İtalya’da Türkoloji’nin Kökenleri ve Giambattista Donà

This study examines the complex historical relationship between Turkey and Italy from the late Middle Ages until the 17thcentury, within the context of cultural and linguistic interactions. The main interest of the study is to explore the primary motives behind the Italian interest in the Ottoman world, such as religion, trade, and the curiosity for knowledge, while conveying the reflections of this interest and evaluating the accumulation that resulted from this process. In this context, Giambattista Donà's (1627-1699) work, Della letteratura de’ Turchi (1688), has been identified as a central focus, as it laid the foundation for Turkology studies in Italy and Europe. The study, therefore, highlights Giambattista Donà’s work as a result of these intense interactions. Donà’s work is described as the first comprehensive and systematic examination of Turkish literature, law, music, and philosophy written in Europe. Ultimately, this study reveals that Donà’s work went beyond being just a practical guide, striving to create a scientific framework for understanding Ottoman culture and serving as a fundamental resource that spearheaded the institutionalization of the Turkology discipline in Europe.