The purpose of this thesis is to describe how wisdom drawn from 11^th through 16^th century Turkish literature can be applied to contemporary leadership theory. I review the books, and sayings of well-known Turkish writers including Yusuf Has Hajib, Nasreddin Hodja, Kinalizade Ali Efendi, and Sheikh Edebali and describe how advice has been offered to a variety of domains including morality, government, negotiation, military strategies, diplomacy, etiquette, personnel selection, and promotion. From these sources and domains, I present “wise lessons” for the study and practice of contemporary leadership and link these to trait theories, behavioral theories, servant leadership, ethical leadership, and emotional intelligence. A thematic, qualitative analysis was performed on the selected works from Turkish literature to uncover underlying patterns and leadership principles. This study contributes not only to leadership and management theories but also offers insights from a Turkology perspective, enriching our understanding of culture, history, and indigenous knowledge traditions.