Hatayı Divanı Şah İsmail Safevi Edebi Hayatı ve Nefesleri

This work by Sadeddin Nüzhet Ergun is a comprehensive study of the "Divan" (collected poems) of Shah Ismail I, the founder of the Safavid state, who wrote under the pen name "Hatayî". The book begins with a detailed examination of Shah Ismail's life, his political and military struggles, and his dual role as both a sovereign ruler and a religious spiritual leader (Pir). Hatayî wrote his poetry in simple, accessible Turkish, specifically aiming to influence the Turkmen masses in Anatolia. He successfully utilized both classical divan literature forms (using prosody/aruz, such as ghazals) and the folk literature tradition (using syllabic meter, such as 'nefes') in his works. The content of his poetry is heavily shaped by mystical (Sufi) and religious elements, particularly the fundamental principles of the Alevi-Bektashi faith, and many of these poems possess a didactic quality. Ergun's study serves as a fundamental resource revealing Hatayî's literary persona and his deep, lasting impact on Turkish religious lodge (tekke) literature, evidenced by his poems that are still recited in religious ceremonies today.