Ahmed İhsan (Tokgöz) in Turkish Printing, and His Printing House

Abstract

The printing press which caused important changes in the history of science became became started in the Ottoman Empire in 1494 during the reign of Sultan Beyazıt II. The printing press was first used by non-moslems in the Empire and became widespread because of westernization efforts during the Tulip Period between 1718-1730. These efforts were completed whit the Tanzimat and Reform edicts in 1839 and 1856. However, printing and publishing remained under the control of the Ottoman government and strict censorship was of a normal procedure until the end of the 19th century. This study provides information on Turkish printing and publishing activities at the end of the 19th century. It further eleborates the founding of the Ahmed İhsan Printing Press in 1888 and its publishing adventures. Ahmed İhsan was an important figure of this time and also the founder of a current in Turkish literature, the Servet-i Fünun.