In episode 492 Professor A. Tunç Şen joins the podcast to discuss his book, Forgotten Experts: Astrologers, Science, and Authority in the Ottoman Empire, 1450-1600, which is on astrologers working in the Ottoman court in the 15th and 16th centuries.
The conversation offers a detailed picture of the lives and social dynamics of astrologers who operated at the highest levels of power in the Ottoman court. A significant focus is the establishment of a formal unit for court astrologers, or munajjim, within the Ottoman bureaucracy, which paralleled other expert fields like physicians and architects. This unit, which could consist of one to six astrologers, was created in the 15th century and remarkably lasted until the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire in the early 20th century.
The episode delves into the various duties performed by these court astrologers. A primary function was the practice of electional astrology, where they would determine auspicious moments for a wide range of state affairs, including military campaigns, the founding of mosques, and wedding ceremonies. The astrologers would also issue an annual almanac, interpret the birth charts of rulers, answer horary astrology questions, and sometimes give medical advice.
The conversation also explores the personalities and internal dynamics within the court. Much attention is given to Sultan Bayezid II, a ruler with a deep personal interest in the astral sciences who was instrumental in the institutionalization of the court astrologers. The story of the astrologer Riyazi is also highlighted—a highly skilled but frustrated practitioner who was never appointed chief astrologer and expressed his professional frustrations in poetry. This illustrates the debates, disagreements, and competition for authority that existed among the astrologers themselves, as well as other practitioners of esoteric or occult sciences.
The discussion challenges the narrative that astrology was in a state of decline after an earlier "golden age," demonstrating that it remained a vibrant and impactful field.
Tunç's book was just released on May 20, and you can order it on Amazon or other online retailers now:
Forgotten Experts: Astrologers, Science, and Authority in the Ottoman Empire, 1450–1600
This episode is available in both audio and video versions below.
Timestamps
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:02:45 - Challenging the "Decline Narrative" of Astrology
00:04:11 - Astronomy vs. Astrology in the Ottoman Empire
00:07:20 - The Story of the Istanbul Observatory's Destruction
00:09:03 - The Official Unit of Court Astrologers (Müneccim)
00:14:23 - How Astrological Knowledge Was Transmitted
00:16:50 - The Benefits of Being a Court Astrologer
00:22:50 - How Electional Astrology Was Used by Sultans
00:27:13 - A Debate Over an Electional Chart for a Mosque
00:36:08 - The Story of the Frustrated Astrologer-Poet, Riyazi
00:43:04 - Sultan Bayezid II: The Philosopher King
00:50:49 - The Sultan's Rebellious Youth & Lifelong Friendship
00:58:02 - A Scholar's Spirited Defense of Astrology
01:03:01 - Why Astrologers Needed Better Astronomical Data
01:12:21 - The Many Duties of the Sultan's Astrologers
01:13:13 - The Annual Almanacs & Predictions for the Kingdom
01:16:26 - The Risks and Rewards of Predicting for the Sultan
01:21:33 - The Decline in Status for Court Astrologers
01:25:01 - Competition Between Astrologers & Other Esoteric Arts
01:31:53 - Conclusion
Watch the Video Version of This Episode
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvZiDOnFIf0
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Listen to the Audio Version of This Episode
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