Batı Avrupa'daki Çağdaşlarının Yazılarında Müteferrika Matbaası

The Müteferrika press aroused great curiosity in European intellectual circles. European literati were curious about the supposed obstacles that its founder İbrahim Müteferrika had to overcome, his Ottoman and non-Muslim origins, and the books he wanted to print. Due to the revitalized diplomatic relations and cultural interaction between France and the Ottoman Empire, French literati were most interested in finding out and sharing any information about the Müteferrika press. In this paper, I will focus on information about the Müteferrika press in contemporary French, English, German, and Italian newspapers, periodicals, and books. These sources suggest that Ottoman Turkish printing was initiated despite Islamic conservatism and restrictions and express the hope that the newly established printing press would benefit literary enthusiasts in Europe by publishing valuable manuscripts, possibly preserved in the sultan's palace.