Intellectual Interactions between J. W. Redhouse and E. J. W. Gibb and Their Understanding of Ottoman Culture

The 19th century was an important period in which Ottoman cultural studies gained momentum in the West and a rich literature on Eastern sources was produced. While the interest and curiosity for the classical period of the East increased, some orientalists focused on philology, lexicology, linguistics and history and produced various works in these fields. The main objective of these studies was to introduce the Eastern culture to Western audience and to increase the well-deserved reputation for Eastern languages and literature. Among these orientalists, lexicographer James William Redhouse [1811-1892] and Ottomanist E. J. W. Gibb [1857-1901] hold an important place. Redhouse pioneered the Ottoman studies in the West in the field of lexicography with his prominent works An English and Turkish Dictionary and Lexicon English and Turkish. Meanwhile, Gibb wrote the first modern history of Ottoman literature with his monumental works Ottoman Poems and A History of Ottoman Poetry. This article aims to reveal the connection between Redhouse and Gibb by way of new archival documents gathered from different libraries in England. In this context, I will undertake a close reading to these documents and try to show the ways both intellectuals supported each other in understanding and interpreting Ottoman culture, shared information, and supported each other in the writing process of their works