Gelenbevi İsmail Efendi

Ismail (bin Mustafa bin Mahmûd) Gelenbevi, born in 1730 in Gelenbe near Manisa, Ottoman Empire, was a prominent Ottoman Turkish figure renowned as a mathematician, Hanafi Maturidi theologian, logician, philosopher, and Professor of Geometry at the Naval College in Istanbul. He passed away in 1790 or 1791. Gelenbevi's scholarly pursuits extended beyond theology into mathematics, where he made significant contributions. He rose through the Ottoman examination system to achieve the rank of Müderris (professor) by the age of 33. His expertise in mathematics led to his appointment at the new Naval College in Kasımpaşa, Istanbul, at the request of Grand Vizier Halil Hamit Pasha and Fleet Admiral Cezayirli Hasan Pasha. He collaborated with other Ottoman reformers, including François Baron de Tott. Gelenbevi's accuracy in ballistic computations earned him an award from Sultan Selim III. He published around thirty-five scientific treatises, including a monograph on chess, and is credited with introducing logarithms to Turkey. His descendants include notable figures like Mehmet Cemaleddin Efendi and Baha Gelenbevi. A selective public high school in Istanbul bears the Gelenbevi family name.