Adile Ayda
Encyclopedia
Adile Ayda was the first woman career diplomat of Turkey
, but is today better remembered as an Etruscologist. She became interested in Etruscan
studies while stationed in Rome
as the Minister-Counsellor
of the Turkish Embassy
, did research on the subject during her stay in Italy
and wrote down her findings in a number of books, in Turkish
and in French
. What is spectacular about her texts on Etruscans and renders them of interest is that she posits the Etruscans as Turks
(as in Turkic), a proposition that is as controversial today as it was during her lifetime.
Ayda was also known in Turkey as an outspoken parliamentarian during her stint as a member of the Turkish Senate
, which she had joined on appointment, as one of the small number of appointed senators, called "kontenjan senatörü" in Turkish
, after her retirement from the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Ayda had an eventful professional life. She left the Ministry of Foreign Affairs soon after she joined it, and taught French literature first at the Ankara
then Istanbul
universities, penned a number of studies as an academic, in Turkish and in French, before returning once again to the Ministry.
while her father the Tatar Sadri Maksudi
was a member of the Duma
, serving as a representative of the Ittifaq al-Muslimin
party, close Kadets. In 1917, her father became the leader of the first state formation
in the Idel-Ural
since the territory of the Kazan Khanate was occupied by the Russians
in 1552. She left Russia
during the famine of the 1920s
as a small child, when her mother Kamile, the daughter of the gold-mining Ramiev family of Orenburg
, took her and her younger sister Naile along to cross the Russo-Finnish border clandestinely. They reunited in Finland
with Sadri Maksudov
, who himself had left the country dressed as a mujik
, after the Bolsheviks had put an end to his government in 1918. The family then spent a year in Germany
, where Adile started school; then moved to France where they settled. An invitation by Turkey's founding president Atatürk to her father to come and work in Turkey
, and the latter's accepting the invitation, brought about a radical change in Adile's life.
Once in Turkey, Adile became Adile Arsal as her father took on a new surname according to the law. She went on with her education in Istanbul
, at a French nuns' school, Notre Dame de Sion
, and so continued the French education she had been introduced to in Paris
. Raised thus in the French intellectual tradition, Adile became, and remained to the last, a French intellectual at heart, unable to suffer fools. She then attended the law school in Ankara where her father was teaching. She was also a staunch Kemalist throughout her life. Known for her strong personality, she was in fact one of the many formidable women the modernizing efforts of the Turkish Republic would bring to the fore.
Ayda was married twice. Her first marriage, to a physician, was very brief. Her second, in 1942, was to Reşid Mazhar Ayda (1900-1986), a US-educated mechanical engineer who was the descendant of an old Ottoman family of Istanbul. The Aydas had two daughters and five grandchildren.
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, but is today better remembered as an Etruscologist. She became interested in Etruscan
Etruscan civilization
Etruscan civilization is the modern English name given to a civilization of ancient Italy in the area corresponding roughly to Tuscany. The ancient Romans called its creators the Tusci or Etrusci...
studies while stationed in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
as the Minister-Counsellor
Diplomatic rank
Diplomatic rank is the system of professional and social rank used in the world of diplomacy and international relations. Over time it has been formalized on an international basis.-Ranks:...
of the Turkish Embassy
Diplomatic missions of Turkey
This is a list of diplomatic missions of Turkey, excluding honorary consulates. In 1793, the first permanent Turkish embassy was established by Selim III in London....
, did research on the subject during her stay in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and wrote down her findings in a number of books, in Turkish
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
and in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
. What is spectacular about her texts on Etruscans and renders them of interest is that she posits the Etruscans as Turks
Turkic peoples
The Turkic peoples are peoples residing in northern, central and western Asia, southern Siberia and northwestern China and parts of eastern Europe. They speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family. They share, to varying degrees, certain cultural traits and historical backgrounds...
(as in Turkic), a proposition that is as controversial today as it was during her lifetime.
Ayda was also known in Turkey as an outspoken parliamentarian during her stint as a member of the Turkish Senate
Turkish Constitution of 1961
The Constitution of 1961 was the fundamental law of Turkey from 1961 to 1982. It was introduced following the 1960 coup d'état, replacing the earlier Constitution of 1924. It was approved in a referendum held on 9 July 1961, with 61.7% of the nation voting in favor...
, which she had joined on appointment, as one of the small number of appointed senators, called "kontenjan senatörü" in Turkish
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
, after her retirement from the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Ayda had an eventful professional life. She left the Ministry of Foreign Affairs soon after she joined it, and taught French literature first at the Ankara
Ankara University
Ankara University is a public university in Ankara, the capital city of Turkey. It was the first higher education institution founded in the Turkish Republic....
then Istanbul
Istanbul University
Istanbul University is a Turkish university located in Istanbul. The main campus is adjacent to Beyazıt Square.- Synopsis :A madrasa, a religious school, was established sometime in the 15th century after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople. An institution of higher education named the...
universities, penned a number of studies as an academic, in Turkish and in French, before returning once again to the Ministry.
Biography
Ayda's personal life was not less eventful. She was born Gadile Sadreyevna Maksudova in Saint PetersburgSaint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
while her father the Tatar Sadri Maksudi
Sadri Maksudi Arsal
Sadreddin Nizamettinovich Maksudov or Sadri Maksudi Arsal was a prominent Tatar and Turkish statesman, scholar and thinker.-Biography:...
was a member of the Duma
Duma
A Duma is any of various representative assemblies in modern Russia and Russian history. The State Duma in the Russian Empire and Russian Federation corresponds to the lower house of the parliament. Simply it is a form of Russian governmental institution, that was formed during the reign of the...
, serving as a representative of the Ittifaq al-Muslimin
Ittifaq al-Muslimin
Ittifaq al-Muslimin was a liberal-democratic party of Muslims in Russian Empire. The party was formed after The First Congress of Muslims of Russia and the party line was similar to Kadets...
party, close Kadets. In 1917, her father became the leader of the first state formation
Idel-Ural State
The Idel-Ural State was a short-lived Tatar republic with its centre in Kazan that united Tatars, Bashkirs and the Chuvash in the turmoil of the Russian Civil War. Often viewed as an attempt to recreate the Khanate of Kazan, the republic was proclaimed on December 12, 1917, by a Congress of Muslims...
in the Idel-Ural
Idel-Ural
Idel-Ural is a historical region in Eastern Europe, in what is today Russia. The name literally means Volga-Urals in the Tatar language. The frequently used Russian variant is Volgo-Uralye...
since the territory of the Kazan Khanate was occupied by the Russians
Russo-Kazan Wars
thumb|300px|[[St. Basil's Cathedral]] is a monument to the Russian conquest of Kazan in 1552.The Russo-Kazan Wars was a series of wars fought between the Khanate of Kazan and Muscovite Russia from 1438, until Kazan was finally captured by Ivan the Terrible and absorbed into Russia in 1552.- Wars of...
in 1552. She left Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
during the famine of the 1920s
1921-1922 Famine in Tatarstan
The 1921–1922 famine in Tatarstan was a result of war communism policy, realized in Tatar ASSR as well as elsewhere in the USSR. It started in autumn 1921. More than 2,000,000 peasants starved, particularly in Arsk, Sviyazhsk, Mamadysh, Menzelinsk, Spassk, Tetyushi and Chelny kantons.At the end of...
as a small child, when her mother Kamile, the daughter of the gold-mining Ramiev family of Orenburg
Orenburg
Orenburg is a city on the Ural River and the administrative center of Orenburg Oblast, Russia. It lies southeast of Moscow, very close to the border with Kazakhstan. Population: 546,987 ; 549,361 ; Highest point: 154.4 m...
, took her and her younger sister Naile along to cross the Russo-Finnish border clandestinely. They reunited in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
with Sadri Maksudov
Sadri Maksudi Arsal
Sadreddin Nizamettinovich Maksudov or Sadri Maksudi Arsal was a prominent Tatar and Turkish statesman, scholar and thinker.-Biography:...
, who himself had left the country dressed as a mujik
Mujik
Muzhik or mujik refers to a Russian peasant, usually from pre-1917 Imperial Russia. The term connotes a certain degree of poverty, as most muzhiks were serfs before the 1861 agricultural reforms. After that date, serfs were given parcels of land to work and became free peasants...
, after the Bolsheviks had put an end to his government in 1918. The family then spent a year in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, where Adile started school; then moved to France where they settled. An invitation by Turkey's founding president Atatürk to her father to come and work in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, and the latter's accepting the invitation, brought about a radical change in Adile's life.
Once in Turkey, Adile became Adile Arsal as her father took on a new surname according to the law. She went on with her education in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, at a French nuns' school, Notre Dame de Sion
Notre Dame de Sion
Notre Dame de Sion School of Kansas City was founded by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Sion in Kansas City, Missouri in 1912 as a Catholic school, albeit one which accepts and welcomes students of other faiths as well. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-Saint...
, and so continued the French education she had been introduced to in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Raised thus in the French intellectual tradition, Adile became, and remained to the last, a French intellectual at heart, unable to suffer fools. She then attended the law school in Ankara where her father was teaching. She was also a staunch Kemalist throughout her life. Known for her strong personality, she was in fact one of the many formidable women the modernizing efforts of the Turkish Republic would bring to the fore.
Ayda was married twice. Her first marriage, to a physician, was very brief. Her second, in 1942, was to Reşid Mazhar Ayda (1900-1986), a US-educated mechanical engineer who was the descendant of an old Ottoman family of Istanbul. The Aydas had two daughters and five grandchildren.
Adile Ayda's Works
- "L’Influence de Victor Hugo sur Mallarmé." Dialogues. İstanbul, 1953.
- Le Drame Intérieur de Mallarmé ou l'Origine des Symboles Mallarméens. İstanbul: La Turquie Moderne, 1955.
- Un Diplomate Turc Auprès du Roi-Soleil. İstanbul, 1956.
- "Molière et l’Envoyé de la Sublime Porte." Les Divertissements de Cour au XVIIe Siècle. Actes du VIIIe Congrès de l'Association Internationale des Études Françaises, Paris, 3-5 septembre 1956 in Cahiers de l’Association Internationale des Études Françaises, 9 (juin 1957). 103-116.
- Yahya Kemal. Kendi Ağzından Fikirleri ve Sanat Görüşleri. Ankara: Ajanstürk Yayınları, 1962.
- Les Étrusques Étaient-ils des Turcs? Paris: 1971.
- Etrüskler Türk mü idiler? Ankara: Türk Kültürünü Araştırma Enstitüsü Yayınları, 1974.
- Yahya Kemal’in Fikir ve Şiir Dünyası. Ankara: Hisar Yayınları, 1979.
- Böyle İdiler Yaşarken. Ankara: 1984.
- Les Étrusques Étaient des Turcs. Preuves. Ankara: 1985.
- Atsız’dan Adile Ayda’ya Mektuplar (derleme). Ankara: 1988.
- Türklerin İlk Ataları. Ankara: 1987.
- Sadri Maksudi Arsal. Ankara: Kültür Bakanlığı Yayınları Türk Büyükleri Serisi, 1991.
- Etrüskler (Tursakalar) Türk idiler. İlmî Deliller. Ankara: 1992.
- Садри Максуди Арсал. Перевод (Çeviren) В.Б. Феоновой. Москва: 1996.
- Bir Demet Edebiyat. Makaleler. Halil İnalcık’ın önsözü ile. Ankara: Türkiye İş Bankası Kültür Yayınları, 1998.