History of the Ottoman Empire, 1300-1839 [open]

For five centuries, the Ottoman Empire ruled much of Southeastern Europe, Asia Minor and the Near East, and affected directly or indirectly the historical developments in the wider Eurasian space. Over twenty contemporary states, including Greece, were formerly part of the sultans’ territory, and the formation and history of the modern nations in the region has been sealed by the experience of Ottoman rule. The course examines the history of the Ottoman state and its institutions from its emergence around 1300, until the beginning of the Tanzimat reforms in 1839. During this long period, there evolved a nexus of institutions and mechanisms for the administration of the state and the management of subjects, which underwent significant changes at the turn of the 17th and in the course of the 18th century. It was against this “old regime” that the Greeks revolted in 1821, while its legacy continues to preoccupy contemporary debates on the relationship between state and society in Greece and in other successor states. The course explores the formation of the Ottoman “old regime” in connection with the broader political, social, economic and ideological changes of the era. Among the issues addressed are the consolidation of the Ottoman principality and its transformation into empire, the mode of administration, major institutional changes and socio-economic developments, as well as and the relationship between state and subjects, imperial center and periphery.

Objectives

The course aims at acquainting students with the main events and the major political, social and economic developments in the Ottoman lands, not only as regards their internal dynamics but also in relation to the wider developments in world history. It also aims at familiarizing students with the nexus of institutions, practices and attitudes that shaped the context of life and action of the populations under Ottoman rule, especially in the Balkans and Anatolia.

Prerequisites

No prerequisites.

Syllabus

1. Concepts, termini, approaches 2. Before the Ottomans 3. The early Ottoman state 4. Expansion and contraction of the Ottoman territory 5. Relations with European states 6. The house of Osman 7. Social order and sultanic legitimation 8. Central administration 9. Provincial administration 10. Urban institutions 11. Land tenure and taxation 12. The Ottoman "ancien régime" 13. Reform and revolution