An Analysis of the Discourses on 'Sultan Mehmet II / Mehmet the Conqueror' in High School History Textbooks in Turkey from the Tanzimat Period to the Present in Terms of Historiographical Differences

Tanzimat Dönemi’nden Günümüze Türkiye’de Lise Tarih Ders Kitaplarındaki “Sultan Mehmet II / Fatih”e Dair Anlatıların Tarihyazımsal Farklılıklar Açısından İncelenmesi

Abstract

Textbooks play a crucial role in the content dimension of education, specifically concerning the subject matter taught during the learning and teaching processes. In contemporary educational frameworks, government-supervised textbooks serve as the primary source of information, disseminating knowledge that is considered appropriate by the authorities to a broad audience within the public sphere. Notably, history textbooks have emerged as significant instruments for the government in shaping state-society dynamics, largely due to the extensive information they encompass. This underscores the necessity for historiographical analysis of history textbooks utilized in schools since the Tanzimat Period, when the Turkish education system underwent Western modernization. This study aims to investigate the portrayal of Sultan Mehmet II (Mehmet the Conqueror), who orchestrated the conquest of Istanbul, as represented in high school history textbooks from the Tanzimat Period to the present, focusing on historiographical variations. The analysis of the textbooks revealed several distinct narratives regarding (1) Mehmet II's initial ascension to the throne and subsequent abdication, (2) his second ascension, (3) his role during the conquest of Istanbul, (4) his demeanor post-conquest, (5) his personal attributes, and (6) the circumstances surrounding his death. Ultimately, the historiographical discrepancies identified in the textbooks were assessed about the prevailing ideologies of their respective periods and the power dynamics that shape knowledge for specific ends