Galatasaray

[Tosun Saral]

Galatasaray is familiar to you with the football club rather than the Lycee.Galatasaray Football Team won the European Championship a few years ago.
But what you don't know that Gül Baba is the founder of Galatasaray Lyceum in Istanbul. The legend of how it was founded lays back in the 15th century. Sultan Bayezid was out hunting in a winter day what is now the Tophane-Galata area of Istanbul and he came upon an elderly Bektaschi Derwisch seated in his rose garden.
The man who was called Gül Baba (Rose Father) presented him a red and a yellow rose, the colors, which would later be adopted by the school. Sultan Bayazid was amazed "Roses in winter ? " he thought. The sultan was so taken with the gesture and had enjoyed his conversation with him to such an extent that he asked the man what he would like and the latter said for a school to be established there. The sultan kept his promise and, founded a Lyceum called Galatasaray. Gül baba became the first master of the school.To day Galatasaray Lycee and University plays an important role in Turkish culture. There is a symbolic grave of Gül Baba in the garden of the Lyceum.. For centuries Gul Baba's grave has been an attraction for people, who came to pray to him, and to partake, if possible, in any good fortune which might come of this. Gül Baba died at Budapest in 1541.His Grave/Turbe is still in Budapest and is a touristic attraction in the heart of EU.
source: My own page; http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/7d696/6aa67/4/

On the other hand during WW1 many students or graduants of the Lyceum didn't hesitate to join the army as reserve officers. Many of them killed in various fronts. Here is the list:

Ibrahim Orhan Bey graduated in 1912. He was the grandchild of Sadullah Pasha and son of Dr. Sadik Bey. He voluntered to Turkish Air Force and became a war pilot. During the flights over Gelibolu he was wounded 2 times. On 20th November 1915 Lt. Ali Riza and 2nd Lt. Ibrahim Orhan (flying an Albatros C1) shot down a French plane over Kabatepe during the battles of Gallipoli. This is the first time in history that a plane is shot down by another plane. In 1916 his plane crusted to sea near the island Semadirek. He is the first Turkish airman who killed in action.

2nd Lt. Halet was the commander of 2nd Company of Medine Hecinsuvar Alayi the Medine Camel Raider Regiment.
(picture:http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=90465&highlight=halet

1st Lt.Celal İbrahim Bey He graduated from the Lyceum in 1914. His school registration number is 6. He was one of the best players of the football team. He joined to the Turkish Army as a reserve officer. He was one of the officers of 1st Company of the Independent Cavalry Regiment in Halle/Iraq. He was killed in action in Iraq Front in 1917. He wrote the following letter from the front to his team captain Ali Sami Bey in Istanbul on March 19, 1916 " A presentation to my Brother Ali Sami Bey, I learned from your previous letter that although most of the players of the team volounteered to the army the young players are also playing very well. You say that only Fenerbahce (A most important rival in Istanbul) remained on our way to be champion. My soul and prayers are with you. I send my soul to play with you. I am sure we will be the champion this year. I congratulate you and your young players. I collected some war material of the English as suvenier
for the clup. But unfortunately I lost them after I was wounded."

1st Lt. Yakup Robenson & 1st Lt. Abdurrahman Robenson Both officers were the sons of an English family Lady Sarah and Spencer Robenson who imigrated from India to Istanbul. They converted to Islam. lady Sarah got the name Fatma/Fatima and father Spencer Abdullah. They grew up their son as real Turkish Gentlemen. They were both students of Galatasaray and players of the football team. Abdurrahmen falled at Caucasus Front in 1915 and Yakup falled at Palastine front in 1916 while fighting againts British. Abdurrahmen Bey wrote to his team Captain Ali sami Bey from Erzurum (East Front) on Feb 13, 1915 " My Brother Ali Sami Bey We arrived to Erzurum in 35 days after our departure from Istanbul. We will be here for a few days. Then we will go to the front line. I have still the badge of our clup on my uniform. I shall bear the badge in all battles. If I die the badge will be on my chest and I will be buried with that badge. Long live Galatasaray."

Yakup Robenson wrote to Ali Sami Bey from Cebel et Tur the Tur Mountain of Moses in Jerusalem "My Dear Ali Sami, I learned from ny brother Ahmet that Abdurrahman falled in action. What can I do it is the fate my dear. For the sake of fatherland some will die some will be Ghazi. It will so happen what the God orders."
to be continued

[Peter H]

Tosun,

Thanks for the information on the Robenson brothers serving with the Ottoman Army.Excellent.

Regards,
Peter

[Quentin Compson]

Tosun,

your post in great! Thanks, thanks, thanks!

[bob lembke]

Merhaba, Tosun,

Do you know why the school was first called the Galata Palace? Was the building especially grand? Was the area still populated by Greeks when the school was founded?

Bob Lembke

[Tosun Saral]

Merhaba Bob, The place which we call today "Beyoglu" or historicaly "Pera" was during the rule of Sultan Beyazid the II.and Gül Baba was forests land in 1450's. There were no greeks or others. Greeks were on the historical peninsula inside the City walls. Down hill is todays Galata. Around the famous Galata Tower it was inhabited by Galats or the Genovese/Genova of Italy. Fatih Sultan Mehmet the Conquerer carried this ships by pulling them with every possible men and animal power just near that area over the Beyoglu hill to Halic the Goldern Horn.

Sultan Beyazid established a dormitory school with a mescid/a praying place, hamam, washing rooms, hospital, backary, eating halls and a library. The students were chosen by the High Court by the Serrai in other words it was an imperial school to teach the young ones who will be take part in the future in the administration of the Empire. It is called "Enderun" or "Sultani" (Galatasaray enderunu or Galatasaray Sultanisi)or " Galata Saray -ı Humayun Mektebi" (The School of Imperial Court in Galata)

Many famous state men Grand veziers, pashas were tought in that school.

There were no palace. It was the school of the Serrai. Thats the reason they call the school "Galatasaray" (Place of Galata)

http://www.gsl.gsu.edu.tr/html_fr/000/000.html

Ottoman Turks educated their young ones (Turks, Devschirme, greeks armenians, Jews, Araps, Serbs Bosniaks in high quality schools called Enderun. Those students ruled the world 500 years.

[Cristiano de S.O Campos]

Merhaba Tosun


And Hasnun Galip, he was one of most famous heroes of Galatasaray?

http://www.galatasaray.org/English/Corp ... rid=289795

Which was the rank of Hasnun Galip?

Cheers

Cristiano

[Tosun Saral]

Thirth son of Robenson family was Ahmet Robenson. He served also in the army and returned as Ghazi. He is the founder of Turkish Boyscout Organization. He was made between July 17 1925 t0 1926 the 6th President of Galatasaray Sporting Clup.
Later he imigrated to USA.

[Tosun Saral]

Cav. Lt.Yakup Robenson in battle dress (on the left standing) of the camel raiders with other officers.

sitting 2nd from right Cav.Lt. Halet the school mate of him from Galatasaray

sitting 3rd from right their commander Cav. Capt. Süreyya Bey.
They all killed at Katya.
May they rest in peace
So mote it be!

[Peter H]

Tosun

Have you got details of the Katya battle?

Regards
Peter

[Tosun Saral]

During the battle of Katya (april 22/23 1916) camel company was commanded by captain Sirri.
Kress Pasha who commanded the attack to Katya tells the story at his book "To Suez Canal with the Turks"

Gen. Ali Fuad Erden tells in his book "Suriye Hatıraları" (Syrian Memories)p.243
"Our units fought very beautiful and nice. There have been heroic and epical fights. An Infantry Battalion under command of Maj. Ahmet Hakkı ( Maj. Gen. Özgener)( P.1319/1903-278) attacked to a British Cavalry Regiment and made it POW. It is almost unbeliable to POW a cav.regt. in an open area. Sina desert is an open area.

Cav. Lt. Halet who was fallen at Kayta was a graduate of Galatasaray. After graduating from high school he enlisted to the army and educated in France at Somur Cav. and Raid School. He was heavely wounded at Düveydar. While he was taking to bandage point of the field hospital he refused to go there and joined his men at the fight saying "A Turkish officer never escapes from the front just for a wound" later he was mortaly wounded. His last words were
"A wound is a madal on the chest of a soldier. Killing in action is the last rank of the soldier"
Kress told about him:
"Among many painfull losses we lost the most valuable officer at the left wing Lt. Halet also.Halet fought like a hero and died like a hero. He was a beautiful men like a painting, very young, and we waited of him in the future every thing."

Halet loved his company and cameles dearly. Every morning he used to care his camel and even brush the theet of his camel personly.
to be continued

[Peter H]

Thanks Tosun.

The Queen’s Own Worcestershire Hussars nearly wiped out at Katia,250 captured:

http://www.worcestercitymuseums.org.uk/ ... /obapr.htm


The British prisoners arrive in Jerusalem:

..they were believed to be the first Christian prisoners marched into the city since the Crusades in the Middle Ages..

http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/ppmsca/13700/13709/00076r.jpg

[Tosun Saral]

Cav.Lt. Halet

[alkankizil@tr.net]

"But what you don't know that Gül Baba is the founder of Galatasaray Lyceum in Istanbul"

Galatasaray Lycée was established in 1868 as Mekteb-i Sultani ( Royal School)
after the French Model. Before that date there was Royal Medical School (Mekteb-i Tibbiye-i Sahane) in the same locality established by Sultan Abdulmedcit which was subsequently destroyed by fire. Gul Baba story is a legend. However in old times there was a Mekteb-i Enderun ( Ecole des Pages) in the same place+

A.K.

[Tosun Saral]

Dear Alkankizil,
After working 4 years researching information and old material about Gül Baba in Ankara, Istanbul and Budapest I finished to write a book called "Gül Baba" which will be published this winter by Galatasaray Society in Ankara. I also wrote 8 articles about Gül Baba which was published in "Türk Kültürü ve Hacı Bektaş Veli Araştırma Dergisi" (The Research Magazine of Turkish Culture and Hacı Bektaş Veli" of Gazi University in Ankara.
If you like to learn academical information about Gül Baba you can search under my name or a/m magazine.

Legend or not.
Ata Bey, a Turkish historian tells in his history book "Tarih-i Ata" published in last centuary the story how Gül Baba founded Galatasaray.
"The legend of how it was founded lays back in the 15th century. Sultan Bayezid was out hunting in a winter day what is now the Tophane-Galata area of Istanbul and he came upon an elderly Bektaschi Derwisch seated in his rose garden.
The man who was called Gül Baba (Rose Father) presented him a red and a yellow rose, the colors, which would later be adopted by the school. Sultan Bayazid was amazed "Roses in winter ? " he thought. The sultan was so taken with the gesture and had enjoyed his conversation with him to such an extent that he asked the man what he would like and the latter said for a school to be established there. The sultan kept his promise and, founded a Lyceum called Galatasaray. Gül baba became the first master of the school.To day Galatasaray Lycee and University plays an important role in Turkish culture There is a symbolic grave of Gül Baba in the garden of the Lyceum.. For centuries Gul Baba's grave has been an attraction for people, who came to pray to him, and to partake, if possible, in any good fortune which might come of this. "

Take a look in my page:
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/7d696/6aa67/4/

With all my good wishes.

Tosun Saral
Turkish Hungarian Friendship Society in Ankara
President

[alkankizil@tr.net]

Dear Saral,

Thanks for your letter and congragulations on your research. I am aware of Gul Baba Legend. Indeed I visited his shrine in Budapest in 1970. But I repeat this is only a legend...The established historical fact is that there was a Mekteb-i Enderun ( Ecole des Pages) in old times at the same location.
Regards+

A.K.