Riyazi (c. 1572 or 1573 –1644), also known asRiyazî Mehmet Efendi was anOttoman poet and bibliographer. HisRiyazü'ş Şuaratezkire (bibliographical dictionary of poets and poetry), is the seventh of its kind in Ottoman history and is of great importance. Riyazi is considered the last of a group of bibliographers who tried to cover the entire field of Ottoman poetry.[1]
Riyazi was born with the name Mehmet inMecca in theIslamic year 980 which corresponds to 1572 or 1573. 1572 is mostly accepted as birth year. He was named after his grandfather, the great scholarMehmet Efendi of Birgi (fromBirgi) who died in 1573, and was the son of Mustafa of Birgi.[2] His father was aKadı (judge) and gave Mehmet his early education. On his return toIstanbul, Mehmet joined the jurisprudence profession. He receivedmadrasah education by Müeyyedzade Abdülkâdir Efendi. He served asmullah in many towns including Istanbul,Jerusalem,Cairo,Aleppo, and many provinces inAnatolia.[3]
In 1626 he retired due todeafness and there was no work from him since then. Riyazi died on 7 May 1644 in Istanbul.[3]
Riyazü'ş Şuara is the seventh in the line of great Ottomantezkires. It covered a selection of poets based on "greatness" as adjudicated by the author supported with an independent judgment.[1] Other bibliographers that followed him had various opinions on him. His character is described as marked by avarice and meanness; both it and Riyazi's poetry influenced a lot by his wife.Ziya Pasha describes him as "the white rose of the garden of speech and the champion in the field of art", and singles out hisqasida for particular commendation.[3] Thetezkire was started in 1607.[4] The first recension was done in 1609 (1018 A.H.). The second recension is believed to have finished in 1617, as it includes drastic changes in the biography of SultanAhmed I who died that year.[1]
Riyzi was influence by the other known poetNef'i, but only in the particular attention that he bestowed over his verses, his work is not modeled after any previous poet school.[3]
Riyazi was of course a poet himself. He left a vastdiwan of poetry. In addition, he has other works: theSakiname, and aTurkish-Persian dictionary.[5]
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