Empire And Power In The Reign Of Süleyman: Narrating The Sixteenth-century Ottoman World (cambridge Studies In Islamic Civilization)
by Kaya Şahin /
2013 / English / Kindle
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Kaya Şahin's book offers a revisionist reading of Ottoman history
during the reign of Süleyman the Magnificent (1520-1566). By
examining the life and works of a bureaucrat, Celalzade Mustafa,
Şahin moves beyond traditional, teleological approaches and argues
that the empire was built as part of the Eurasian momentum of
empire building, and demonstrates the imperial vision of
sixteenth-century Ottomans. This unique study shows that, in
contrast with many Eurocentric views, the Ottomans were active
players in European politics, with an imperial culture in direct
competition with that of the Habsburgs and the Safavids. Indeed,
this book explains Ottoman empire building with reference to the
larger Eurasian context, from Tudor England to Mughal India,
contextualizing such issues as state formation, imperial policy,
and empire building in the period more generally. Şahin's work also
devotes significant attention to the often-ignored religious
dimension of the Ottoman-Safavid struggle, showing how the rivalry
redefined Sunni and Shiite Islam, laying the foundations for
today's religious tensions.
Kaya Şahin's book offers a revisionist reading of Ottoman history
during the reign of Süleyman the Magnificent (1520-1566). By
examining the life and works of a bureaucrat, Celalzade Mustafa,
Şahin moves beyond traditional, teleological approaches and argues
that the empire was built as part of the Eurasian momentum of
empire building, and demonstrates the imperial vision of
sixteenth-century Ottomans. This unique study shows that, in
contrast with many Eurocentric views, the Ottomans were active
players in European politics, with an imperial culture in direct
competition with that of the Habsburgs and the Safavids. Indeed,
this book explains Ottoman empire building with reference to the
larger Eurasian context, from Tudor England to Mughal India,
contextualizing such issues as state formation, imperial policy,
and empire building in the period more generally. Şahin's work also
devotes significant attention to the often-ignored religious
dimension of the Ottoman-Safavid struggle, showing how the rivalry
redefined Sunni and Shiite Islam, laying the foundations for
today's religious tensions.