The geography of Caucasus and its cultural reflections in Ahmet Midhat Efendi’s works

Ahmet Midhat Efendi, one of the prominent figures of Turkish literature shaped under Western influence, produced numerous works during the Tanzimat Period. As the son of a mother who migrated from the Caucasus to Istanbul, Ahmet Midhat Efendi addressed the geography and cultural values of the Caucasus in his writings. Always attentive to his ancestral homeland, the Caucasus, Ahmet Midhat Efendi incorporated both material and spiritual cultural elements into his works, while also discussing the region’s geopolitical significance, economic conditions, and the assimilation experienced by the Caucasian people. Establishing a national and literary connection with his ancestral land, Ahmet Midhat Efendi reflected this bond in the structure and themes of his works. This thesis aims to analyze Ahmet Midhat Efendi’s works that feature settings in the Caucasus or characters of Caucasian origin to determine the place of the Caucasus in Ottoman culture and literature. The study is also intended to reveal the perception of the Caucasus in Turkish literature through Ahmet Midhat Efendi’s perspective.