The Ottoman World - by Hakan T Karateke & Helga Anetshofer (Hardcover)

About the Book

"The Ottoman lands, which comprised a geography extending from modern Hungary to the Arabian peninsula, were home to a vast population with a rich variety of cultures. The Ottoman World is the first primary source reader designed to reflect a wide and diverse set of voices across Ottoman society and bring them into the classroom. Written in many languages-not only Ottoman Turkish, but also Arabic, Armenian, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, and Persian-these texts span the extent of the early modern Ottoman empire, from the 1450s to 1700. Instructors are supplied with narratives conveying the lived experiences of individuals through texts that highlight human variety and accelerate a trend away from the 'state-centric' approach to Ottoman history. In addition, samples from court registers, legends, biographical accounts, hagiographies, short stories, witty anecdotes, jokes, and lampoons provide us with exciting glimpses into popular mindsets in Ottoman society. By reflecting new directions in the scholarship with its innovative choice of texts, this sourcebook will provide a vital resource for teachers and students"--

Book Synopsis

The Ottoman lands, which extended from modern Hungary to the Arabian peninsula, were home to a vast population with a rich variety of cultures. The Ottoman World is the first primary source reader to bring a wide and diverse set of voices across Ottoman society into the classroom. Written in many languages--not only Ottoman Turkish but also Arabic, Armenian, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, and Persian--these texts, here translated, span the extent of the early modern Ottoman empire, from the 1450s to 1700.

Instructors are supplied with narratives conveying the lived experiences of individuals through texts that highlight human variety and accelerate a trend away from a state-centric approach to Ottoman history. In addition, samples from court registers, legends, biographical accounts, hagiographies, short stories, witty anecdotes, jokes, and lampoons provide exciting glimpses into popular mindsets in Ottoman society. By reflecting new directions in the scholarship with an innovative choice of texts, this collection provides a vital resource for teachers and students.

From the Back Cover

"This brilliantly curated collection of translated sources will open up new and unexpected perspectives on the complexity and richness of Ottoman cultural life for students and teachers alike."--Joshua M. White, Associate Professor of History, University of Virginia

About the Author

Hakan T. Karateke is Professor of Ottoman and Turkish Culture, Language and Literature at the University of Chicago.

Helga Anetshofer is Lecturer in Turkish and Ottoman at the University of Chicago. She is coeditor of Disliking Others: Loathing, Hostility, and Distrust in Pre-Modern Ottoman Lands.