Ottoman Empire and Islamic Tradition (A Phoenix book)

Very detailed and thorough scholarship. Norman truly takes the reader on a fun and detailed voyage into the intricate nature of Ottoman society.

“Ottoman Empire and Islamic Tradition” by Norman Itzkowitz, University of Chicago Press, Chicago 1972. ISBN 0-226-38806-9, PB 126 Pgs., 8” x 5” x 1/4” format on plain paper. The Foreword has a single B/W sketched map of Ottoman Empire extent in 1566 and notations of its size in 1481. Author also lists a Phoenix edition dated 1980. The author was professor of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University and both translator and coauthor of other books about the Ottoman Empire from its Byzantine (Greco-Roman) beginnings in 1299. The book is not especially easy to read, being condensed to embrace only 4 Chapters, it provides a look a the superficial societal positioning’s of diverse ethnic groups therein, beginning with the Ottomans in 1299 and wherein diverse conflicts led to progressive formation of the Ottoman Empire that at one time or another controlled most of North Africa including Egypt, the entireity of the Mediterranean and adjacent territories about the Black, Adriatic, Aegean, and Mediterranean Seas in addition to vast portions of southern Europe to Hungry, Serbia, Transylvania, Moldavia, Mesopotamia, Anatolia and northward to Russia, Persia, etc. Control of waterways provided Ottomans military and trade advantages; over time lands progressively came under Islamic control and facilitated conversion wherein a now mass migration of the Oghuz confederation of Turkish tribes came under Muslim faith (Osman). The conversion began long before with the fall of Bagdad (1055). Converted Turks, Seljuk’s, began as military bands, but then developed into regulars and nomads, and established both governmental and societal organizations for taxation, called “ghazi” or raid groups, and kept booty as approved under sharia law. In short order, Anatolia became predominantly Turkish, the original peoples of Anatolia being Christian. Class order was instilled with the Muslim being superior to Christians, the latter employed as servants, etc. In 1243 the Mongol army defeated the Seljuk’s in Eastern Anatolia and a new leader Karman ibn Musa Sufi. However, recon quest of Constantinople by Greek Emperor Michael VIII Palacologus in 1261 led to diffusion of powerful Anatolia strengths wherein the ghazi again assumed control of Western Anatolia and organized emirates or ‘principalities’, and by luck, skills, and its geographic location the Emirate of Osman achieved a singular fame and accumulated many beys, who like ghazis adopted his name as theirs, “Ottomans”, sought martyrdom, glory as ghazis, and accumulated great wealth in controlling the caravan route to Constantinople (Istanbul). The Ottoman emirate (Empire) was inherently geared to conquest and expansion to maintain its structural integrity of societal and governmental integrity and was tied to a pension-like system much as a union is, and after invading new lands would annex them and paid “timars”, monies (loyal supporters) and grant monies in return for military service. The Ottoman future was won by Mohammed in 1413 who became the single sultan with strong central government and was strongly favored by timar-holders who could assure their paychecks and by the slaves whose position was under control of the sultan. Mohammed II at 19 ascended the throne and he successfully targeted Constantinople for booty in 1453 and hen selected his entire entourage from his personal slaves to concentrate his power as “absolute Mohammed II”, and spent much time in transforming Constantinople (Istanbul) into a luxurious city with mosques, hospital, college, and a population increase from 30,000 to 100,000 and by year 1500 was the most populous city, Circa 700,000. As expected financial debt distress followed. Suleiman the Magnificent, greatest of all Islamic Rulers, ruled the holy cities of Mecca and Medina and was brilliant as military leader of the Ottomans but died, in battle, in 1566. His son Selim assumed the throne to be followed by Selim II. It can be said the Ottoman Empire had reached its pinnacle. Periodically, the political and military ploys bespoke of a possible genocide in Anatolia, but that is a quite a different story with different Sultan’s and an Ottoman Empire that no longer existed.The rest of this book largely follows the theme of this first chapter – much detail about the general construct of governmental and societal structure and devisements of a workable monetary system. I believe it is important to read these earlier written books on the Ottoman Empire, of its leaders and their machinations, for the current warring factions will be corrupted by political policiesfinis

Item delivered on time,was as described.

This is a concise study of Ottoman culture, society and the Ottoman administrative system. The Ottoman Empire, which lasted for 700 years and included three continents, is an important but often excluded ingredient in world history. This empire should be seen like its shorter lived sister-states (Mughal India and Safavid Iran) as a descendent of the Turco-Mongol steppe tradition under which Central Asia was unified and which created the first modern, large-scale, integrated, long-distance, old-world trading system.The book begins with several brief chapters that outline Ottoman political history while the remaninder of the book provides an overvew of Ottoman institutions. The volume, which includes a map, chronology, glossary, and index, is very easy reading. It could be used as part of a case study comparing the Ottoman Empire with other imperial systems. A must read for anyone interested in history who has never ventured beyond Western Europe or Russia while in their armchair. This book will provide a very different perspective on European political/diplomatic history.

128 pages and 15,99 us dollars. too expensive!! you must review your price policy.

Good. Just what I needed. Arrived in good time and as described.