**Summary of the Document in English:**
**Title:** *Pederasty in the Ottoman Empire*
**Author:** Rıza Zelyut
**Context and Purpose:**
This work examines the practice of homosexuality, particularly relationships between adult men and adolescent boys (*oğlancılık*), in the Ottoman Empire. It critiques the historical neglect of this phenomenon by traditional historians and explores its socio-cultural, religious, and political roots.
**Key Points:**
1. **Historical and Religious Context:**
- Homosexual practices were tied to slavery and power structures, influenced by Greek, Roman, and Middle Eastern models.
- Quranic and biblical references (e.g., the story of Lot’s people) are analyzed to justify or condemn these practices.
- The harem system and the *devşirme* system (forced recruitment of Christian boys) institutionalized the sexual exploitation of adolescents.
2. **Ottoman Social Structure:**
- The harem and *selamlık* (male quarters) symbolized gender segregation, with the exploitation of male slaves (*içoğlanları*) and female slaves (*cariye*).
- Boys, often captured during conquests or purchased, were trained in imperial schools (*Enderun*) to serve as objects of pleasure for the elite.
3. **Critique of Academic Sources:**
- Historians like Halil İnalcık and İlber Ortaylı are accused of downplaying or ignoring these practices.
- Literary texts (poems, *şehrengiz*) and European travel accounts (e.g., Jean de Thévenot, Stephan Gerlach) attest to the normalization of pederasty.
4. **Cultural and Literary Aspects:**
- *Divan* poetry celebrated male beauty, reflecting a social norm where homoerotic relationships were tolerated or even valorized among the elite.
- Works like Gazalî’s *Kitab-ı Dâfi-ül Gumûm* openly describe the sexual mores of the era.
5. **Legacy and Controversies:**
- The Kemalist Republic is framed as a break from these practices, associated with Ottoman decadence.
- The author condemns attempts to rehabilitate the Ottoman Empire as a moral model, highlighting its contradictions in human rights.
**Conclusion:**
Rıza Zelyut combines historical, literary, and religious sources to unveil a taboo aspect of Ottoman history. He emphasizes the contrast between proclaimed religious rigor and the sexual permissiveness of the elite, urging a reassessment of Ottoman cultural legacy through the lens of marginalized rights.
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**Note:** This summary focuses on the author’s social and historiographical critique, with Turkish terms explained for clarity.
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