A Form of Classical Turkish Poetry: the Şehrengizes and the Durri’s Şehrengiz written in Moton, Morea

Abstract

Şehrengiz is one of the local forms of classical Turkish poetry. This form of poetry have started to be seen after 16th century our literature, and they include information related to the cities they were written for. In Turkish literature, different studies have been carried out in different times about Şehrengiz until present and Şehrengiz that appeard after the se studies have entered among important works in the social and cultural histories of the cities they were written for. One of the works of this form is the Moton (Modon) Şehrengiz written by Dürri in the 17th century. This poem is one of the two shehrengizes written by Durri, which are not well known about until present. Moton is a historical city with 1300 population, locared in the Mesinya province in the Morea Peninsula in Greece. This small city was an important naval base of the Venetians in the middle ages. The city was conquered by Sultan Bayezıd II in 1500. Moton, then remained in Greece by the Edirne Treaty signed after the Greek Independence. The Durri's Şehrengiz of Moton is an important document for Moton's social and cultural history in the 17th century. This study will introduce the Moton Şehrengiz and analyze its text.