Cultural and Religious Diversity in Istanbul in the Sixteenth Century: through the Eyes of German Travellers

Abstract

Travel accounts are among the most critical sources for history researchers due to the detailed information they contain. People who travelled to Istanbul, the capital of the Ottoman Empire in the sixteenth century, had recorded various characteristics of the biggest city in Europe at that time. The texts written by Protestant theologians Gerlach and Schweigger provided an especially interesting comparison in a period when conflicts were intense due to religious and cultural differences in Europe. This article will focus on the observations of German travellers in terms of religious and cultural diversity in Istanbul, and explore how the Ottoman Empire facilitated such religious and cultural diversity.