Polonya Barok Edebiyatında Sultan II. Osman ve Sultan I. Mustafa

Intensive battles encountered between the Ottoman Empire and Poland in the 17th century, which is known in the history of literature as the Baroque period, found wide reflection in the Polish Baroque literature. The focus of attention rested besides on military – political events on the Ottoman material and spiritual culture, the history, structure and functioning of the Ottoman Empire and the historical personalities of that period. Two Ottoman monarchs of the 17th century ( Sultan Osman II. and Sultan Mustafa I.) were portrayed in the following epic poems handling the issue of the first Ottoman – Polish war (1620 – 1621): the most successful epic work of the Polish Baroque literature – “Battle of Khotyn” by Wacław Potocki and the work entitled “Brave Mission”, which is qualified as a historical documentary to a great extent, by Samuel Twardowski, who had personally participated in the peace negotiations. The main purpose of this analysis based on extensive quotations is to specify the range and nature of the portraits presented to the Polish readers, to exhibit images of two sultans. Thus the obtained information about appearance, biographical data, character features and behavior manner of the mentioned sultans has been examined. Based on the results of this analysis can be concluded that the general negative approach towards enemy Ottomans prevalent in the European Baroque literature is also present in the analyzed works. Despite of that should be emphasized that the Polish writers didn’t comply with the schema Ottomans (bad) – Europeans (good) which was common in the European literatures by portraying historical personalities. The quite realistic portraits of two sultans in the analysed works evoke a distinct compassion. In the descriptions of Sultan Mustafa I. the inhuman treatment because of his illness and the helpless disability of sultan for state affairs are in the foreground. Sultan Osman II. is portrayed as a cruel but ambitious monarch who doesn’t want to give up his extensive plans and idealistic ideas stubbornly until the end of his life despite the enormous pressure surrounding him. The inexperience and impetuosity due to his youth and the absence of professional support result first in disappointment and then in his tragic death. Polonya Barok Edebiyatında Sultan II. Osman ve Sultan I. Mustafa 257 Turkish Studies International Periodical for the Languages, Literature and History of Turkish or Turkic Volume 11/10 Spring 2016 Furthermore the research results are important for the Ottoman history.