Dr Gul Sen
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Dr Gul Sen
@guel-sen.bsky.social
94 followers 160 following 100 posts
Historian. Senior Lecturer. early modern & maritime history & forced labor & enslavement & Ottoman history & German local history & connected history || hiking 🌄
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guel-sen.bsky.social
June 30, 1648, during the Ottoman siege of Crete. Galley slaves need food..

#maritimehistory #navalhistory #ottomanhistory
In June 1648, during the Ottoman siege of Crete. This passage describes the blocking of the Dardanelles, a tactic frequently applied by the Venetians, and the resulting shortage of supplies from Istanbul for the Ottoman units that were already stationed on a part of the island. This quotation is taken from "Making Sense of History: Narrativity and Literariness in the Chronicle of Naima" by Gul Sen. It says: The governors’ ships came with only dried words and brought no piece of food or ammunition. [They] said, “The rusks for our enslaved galley slaves will last for only three days. What shall we give them after that?” And they hoped to obtain food [supply] from Crete.
November 27, 2025 at 3:43 PM
guel-sen.bsky.social
Øresund (Öresund), the connecting strait between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea system, as well as between Sweden and Denmark.

The view during the train ride across Øresund Bridge ( Nov 22, 2025).

#sea #landscape #railway #railways #stunday #travelphotography #Sweden #Denmark
November 24, 2025 at 2:45 AM
guel-sen.bsky.social
The most nostalgic candy of Denmark:
The Skipper's Pipes and it's strong connection to #maritime tradition and #history.
📷 taken today in Copenhagen
#ships #maritimeHistory
The description of the Skipper's Pipes, a Danish sweet licorice.
November 22, 2025 at 9:28 PM
guel-sen.bsky.social
Goodbye Lund!

📷 of Lund Cathedral taken yesterday.
This image shows the Lund Cathedral after the snowfall .
November 22, 2025 at 11:30 AM
guel-sen.bsky.social
At the end of a long but rewarding day at the Joint Faculties of Humanities & Theology, at Lund University.

My colleague Heiko Droste @heikodroste.bsky.social I served as external experts on the hiring committee.

#LundUniversity #Sweden #Photography #snow #winter
Here we are at the end of a long but rewarding day, together with my colleague Heiko Droste. We both served as external experts on the hiring committee at the Joint Faculties of Humanities & Theology, at the Lund University. The shortlisted candidates delivered their well-prepared trial lectures and participated in interviews. For a productive and successful day, my thanks go to the members of the committee — and especially to Johannes Persson (Dean and Chair) for his excellent moderation throughout this extensive process — as well as to Anna Kvist, the recruitment coordinator, for ensuring a smooth and well-organized procedure. Overall, I have been very impressed by the high standards and transparency that have marked this hiring process from the very beginning.
November 21, 2025 at 8:28 PM
guel-sen.bsky.social
Lund Central Train Station and snow

📷 taken on Nov. 20, at 19.40

#snow #Sweden #Photography #cityscape
In this photo Lund Central Train Station is seen. It is snowing and the vicinity is covered by snow. There are several bicycles in front of the station covered by snow as well. This photo is taken this evening.
November 20, 2025 at 9:03 PM
guel-sen.bsky.social
❓How did the Ottoman state organize unfree labor - among others: captives, enslaved people, and convicts - to power its early modern navy?

I explore this question in my “Between Two Spaces: Enslavement and Labor in the Early Modern Ottoman Navy.” 1/2

#MaritimeHistory #NavalHistory #OpenAccess
This is the first page of Gul Sen's book chapter "Between Two Spaces: Enslavement and Labor in the Early Modern Ottoman Navy" in the edited volume Comparative and Global Framing of Enslavement, edited by Stephan Conermann, Youval Rotman, Ehud Toledano, and Rachel Zelnick-Abramovitz, pp. 133–166. Berlin: De Gruyter, 2023.
November 19, 2025 at 4:11 PM
guel-sen.bsky.social
I thank Mehmet Hacısalihoğlu for integrating this photo and a few others from my recent publication in his presentation In Memoriam Machiel Kiel (1938-2025): Eine Würdigung von Mensch und Werk" yesterday evening (LMU Munich). We once again remembered #MachielKiel

👉 DOI: 10.54462/kadim.1794947
The architectural historian Machiel Kiel during a field work in the 1970s. He stands upright, holding a notebook in one hand while taking notes—or perhaps sketching—with focused attention. This is a page taken from the obituary written by Gül Şen. "Machiel Kiel: A Memoir." Kadim 10 (October 2025): 283-289.
November 18, 2025 at 11:54 AM
guel-sen.bsky.social
This is my second book: Making Sense of History:
Narrativity and Literariness in the Ottoman Chronicle of Naʿīmā (Leiden: Brill, 2022), 390 pp.

🔗 brill.com/display/titl...

#history
#earlymodern #OttomanHistory
#historiography #chronicle #historian #blueskybooks
Cover illustration: Upper left: The title page of the second volume of the Historiae Osmanidarum (Plenck). Upper right: The introduction to the Tārīḫ-i Naʿīmā in MS Ragıp Paşa 996. Below: A detail view showing sultan Selīm III’s private library, including the Tārīḫ-i Naʿīmā. Author: Gül Şen Title: Making sense of history : narrativity and literariness in the Ottoman Chronicle of Na’ima Published: by Brill in Leiden, The Netherlands Publication date: July 25, 2022.
November 17, 2025 at 8:24 AM
guel-sen.bsky.social
Layers of the late #autumn before the first frost.
📷 taken Nov. 15, 2025.

#fall #nature #trees #leaves #photography #photos #Herbst #Moselle #hiking #garden
Autumn leaves on the ground and a branch of a whitethorn tree are seen.
November 16, 2025 at 9:23 PM
guel-sen.bsky.social
November 16, 2025
The Commemoration Day " People's Mourning Day" in Germany for all victims of the world wars 1914–1918 and 1939–1945.
🌹Peace.

Requiem of Mozart and a premiere by the Friedrich-Spee-Chor conducted by Jan Wilke.
#commemoration #Germany #history #music #concert #baroque #sunday
Friedrich-Spee-Chor is performing, conducted by Jan Wilke at the St Peter Church in Trier, Germany
November 16, 2025 at 8:40 PM
guel-sen.bsky.social
Friedrich-Spee-Chor
at the St Peter Kirche
Nov. 16, 2025, 5 pm.

#music #livemusic #concert #Konzert #Mozart #Baroque
November 16, 2025 at 6:38 PM
guel-sen.bsky.social
Now: Last rehearsal before starting the concert in 80 min.
#NOW #livemusic #concert #Konzert #Trier #Germany #music #Baroque #Mozart
The flyer of the concert today in Trier Rehearsal at St Peter Church in Trier
November 16, 2025 at 2:42 PM
guel-sen.bsky.social
Goethe had taken part in the military campaign of the Prussian army against France. After surviving a life-threatening situation on Nov. 1, 1792 on the #Moselle in a rowing boat, #Goethe finally reached Trarbach.1/2

#history #HistoricalPhoto #Weimar #river #art
Painting by Hans W. Schmidt (Weimar) depicting Goethe visiting the Böcking family in Traben-Trarbach. Goethe stands speaking while the Böckings sit and listen attentively. A fourth figure, Goethe’s servant, stands nearby.
November 16, 2025 at 11:36 AM
guel-sen.bsky.social
"When Germany Almost Lost Its Greatest Poet..
Goethe’s Stormy Journey on the Moselle from Trier to Trarbach in November 1792”

Talk by Dr. Christof Krieger

#LocalHistory #Moselle #Goethe
Dr. Christof Krieger is giving a lecture in front of an audience. Goethe is depicted on the slide.
November 15, 2025 at 6:56 PM
guel-sen.bsky.social
From my "Machiel Kiel: A Memoir." Kadim 10 (October 2025): 283-289.

#OttomanHistory
#History
#Architecture
#Photography
#MachielKiel
Three photos of Machiel Kiel. In the third photo he is together with his wife Hedda Reindl-Kiel Kiel. The photo was taken by the author Gül Sen in Sofia 2018. Machiel Kiel during a field work in the 1970s
November 13, 2025 at 10:09 PM
guel-sen.bsky.social
From my "Machiel Kiel: A Memoir." Kadim 10 (October 2025): 283-289.

#OttomanHistory
#History
#Architecture
#MachielKiel
November 13, 2025 at 10:04 PM
guel-sen.bsky.social
From "Machiel Kiel: A Memoir"

#MachielKiel
November 10, 2025 at 5:57 PM
guel-sen.bsky.social
No words can truly describe him..

Gül Şen. "Machiel Kiel: A Memoir." Kadim 10 (October 2025): 283-289.

#OttomanHistory #Architecture #OpenAccess
#Photography
#MachielKiel
First page of the obituary with a photo of Machiel Kiel taken by Gul Sen in Sofia 2018.
November 9, 2025 at 3:42 PM
guel-sen.bsky.social
A quick outdoor during a 13-hours working day.
Photo taken today at around 4 pm in the #Moselle region.

#nature #photography #trees #autumn
A picnic bench is located among the trees in a forest on the top of a mountain. Autumn leaves are on the bench and cover the entire forest soil. In the background, the trees are yellow/orange due to sunset.
November 5, 2025 at 9:24 PM
guel-sen.bsky.social
The new special issue of DIYAR has just been published open access.
The articles are about heritage and collection studies from Romania during the late Ottoman period and post-Ottoman times. This issue's editor is Roxana Coman. Link in the following post. 1/2

#OttomanHistory #art #OpenAccess
November 5, 2025 at 7:25 PM
guel-sen.bsky.social
A lonely rose is being blooming despite November
(Photo taken Sunday)

#nature #photography #garden
November 4, 2025 at 7:47 PM
guel-sen.bsky.social
Late #autumn
Yesterday late afternoon.

#Moselle #Photography
November 3, 2025 at 9:06 PM
guel-sen.bsky.social
Galley Slavery wasn't just a story; it was realit y across the Mediterranean for centuries.
Who were the Ottoman galley slaves, and what was life like on board? Find out in my article:

#OttomanHistory #MaritimeHistory #NavalHistory
#UnfreeLabor
👇 1/2
First page of the book chapter entitled "Galley Slaves and Agency: The Driving Force of the Ottoman Fleet" by Gul Sen ,published 2020.
November 3, 2025 at 7:42 PM
guel-sen.bsky.social
I would like to draw attention to this recently published book:
The Nature of the Ottoman City: Water and Urban Space in Sofia, 1380s-1910s, by Stefan Peychev, published by Cambridge University Press.

#History #OttomanHistory #BookSky
Cover of the book
November 3, 2025 at 4:56 PM