turkish Historical Society, gave me invaluable help in up-dating publication list of Prof. Göyünç. Mr. Hasan Celal Güzel, at Yeni Türkiye, offered his office facilities in collecting articles and reaching the contributors, and burdened the publication cost of this book during a very delicate time because of the economic situation in Turkey. I am also indebted to Dr. Mehmet Tütüncü, General Director of Sota Foundation in Haarlem, Holland, who kindly accepted co-publication and promotion of this book.. Murat Ocak, General Director of Yeni Türkiye, offered his time and energy in organising typing, design and edition of the book.
Doç. Dr. Kemal Çiçek
Ankara 2001
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