Call For Papers

In commemoration of the 500th anniversary of Kitâb-ı Bahriye, the International Piri Reis and Maritime History Symposium will be held at Piri Reis University between November 18-21, 2026.

Piri Reis, one of the most distinguished figures of Ottoman maritime history and historical geography, transformed the seafaring experience he acquired across a vast geography extending from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean into a lasting legacy of knowledge through maps and written works. His two world maps dated 1513 and 1528, which relate to the geography of the Age of Discoveries, continue to retain their significance today. In particular, the Kitāb-ı Bahriye stands as one of the most comprehensive works reflecting the written and visual memory of Ottoman maritime culture, offering unique and invaluable data on the Mediterranean world.

Organized on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the second recension (1526) of the Kitāb-ı Bahriye, this symposium aims to examine the life and works of Piri Reis within their historical context through a multilayered perspective. The symposium will address, through an interdisciplinary approach, topics such as the reflections of Mediterranean-centered maritime experience in the Kitāb-ı Bahriye, Ottoman cartography, the circulation of knowledge during the Age of Geographical Discoveries, maritime strategies in the Mediterranean, and global maritime activities in the Black Sea, the Red Sea, and the Indian Ocean.

In this respect, the symposium seeks to explore the Ottoman maritime heritage within the framework of Piri Reis and the Kitāb-ı Bahriye, and to reassess the stages of development and transformation that maritime practices have undergone from the past to the present within an international academic setting.

We would be honored by your participation in the symposium through the presentation of a paper related to your field of expertise, and we respectfully invite you to contribute.