Salih Zeki
Salih Zeki Bey (1864, Istanbul – 1921, Istanbul) was an Ottoman Turkish mathematician and astronomer, and the founder of the mathematics, physics, and astronomy departments at Istanbul University. He was sent by the Post and Telegraph Ministry to study electrical engineering at the École Polytechnique in Paris. He returned to Istanbul in 1887 and started working at the Ministry as an electrical engineer and inspector.
Salih Zeki
Sureta · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Name
- Salih Zeki
- Born
- 1864
- Birthplace
- Istanbul, Ottoman Empire
- Died
- 2 July 1921
- Education
- Darüşşafaka High School École Polytechnique
- Known for
- Asar-i Bakiye (The Remainder of Ancient Works)
- Spouse
- Halide Edib Adıvar (m. 1901; div. 1910)
- Nationality
- Ottoman Empire
- Occupation
- mathematician · astronomer · writer · statesperson · poet · electrical engineer · journalist
- Teachers
- Riyaziyeci Mehmet Nadir Bey
- Languages
- Turkish · Ottoman Turkish · Arabic
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Salih Zeki Bey (1864, Istanbul – 1921, Istanbul) was an Ottoman Turkish mathematician and astronomer, and the founder of the mathematics, physics, and astronomy departments at Istanbul University. He was sent by the Post and Telegraph Ministry to study electrical engineering at the École Polytechnique in Paris. He returned to Istanbul in 1887 and started working at the Ministry as an electrical engineer and inspector.
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Note VALÉORINE
Salih Zeki (1864–1921) was an astronomer, electrical engineer and journalist, among other activities, of Ottoman nationality. The astronomer was born in Istanbul and died in Şişli.
Salih Zeki was educated at Darüşşafaka High School, École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées and École polytechnique. The astronomer worked for Collège de France, Darülfünun and Ottoman Imperial School for Administration and held the position of head teacher. Languages used include Arabic, Ottoman Turkish and Turkish.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 27 September 2026
VALÉORINE
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Salih Zeki. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
World of VALÉORINE
Documentary connections
Only confirmed graph relationships appear here. Images are shown only when their identity and reuse rights both pass the documentary gate.
Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q1155931 · wikipedia · Salih Zeki
In this article
Biography
Biography
He was appointed as the director of the state observatory (Rasathâne-i Âmire) (now Kandilli Observatory) after Coumbary in 1895. In 1912, he became Under Secretary of the Ministry of Education and in 1913 the president of Istanbul University. In 1917, he resigned as the president but continued teaching at the university in the Faculty of Sciences until his death.
Salih Zeki studied at École polytechnique, École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées and Darüşşafaka High School. Training under Riyaziyeci Mehmet Nadir Bey is recorded. The recorded working language is Turkish, Ottoman Turkish and Arabic. Employment is recorded with Darülfünun, Ottoman Imperial School for Administration and Collège de France. Positions recorded include head teacher.
Türk bilgini Salih Zeki Bey
Sureta
Türk bilgini Salih Zeki Bey
Sureta
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Salih Zeki • Born — 1864 • Birthplace — Istanbul, Ottoman Empire • Died — 2 July 1921 • Place of death — Istanbul, Ottoman Empire • Fields — Mathematics, Astronomy, History of science • Education — Darüşşafaka High School École Polytechnique • Known for — Asar-i Bakiye (The Remainder of Ancient Works) • Spouse — Halide Edib Adıvar (m. 1901; div. 1910)
Astronomy
Astronomy
• New Cosmography • Abridged Cosmography
Physics
Physics
• Hikmet-i Tabiiyye • Mebhas-ı Elektrik-i Miknatisi • Mebhas-ı Hararet-i Harekiye
History of science
History of science
• Asar-ı Bakiye
Mathematics
Mathematics
• Kamus-i Riyaziyat • Hendese-i Tahliliye • Hesab-i Ihtimali
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Istanbul.
Birth place
Şişli.
Death place
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 19 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Books
39,285 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Salih ben Sharif al-RundiAuthor
- Salih Hulusi KezrakAuthor
- Salih Mahdi AmmashAuthor
- Salih MirzabeyoğluAuthor
- Salik ShahAuthor
- Salim aliiAuthor
- Salim BachiAuthor
- Salim BarakatAuthor
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Salih Zeki?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.