The Life of Hocazade Es’ad Efendi, A Sheikhulislam, Author and Interpreter, and His Works

Consisting of 182 prose stories and several Persian- Arabic poems which are scattered into these stories, Gülistân, is of Sa’di who is considered one of the important representatives of İrani literature with Firdevsi and Hafız has a huge prominence. This work which has been found attractive since it was written, has been translated into many western languages. In Turkish literatüre - particulary in Ottoman- it was appreciated by poets and authors with its many translations and explanations. One of the authors who translated Gülistân, is Şeyhülislam Hoca Sadettin Efendi’s younger son Hocazade Es’ad Mehmed Efendi, one of his two sons who are şeyhülislam as their father. Es’ad Efendi represent an important position in an era (1615- 1622 and 1623- 1625) which witnessed important events. What makes him and his work important is his effective position in government, his literacy and his being one of the first interpreters who translates a work in east classics into Turkish in ottoman field. In this study Es’ad Efendi’s biography, his personality and the work is going to be presented.

Keywords

Hocazade Es’ad Efendi, Şeyhülislam, Gül-i Handân, Gülistân translation