Ahi Çelebi

Ahi Çelebi, born Mahmut in 1432, was a prominent Ottoman physician who lived into the early 16th century. He hailed from Kastamonu, where his father, Kemaleddin, also practiced medicine. After his father's death and the annexation of their beylik by the Ottoman Empire in 1461, Ahi Çelebi relocated to Istanbul. There, he collaborated with other notable physicians and eventually rose to the esteemed position of chief doctor of the palace under Sultan Bayezit II. Following Bayezit II's abdication, Ahi Çelebi resigned, only to be reappointed by the new sultan, Selim I, where he continued his service until the end of Selim's reign. After Selim I's death, Ahi Çelebi resigned once more and embarked on a pilgrimage to Hajj in 1522. His journey concluded with his death in Cairo during his return voyage. He was buried in the mosque of Al-Shafi'i. Beyond his medical career, Ahi Çelebi accumulated considerable wealth through properties and assets, which he largely bequeathed to charitable causes, including the construction of a madrasa in Edirne and a mosque in Istanbul.