Ottoman Empire Research Articles

Policing Europe: The Origins of a European Security Network, 1794–1815

Abstract The spread of revolutionary ideas reconfigured the machinery of surveillance within the Habsburg state between the Jacobin Trials of 1794 and the Congress of Vienna in 1815. The Habsburg Ministry of Police emerged from the Jacobin Trials with enlarged administrative capabilities, including a new relationship between the secret state police and the military and the increased surveillance of urban working populations. Not only that, but the period also witnessed a push to monitor subversive political activity in foreign territory, including Poland, the Ottoman Empire, the German states and Italy. This article argues that cooperation among European states in the policing of subversive political activity across borders antedated the Congress of Vienna. A focus on these critical decades questions the viability of the ‘Metternichian System’ and points instead to a growing security apparatus that Metternich sought to further internationalize after 1815.

THE PARADOXES OF LITERARINESS

The aim of the paper is to present the special connection between reality and fiction in some emblematic literary texts from the time of the Bulgarian Enlightenment as well as the place of the literature in creating the ideological narratives of the mentioned period. The interplay between fiction and reality marks the entire Bulgarian Enlightenment, and both in the texts and in their reception this interconnectedness proves crucial. In this historical period, authors such as Vazov consider literature as one of the main ‘weapons’ for the transformation of the world. At a time when there were no Bulgarian institutions, as Bulgaria was part of the Ottoman Empire, book publishing and education played the role of state-creating impulses without a state. That is why another important topic discussed in the paper is the pedagogical function of 19th-century Bulgarian literature which is both a source of knowledge about the world and a means of building the notion of the national ideal.

Buying and selling in the Balkans: the case of Kosovo

The study analyzes from the anthropological viewpoint the transformation of trade relations, trade transactions, the inclusion of men and women of different ages, representatives of various ethnic groups, religions and strata of society in the circulation of goods and services in the territory of Kosovo/Kosovo and Metohija at the turn of the 20th-21st centuries. From a quiet “province” of the Ottoman Empire, royal Yugoslavia and the SFRY, the historical region has turned into the forefront of confrontation between both Balkan elites and international forces. Leaving aside, as far as possible, the multi-vector discussion regarding the status of the territory/region/state, the author focuses on the social and cultural aspects of the type of activity and economic sphere that directly and acutely affect all residents of the region without exception – be they Albanians, Serbs, Turks, Gorans or Roma, Muslims or Christians, rich, poor or middle class – namely, trade. Growing all over the world, both in the business community and among professional researchers studying culture and society, the interest in corporate anthropology is due to the importance of the ethnic factor in the development strategy of individual states and the global economy, and this involves the collection of empirical data and an attempt to assess the risks of conducting business, trade, scientific and other projects that directly affect people’s lives and influence their social “well-being”.

Ottoman Foundations in Chios

Chios Island is one of the important islands located in the Sea of Islands. It remained under Ottoman rule for approximately 347 years from 1566 to 1913. While the Ottomans established their own administration here after the conquest, they also brought the traditional Turkish-Islamic culture to the island. The elements of this culture, such as love for humanity, respect for differences, peace, tolerance and sacrifice, were brought to the island through foundations. While the foundations ensured the continuation of the Turkish presence here with the mosques, mescits, dervish lodges and zawiyas they established, they played a certain role in the economic and commercial life of the island with structures such as inns, shops, bazaars, plots of land and mills. Foundations were established by both members of the Ottoman dynasty and statesmen. Knowing these will make it possible to make a more accurate assessment of the Ottoman administration on the island. The Ottomans created many architectural and cultural works on this island. Among these are many mosques, masjids, fountains, public fountains, baths, lodges and zawiyas. Some of these are the Hamidiye Mosque, Bayraktar Mosque, Piyale Pasha Mosque, Misirlizade Ibrahim Pasha Mosque and Foundation, Salih Pasha Mosque and Madrasah, Melek Mehmet Pasha Fountain and Laleli Mosque. According to state records from 1894, there were nine mosques, two madrasahs, three lodges, ninety-eight churches, one monastery, two synagogues, two baths and eighteen fountains on the island. Today, there are eight mosques, one masjid, one lodge, three baths, one fountain and one inn in Chios as Ottoman works. Some of these will be discussed in this study.

Sejarah Perkembangan Penulisan Al-Qur’an dan Tafsir di Indonesia

After the Conference of Ulama Al-Qur'an in 1984 and the Decree of the Minister of Religion number 25, it was agreed that the copying of the Al-Qur'an standardized using Ratsm Usmani. The initial emergence of Indonesian standard Mushaf Al-Qur'an cannot be separated from the existence of "Lajnah Pentashih Mushaf Al-Qur'an" which in the 1970's was under the Indonesian Ministry of Religion. However, if look at previous history, the copying of Al-Qur'an was carried out by various levels of society, including Ulama, Santri, or profesional copyists with interest for teaching purposes. So, before Lajnah was established, several regions had classic mushaf with their own characteristics. This research is intended to describe the development of Al Qur'an writting and its interpretation in Indonesia. The aim of this research is to describe the development of Al Qur'an writing. The approach used in this research is a library research approach, which utilizes library sources such as books, scientific journals, ar,ticles and reports. The results of this research show that the development of Al-Qur'an writing in Indonesia is generally divided into two major categories. Some were copied by rasm Usmani and the others with a combination of rasm imlai. This is shows that the traces of the Ottoman Empire in copying the Al Qur'an in the Nusantara were at least known, even though there were no written works that could explain it. As time progressed, the tradition of Al-Quran writing in mushaf (handwritten) form began to innovate with the emergence of various offers in the matter of copying mushaf, including lithography (stone printing), hypography (metal printing)

Elisabeth Jerichau-Baumann, Constantinople 1869–70: The Harem

Abstract Polish-born, trained in Germany, with a studio in Rome and a second home in Denmark due to her marriage to sculptor and academician Adolf Jerichau, Elisabeth Jerichau-Baumann (1818–81) was a true nineteenth-century cosmopolite. She painted Europe’s elite and counted Princess Alexandra, Hans Christian Andersen, Henrik Ibsen, the Grimm brothers, and Charles Dickens among her well-wishers. She was invited by Queen Victoria to Buckingham Palace, and her portrait of Alexandra remains in the Royal Collection to this day. Her travelogue Brogede Rejsebilleder (Motley Images of Travel;1881) is centered around two journeys to “the Orient,” undertaken in 1869–70 and 1874–75. While these journeys to Constantinople and Smyrna constitute almost half of the travelogue, other chapters describe journeys to Athens, Cairo, St. Petersburg, Capri, and the Alps. The present chapters, translated by David Possen and introduced by Julia Kuehn, are the second part of Jerichau-Baumann’s record of the first of two journeys to Constantinople, in 1869–70. The painter vividly describes a visit to a Constantinople harem. Jerichau-Baumann’s temporary friendship with the young Princess Nazlı Hanım would lead to a number of paintings by Jerichau-Baumann now considered emblematic of and unique in (female) Orientalist art. Nazlı became a well-known literary salon hostess and arts supporter in Istanbul, Paris, Cairo, and Tunis, as well as an important figure in the Ottoman Empire’s political reform, modernization, and cross-cultural endeavors.

Value-based optimization model for cultural route design: Ancient Water Supply Heritage of Istanbul (Türkiye)

Cultural tourism has become an increasingly growing human activity in today's world. Therefore, various cultural/natural heritage areas or buildings face large tourist crowds, causing physical, social, or cultural deterioration. Cultural routes, which provide a systematic approach and planned tourists move, can reduce the negative effects of overtourism. This study aims to develop an optimization model as a supportive tool for the cultural route design process. The proposed optimization model aims to maximize cultural experience while satisfying constraints on heritage values, building types, historical eras, and general routing rules. Moreover, this model, creating optimized cultural routes, is expected to contribute to regulating economic income and tourist density. As a case study, the ancient water supply systems of Istanbul, inherited from the Roman and the Ottoman empires and currently overlooked, are investigated. Heritage values, mentioned in the extensive literature, are reviewed and the values/attributes for this study are appointed according to the characteristics of the case heritage assets, and their environment. The values of the case structures are evaluated with value analysis after field study. An optimum cultural route for Istanbul's historical water supply heritage, according to the objective and the constraints of the model, is obtained by solving the model with the case data. The resulting route can make this overlooked heritage of Istanbul recognized and spread the tourist density in the city center. The model is flexible, allowing for easy modification of the objective function, constraints, and values when designing routes across various heritage sites. This model can be used not only in the design of new cultural routes but also in optimizing existing routes.

The Supreme Kadis (Mollas) of Bosnia in the Second Half of the 17th Century

The highest representative of the judicial authority and one of the most im- portant levers in the administrative apparatus of the Ottoman Empire in one province (eyalet) was the molla. He was granted extensive powers and the ability to control other officials of the Ottoman authority. Considering the role and importance of those high-ranking Ottoman officials, the paper aims to present the individuals who were appointed to the Eyalet of Bosna as well as the dynamics of changes in these positions in the second half of the 17th century. In cases where it was possible, insight was given into their education and experience, as well as some interesting facts from their lives. In order to achieve this, the contents of various individual and collective documents were analyzed. The presented data contribute to a better understanding of Ottoman judicial practice and the specific activities of judges in Bosnia in the 17th century.

Portrait of Ottoman Statesman Hekimoglu Ali Pasha (1689-1758): Life, Career and Personality

The article reconstructs unknown facts about life and administrative achieve- ments of Ottoman statesman Hekimoglu Ali Pasha who held the office of Grand Vizier three times and was famous for the victory at the battle of Banja Luka in 1737. Ali Pasha’s life also provides an insight into the trends of Ottoman administrative politics, which in his case deviated from the trends of the postclassical era of the Ottoman Empire. Also, Pasha’s merits in the cultural, architectural, intellectual and technological transformation of the Empire indicated a change that would be fully realized only a century later. Parallel to the downward trajectory of his career, one can observe the gradual change in his character which can be reconstructed through the archival correspondence with the Republic of Dubrovnik. The transformation of his character can be also seen through the prism of his political maturation in the period from the first to the last appointment in Bosnian eyalet (1736-1748).

Who are the people of Cyprus? The national identity building process in Cyprus from the late 19th to the early 20th century

Abstract This article offers a nuanced examination of the complex identity dynamics among the Christian and Muslim communities in Cyprus during the late 19th and early 20th century, particularly in the aftermath of British administration replacing Ottoman rule in 1878. The article draws attention to the profound impact of this historical transition on the identity formation processes of both communities. Despite the shared wartime experience of the First World War, the Christian and Muslim communities in Cyprus failed to construct a cohesive identity rooted in their common geographical space. Drawing on Zygmunt Bauman’s concept of ambivalence, the article explores the complex process by which Cypriot communities sought to align their identity with larger nations, namely Greece and Turkey, rather than grounding it in their local context. The article contends that the genesis of their ambivalence can be traced back to 1878 when British administration replaced Ottoman rule on the island.

‘The Shipwreck of the Turks’: Sovereignty, Barbarism and Civilization in the Legal Order of the Eighteenth-Century Mediterranean

Abstract This article focuses on the consequences of a single major international affair — the shipwreck of a French ship carrying 165 Muslim pilgrims along the southern shores of Sicily in 1716 — to address two pivotal issues in the reordering of eighteenth-­century legal and political systems: the limits of domestic sovereignty in absolutist states and the status of non-Christian polities in the theory and practice of the law of nations. Both the time and place of this episode, which had a vast resonance at the time, have broad implications for how we write about the development of modern international law. While much of the debate on the maritime dimension of the eighteenth-century law of nations focuses on the Atlantic and the Indian Oceans, we spotlight the Mediterranean, where endemic corsairing activities coexisted with age-old diplomatic and day-to-day practices of accommodation and mutual recognition between Christian and Muslim polities. Here we draw attention to shipwrecks that occurred in foreign territorial waters and their heuristic potential for better understanding controversial issues of maritime law, such as the status of shorelines, neutrality and the law of the flag. Even after the Peace of Utrecht (1713–15), which is often regarded as a watershed moment in the history of international law, these rules were far from settled and shipwrecks continued to fuel legal and philosophical battles that extended well beyond the confines of the famous controversy between supporters of mare liberum and advocates of mare clausum. The close examination of the 1716 shipwreck leads us to challenge the land/sea divide as constructed by Carl Schmitt and demonstrate that territorial waters were objects of sovereign disputes in much the same way as land territories. We also show how the emerging Eurocentric discourse about the ‘barbarity’ of non-Christian peoples and nations coexisted with intellectual, economic and diplomatic forces interested in establishing formal agreements between Western European nations, the Ottoman Empire and its North African provinces.

Forest, Bandits, and State: Some Measures Taken against the Use of Forests as Illegal Activity Areas in the Ottoman Empire (16th-18th centuries)

Forest, Bandits, and State: Some Measures Taken against the Use of Forests as Illegal Activity Areas in the Ottoman Empire (16th-18th centuries)

The Dragoman Renaissance Research Project in Library/DH Linked Data Partnerships

The Dragomans Renaissance Research Platform represents a long-standing collaboration between the authors. The project explores the role of dragomans (diplomatic interpreter-translators) in mediating relations between the Ottoman Empire and its European neighbours from ca. 1550 to ca. 1730. The project leverages surrogates and transcriptions from multiple archival and secondary sources to produce a structured data set that can be queried using SPARQL. The Dragomans use case illuminates the potential of library-partnered DH projects, like other unique collections, to become machine-readable research data sets made available through generalized, sustainable architectures that also suit researcher needs for UI-driven query and display.

COMPARISON OF SPATIAL RELATIONS IN MENZIL COMPLEXES ON THE HISTORIC ROUTES OF ANATOLIA

Özet 1: Menzil Complexes had started to be constructed at the crossroads of significant trade routes since the Anatolian Seljuk period. These social structures promoted the growth of cities, facilitated commerce, and ensured safety in the Ottoman period. It is essential to examine the relationships between commercial, accommodation, religious, and educational spaces analytically in the design of the Menzil complexes. The study aims to determine the relationship between the functions in the Menzil complex by Visibility Graph Analysis (VGA) connectivity (connection between spaces) and through vision (movement path) analysis. In this way, the location and importance of the functions in the design of the range complexes established to promote urban development and trade will be determined. Özet 2: The method of the study consists of two steps. In the first step, the space functions and the transitions between spaces were identified. In the second phase, the relation between the spaces that have different functions is investigated with the Visibility Graph Analysis (VGA) connectivity and through vision analysis by DepthMapX 0.8.0. It is seen that there is no clear distinction between plan organizations in terms of region or route, but the primary targets are preserved in terms of spatial organization. Ensuring spatial relationships while protecting the main objectives in different plan organizations shows the development of the architectural planning approach of that period.

Beverage Culture in The Ottoman Palace Cuisine

Traditional Turkish cuisine has a very rich cultural accumulation with its food and beverages in the historical process from past to present. In the Ottoman period, which hosted the important processes in the shaping of Turkish cuisine, the infrastructure of many elements of culinary culture was created. One of them is the traditional beverage culture. The meaning of beverage or drink is the liquids obtained from food and prepared by adding some nutrients. The most important liquids mentioned in the Ottoman palace cuisine are; It consists of liquids such as water and flavored waters, coffee, boza, tea, salep, compote, hardaliye and sherbet. In the study, which aims to provide information about the place, importance and types of traditional beverages belonging to the Ottoman palace cuisine, its also aimed to transfer the beverages in the Ottoman palace cuisine to future generations in order to increase their awareness and ensure their sustainability.

Daut Dauti. Britain, the Albanian Question and the Fall of the Ottoman Empire, 1876–1914 London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2023. Pp. 224. $115.00 (cloth).

Daut Dauti. Britain, the Albanian Question and the Fall of the Ottoman Empire, 1876–1914 London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2023. Pp. 224. $115.00 (cloth).

The origins of Russia’s Mediterranean trade: the 250th anniversary of the Küçük Kaynarca treaty

The Black Sea trade was a crucial factor in the economic development of the Russian state following the incorporation of Crimea and the Northern Black Sea region into the empire. Nevertheless, even prior to reaching the Black Sea and the establishment of the first harbours, the Don merchants were engaged in commercial activities utilising Greek merchant vessels. The construction of merchant and military fleets in the ports of Nikolaev and Kherson was still a distant prospect. Following the conclusion of the first trade treaties between Russia and France, Turkey, Italy and the Septinsular Republic, the Black Sea trade opened up new prospects. The Mediterranean countries welcomed the new trading power with enthusiasm, anticipating the potential benefits of trade relations with it. This became evident when wheat from Novorossiya, which enjoyed good sales not only across the Mediterranean but also beyond, was shipped to Black Sea ports. Nevertheless, the Ottoman Empire continued to be Russia’s main trading partner. Its vast territory stretched across the Balkans, Asia Minor, and North Africa, including numerous islands of the Archipelago. The southern regions of the Ottoman Empire provided Russia with a range of commodities, including fruit, rice, wine, and olive oil. In return, Russian merchants exported Russian leather, furs, iron, and wheat southwards. Following Greece’s independence in 1830, trade with this state, which had long been a conduit for Russian goods and whose sailors were renowned for their expertise in the Mediterranean, began to flourish. The advancement of the Black Sea trade was contingent upon the construction of ships, which reached a new standard following the establishment of additional ports in the Crimea and the Azov region. The evolution of the Black Sea trade has been a subject of interest for scholars, both Russian and international, who have utilized published statistical data and materials from the archives of Southern Russia. The author draws on a hitherto untapped body of sources, namely information from Russian consuls in the Archipelago, Turkey, and Greece, as well as materials from the Commercial Office of the Russian mission in Constantinople, which kept meticulous records of all commercial ships passing through the Straits. The author draws upon hitherto unexplored records from the Archive of Foreign Policy of the Russian Empire in order to expand the framework of established perceptions concerning the inception of South Russian maritime trade and the initial endeavours of the merchants of Odessa and Taganrog.

The Office of Shaykh al-‘Aql of the Druze in Lebanon

This book forum centers on Said Abou Zaki's Arabic book, “The Office of Shaykh al-‘Aql of the Druze in Lebanon.” It includes contributions from various scholars, each offering a unique perspective on the historical and institutional analysis of Druze religious leadership in Lebanon: Tuba Yildiz, Yusri Hazran, Akram Khater, and Abdul Rahman M. Chamseddine. Yildiz acknowledges the lack of historical readings and erroneous information in early 20th-century works on the Druze. She appreciates Abou Zaki's comprehensive study of Lebanese and Ottoman perspectives, offering a broader understanding of the Druze religious institution's development and its connection with the Ottoman Empire's socio-religious policies. Hazran commends the book for providing a comprehensive historical study of the Druze community's religious and spiritual leadership, shedding light on its evolution from the 11th century through to the Ottoman Empire's fall. Although the book excels in its research methods and historical insights, Hazran suggests strengthening it by addressing specific methodological and historical issues, such as placing the discussion on existing narratives and substantiating Emir Bashir Shihab II's role in the schism. Khater highlights the internal tensions in Abou Zaki's book arising from its threefold goals: serving as a historiographical essay, an origins story, and a history of Mashyakhat al-‘Aql. Khater commends the work's critical review of existing literature and acknowledges the book's significant contribution to understanding the position of Shaykh al-‘Aql amidst political crises. Chamseddine praised Abou Zaki's critical historiographical approach and genealogical method. Chamseddine highlights the importance of integrating oral histories and local traditions into academic research. He notes that Abou Zaki's work sheds light on the Druze community's religious evolution, although he critiques the book's occasional lack of coherence due to abrupt transitions and unexplained terminology. The reviewers concluded that the book constitutes a significant contribution to Druze Studies.

The Ālūsī Family between Baghdad and Istanbul: Imperial Connections and the Development of Salafi Commitments

Abstract The Ālūsīs of Baghdad were one of the most influential families in the late Ottoman Empire, producing various prolific scholars. They were inspired by Ibn Taymiyya, supported the permissibility of ijtihād, and criticized excessive Sufi practices. Although accused of being Wahhabi owing to their Salafi ideas, they maintained strong ties with the Ottoman state, holding judicial and bureaucratic positions. This article situates the family within the Ottoman imperial framework and explains how they navigated as Salafi scholars in the predominantly Ḥanafī-Māturīdī structure of the Ottoman Empire.

The role of cinema in Young Turk propaganda during the second constitutional era (1908–1913)

ABSTRACT This article examines the use of cinema by the Young Turk Movement, which played a significant role in transforming the Ottoman Empire from an absolutist regime into a constitutional monarchy in 1908. Upon gaining power, the Young Turks faced various external and internal political challenges, such as imperialist ambitions over Ottoman territory, Balkan states' efforts to reclaim lost lands, and separatist movements within the empire. This article explores how they used cinema to promote their political agenda and address these challenges. It argues that cinema was employed not only to display power and spread propaganda but also to project an image of governance aligned with constitutional ideals.