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The books title reveals the subjectivity of the book. "Bloody History of The Ottomans" They were not just gays but also bloodthirsty. There are enough orientalist views already that describes the Ottomans were bad guys.
I think this is an extreme idea to an ordinary Turk. I mean one should think twice before asking this kind of question to an ordinary turk.
What is the extereme idea Gencturk? and why should people ´think twice´ asking to any ordinary Turk?
why do you think we/turks should be offended if we hear ´some of ottoman sultans were GAYS´?
I think you are making the most fundemantal mistake we generaically do and that is ´judging historical events and people with the moral values of the day we live´
Let me give you some examples coming into my mind at the moment:
When Sultan Yavuz marched towards Caldiran to fight Shah Ismail of Iran, he chopped off every alevites head, he encountered from Istanbul to the Battle field.
Grand vizier Kuyucu Murad Pasa´s nick name Kuyucu was given to him because he filled the wells with the heads of alevites during ´Celali rebellions´.
But, of course, at the same time in Europe, they were burning the women alive for the sake of God.
When Fatih captured istanbul in 1453, the blood flow all over street drains for 3 days (3 days was the time given to the soldiers as ´booty time´ ) But Europeans were not much that different as Spanish were butchering the natives in Americas a bit later.
When we opened our arms to jews from inquisitions in spain, we purely did it with the principle of ´my enemy´s enemy is my friend´ and we gave them only imigrant rights.
And about homosexuality:
Istanbul´s hamams were used to meet young boys and have sex with them by some of the ottomani elite until the 19th century.
The "tellaks" (young boys who helped men to have a bath) did not only work for washing the men.They also served as male prostitutes
There is a book in the Ottoman archives called "Dellakname-i Dilkusa" (The Record of Tellaks). . It tells about the most famous "tellaks" of Istanbul. The way they serve their customers, their price, how many times they can make you reach orgasm, the rate of their beauty and many more details are mentioned in this book.
Ottoman Literature is called "Divan Literature". In Divan Literature there are many poems written by male poets about their male lovers. These poems were about how beautiful these boy lovers were. None of these the poet talks about his boy lover and he complains that his beard is starting to grow and because of this his beauty is going away. Boys were maybe kind of substitutes for women who had smooth skin with no hairs.
Actually sex with boys were not legally forbidden and even the sultans were engaged in sex with male boys.
Some of the sultans had famous affairs with boys.
There was even a palace for boys in Bursa.
But GencTurk, tell me, why all above should offend any Turk? In the end, it is just "History" .
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