Education Life

Murat Gökhan Bardakçı was born on December 25, 1955, in Istanbul. His father is journalist İlhan Bardakçı, and his mother is Nemika Bardakçı. His grandfather, Cemal Bardakçı, was an administrator who served during the National Struggle period and held governorships in various provinces. Bardakçı completed his primary and secondary education before graduating from Ankara Atatürk High School. He pursued higher education at the Economics Department of Ankara University but did not pursue a career in this field. He developed an interest in history and music during his youth, which later influenced his career path.

Career

Bardakçı began his career in journalism at a early age. He has held various roles such as reporter, columnist, publishing consultant, and television presenter. During 1980s, he worked as a Middle East correspondent for Milliyet and Hürriyet newspapers, covering Tehran, Beirut, and Cairo. He prepared a weekly history page for Hürriyet and published Hürriyet Tarih (Hürriyet History) magazine, which has been recognized for playing a role in popularizing history in Turkiye. After leaving Hürriyet, he briefly worked at Sabah newspaper before becoming a columnist at Habertürk.

In the field of television, Bardakçı wrote the script for the documentary Son Osmanlılar (The Last Ottomans), which aired on Kanal D in 2006. He gained further recognition with the program Tarihin Arka Odası (The Back Room of History), which he co-hosted with Erhan Afyoncu. The show began on Kanal 1 in 2008 and later continued on Habertürk TV, featuring discussions on historical topics as well as musical performances. He continues his broadcasting activities under the Habertürk umbrella. Collaborating with historian Erhan Afyoncu and art historian Nurhan Atasoy, among others, these programs explore historical events and artifacts in depth, bringing scholarly discussions to a wider audience. His role as a broadcaster of historical content has contributed to his reputation as a key figure linking academia and the general public.

Areas of Expertise and Research

Bardakçı’s work primarily focuses on the final period of the Ottoman Empire, the founding of the Republic of Turkiye, and the history of Turkish music.

History

Bardakçı’s entry into journalism marked a pivotal expansion of his intellectual scope. Beginning his career at Hürriyet, one of Turkiye’s leading newspapers, he transitioned from musicology to broader historical narratives, with a particular emphasis on Ottoman and Islamic history. His writings often focus on the 19th and early 20th centuries, a period of profound transformation for the Ottoman Empire. Two of his most celebrated books, Son Osmanlılar (The Last Ottomans) and Şahbaba (a biography of Mehmed VI Vahideddin, the last Ottoman Sultan), became bestseller in Turkiye. Son Osmanlılar was later adapted into a television serial, highlighting its cultural impact. These works demonstrate Bardakçı’s ability to blend rigorous historical research with accessible storytelling, appealing to both academic and general audiences.

Music

He began his musical education by taking tanbur lessons from Dr. Selahaddin Tanur, from whom he received certification. He studied music theory, history, and sound systems with Ekrem Karadeniz and learned about 20th-century musical forms from Fahire Fersan and Vecdi Seyhun. He benefited from Abdülbaki Gölpınarlı in the study of Oriental sources and methodology. Bardakçı has amassed an extensive archive of books, sheet music, documents, photographs, films, and audio recordings related to Turkish and Islamic music history. He has also authored books on music history, such as Maragalı Abdülkadir (Abdülkadir of Maragha) and Sultanî Besteler (Sultanic Compositions).

Languages and Notation Systems

He is proficient in Arabic, Persian, French, English, and Ottoman Turkish. This linguistic expertise enables him to engage directly with primary sources across various cultural and historical contexts, enriching his research and writings. Additionally, he specializes in historical musical notation systems such as Ebced, Hamparsum, and Byzantine/Haz neumes.

Personal Life

In 2009, Bardakçı married Ayşegül Manav, a personal milestone that coincided with his rising prominence as a public intellectual. While his personal life remains relatively private, this marriage coincided with a period of increased visibility in this professional life.

Books

The following are some of the key books written or edited by Murat Bardakçı:

• Maragalı Abdülkadir (Abdülkadir of Maragha) (1986)
• Son Osmanlılar & Osmanlı Hanedanı’nın Sürgün ve Miras Öyküsü (The Last Ottomans & The Exile and Legacy Story of the Ottoman Dynasty) (1991)
• Fener Beyleri’ne Türk Şarkıları (Turkish Songs for the Phanariot Lords) (1993)
• Osmanlı’da Seks (Sex in the Ottoman Empire) (1993)
• Refik Bey (Refik Fersan ve Hatıraları) (Refik Bey (Refik Fersan and His Memories)) (1995)
• Sultanî Besteler (Osmanoğulları’nın Son Padişahı Mehmet Vahideddin’in Eserleri) (Sultanic Compositions (Works of Mehmet Vahideddin, the Last Ottoman Sultan)) (1997)
• Şahbaba: Osmanoğulları’nın Son Hükümdarı Vahdettin’in Hayatı, Hatıraları ve Özel Mektupları (Shahbaba: The Life, Memories, and Private Letters of Vahdettin, the Last Ruler of the Ottomans) (1998)
• Talât Paşa’nın Evrak-ı Metrukesi (The Abandoned Papers of Talât Pasha) (2009)
• Neslişah: Cumhuriyet Devrinde Bir Osmanlı Prensesi (Neslişah: An Ottoman Princess in the Republican Era) (2011)
• Ahmed Oğlu Şükrullah: Şükrullah’ın Risalesi ve 15. Yüzyıl Şark Musikisi Nazariyatı (Ahmed’s Son Şükrullah: Şükrullah’s Treatise and 15th-Century Eastern Music Theory) (2012)
• Üçüncü Selim Devrine Ait Bir Bostancıbaşı Defteri (A Bostancıbaşı Register from the Era of Selim III) (2013)
• İttihadçı’nın Sandığı (The Unionist’s Chest) (2014)
• Mahmut Şevket Paşa’nın Sadaret Günlüğü (Mahmut Şevket Pasha’s Grand Vizierate Diary) (2014)
• Hafız Hakkı Paşa’nın Sarıkamış Günlüğü (Hafız Hakkı Pasha’s Sarıkamış Diary) (2014)
• Enver (Enver) (2015)
• Naciyem, rûhum, efendim… (My Naciye, My Soul, My Master…) (2016)
• Safiye (Safiye) (2017)
• Yıkılış Ve Kuruluş (Collapse and Foundation) (2018)
• Bir Devlet Operasyonu: 19 Mayıs (A State Operation: May 19) (2019)
• Sizi Serbest Bırakmayı Muvafık Bularak Tatlîk Ettim (I Found It Appropriate to Release You and Granted Divorce) (2021)
• Atatürk’ün Mutfağı (Atatürk’s Kitchen) (2022)
• Reddimiras (Rejection of Inheritance) (2023)
• Makbule (Makbule) (2024)