Tell me who your artist is, I will tell you who you are

The relationship between art and government is not a new topic, but this does not mean we will not discuss it over and over again. Come on, let’s discuss it.

During the Ottoman times, the palace was the center of literature. It had been this way from the beginning. However, it was Murat II who essentially made the environment prosper for literature.
 
He is the first person from the dynasty to cite a poem. He is the one who gathered poets twice a week. He is the one who gave gifts to the poets. He is the one who started a tradition of giving poets a salary.

If “cultural patronage” is in question, Murat II has been a valuable patron. Just looking at which poets he supported is enough to understand that: Şeyhi, Şeyhoğlu Cemali, Nakkaş Sâfi, Şemsi, Gelibolulu Za’ifi, İvazpaşa-zâde Ata’i, Hüsami, Hassan, Aşki and Bursalı Ulvi.

Murat II not only cherished them for their writing ability, but also for their wisdom. If not, would he have been thinking of appointing Şeyhi as a grand vizier? In the end, he did not appoint him, but he had the intention to do so for a while.

During the era of Sultan Mehmed II the Conqueror, there was a cutthroat rivalry with Iranian poets. This was a reflection of the effort to make Istanbul the world’s cultural center. 

Yes, there was a patron present, and that patron was the reigning power.

The expectation of this power was eulogies written by poets correctly. The poet had to be very talented and had to write top-quality pieces, otherwise, he could not have been present at the sultan’s side.

In the Medieval ages and during the Renaissance, the system was similar in the West when it came to art. The “patron” would give an order; he would...