The Turkish literary tradition is a deep-rooted and rich heritage encompassing various genres. One branch of this tradition consists of works with biographical content. Among them, it is possible to identify literary genres that focus specifically on the lives of poets. These genres have manifested differently within folk literature; they appear as şairnâme (poet-narratives), while in divan literature, they take the form of şuarâ tezkireleri (biographical dictionaries of poets). Both types present the biographical and literary dimensions of poets within the limitations of their respective forms. This study aims to examine the similarities and differences between şairnâmes and şuarâ tezkireleri through a comparative analysis and to demonstrate with examples that these two genres should not be considered equivalent. While şairnâmes serve the valuable function of recording poets’ names in history and preventing their obscurity, they often provide only superficial information. In contrast, şuarâ tezkireleri offer a more detailed portrayal of poets’ lives and enrich their content with examples of poetry. Therefore, each type holds a distinct place and value within Turkish literary history. The findings of the study indicate that treating these two independent genres as equivalents would mean disregarding the unique characteristics and contributions of each.

Keywords
Şairnâme, Şuara Tezkiresi, Âşık Ömer, Ruhsatî, Latifi’s Dictionary, Heşt Behişt