Mirim Çelebi

Mirim Çelebi was a 16th-century Ottoman scholar, astronomer, judge, and teacher. His title, "Çelebi," signified an intellectual. He was born in Constantinople and was the grandson of the renowned Ottoman astronomer Ali Kuşçu. After his father's death, he was educated by his maternal grandfather. He held teaching positions in the madrasas of Gelibolu, Edirne, Bursa, and Constantinople. Sultan Bayazıt II invited him to the palace to teach mathematics. In addition to his astronomical and mathematical pursuits, Çelebi was an expert in Islamic Law. During the reign of Selim I, he briefly served as the Anatolian kazasker, a high-ranking judge. In 1519, he retired from public life and settled in Edirne, where he spent the remainder of his years. Mirim Çelebi passed away in Edirne and was buried in the graveyard of the Evliya Kasim Pasha Mosque. His significant contributions include a major work on optics.