Robert Dankoff has culled passages from Evliya Çelebi's Book of Travels that deal directly with the life and times of Çelebi's patron, Melek Ahmed Pasha, an outstanding seventeenth-century military and administrative leader. Çelebi's account is sensitive to all the currents of his age and reflects them in his narrative. His wry comments and observations extend from the intimate details of daily life, and the attitudes of the lower classes, to the deeds of the mighty, the ideals of the age, and the fate of the empire. He concentrates on the later phase of Pasha's career, beginning with his appointment as Grand Vizier in 1650. Because Çelebi was Pasha's confidant as well as his protege, there is a level of intimacy, almost a psychological portrait, quite unusual in Ottoman and Islamic literature. The narrative highlights the private side of this public figure -- his weaknesses as well as his heroics; his religious life and domestic affairs -- in particular, his relations with his two successive wives, both sultanas or princesses.

Highlights the private side of this public figure—his weaknesses as well as his heroics; his religious life and domestic affairs.

This two-volume reference provides university and high school students—and the general public—with a wealth of information on one of the most important empires the world has ever known. Arranged in topical sections, this two-volume encyclopedia will help students and general readers alike delve into the fascinating story of an empire that continues to influence the world despite having been dissolved almost 100 years ago. Detailed entries describe the people, careers, and major events that played a central role in the history of the Ottoman Empire, covering both internal developments in Ottoman society and the empire's relationship with the powerful forces that surrounded it. Readers and researchers will find information pertaining to archaeology, geography, art history, ethnology, sociology, economics, religion, philosophy, mysticism, science and medicine, international relations, and numerous other areas of study. Many of the entries are enriched with material from Turkish and Persian primary sources written by courtiers, authors, and historians who were present at the time of major military campaigns or other important events in Ottoman history. These and other annotated primary documents will give students the opportunity to analyze events and will promote critical thinking skills. The language used throughout is accessible and based on the assumption that the reader is not familiar with the long, rich, and complex history of the Ottoman state.

Living in the Ottoman Realm brings the Ottoman Empire to life in all of its ethnic, religious, linguistic, and geographic diversity. The contributors explore the development and transformation of identity over the long span of the empire's existence. They offer engaging accounts of individuals, groups, and communities by drawing on a rich array of primary sources, some available in English translation for the first time. These materials are examined with new methodological approaches to gain a deeper understanding of what it meant to be Ottoman. Designed for use as a course text, each chapter includes study questions and suggestions for further reading.

The manufacture and trade in crafted goods and the men and women who were involved in this industry - including metalworkers, ceramicists, silk weavers, fez-makers, blacksmiths and even barbers - lay at the social as well as the economic heart of the Ottoman empire. This comprehensive history by leading Ottoman historian Suraiya Faroqhi presents the definitive view of the subject, from the production and distribution of different craft objects to their use and enjoyment within the community.Succinct yet comprehensive, "Artisans of Empire" analyses the production and trade of crafts from the beginning of the 16th century to the early 20th century, focusing on its history, politics and culture. Production methods, the organisation of trade guilds, religious differences, the contribution of women and the structure of the Ottoman economy all come under scrutiny in this wide-ranging history that combines keen analysis with descriptions of the beautiful and sometimes unknown works of Ottoman artisans. Faroqhi sheds new light on all aspects of artisan life, setting the concerns of individual craftsmen within the context of the broader cultural themes that connect them to the wider world. Combining social, cultural, economic, religious and historiographical insights, this will be the authoritative work on Ottoman artisans and guilds for many years to come.