Subjects of the Sultan Culture and Daily Life in the Ottoman Empire - Softcover

UNIVERSITY OF DUNDEE'[Faroqhi] has produced here an impressive and thoughtful study of Ottoman social culture which is witnessed by her acknowledgement of the work of well-respected scholars, the inclusion of a chronology which usefully highlights relevant cultural events, and a superb bibliography of English, French, German and Turkish publications...a stimulating read.'-Jennifer M Scarce, University of DundeeINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TURKISH STUDIES'One of the most prolific of present-day Ottoman historians...her forte is her complete ease in using the Ottoman archives not only to capture and retell the stories buried in the records but also to weave some sense of the ordinary and extraordinary aspects of a distant empire into a story that is accessible to a literate audience.'-Virginia H. Askan, McMaster UniversityMESA BULLETIN'...interesting and erudite...stimulating...This book is highly suitable as a text for courses in Ottoman history or Middle Eastern cultural history. The prose is clear and accessible, and the presentation not overly complex or obscure. Its mixture of broad analysis and striking detail make it an attractive initiation for undergraduates into debates about Ottoman cultural history. Graduate students, too, would benefit from a close reading of the text, which is studded with off-hand questions and asides that could easily launch entire dissertations. Her command of the historical literature and ability to identify potential lines of research are truly impressive. For anyone seeking a well-informed overview of Ottoman cultural history, Faroqhi's book will stand out as a valuable guide.'-James Grehan, Portland State University

The cultural heritage of the Ottoman Empire has traditionally been presented to us through its monuments and high arts. Our understanding of its culture has thus come from a world created by and for sultans, viziers and the elite of the Empire. But what of the world of the craftsmen and tradesmen who produced the monuments and artefacts? Or the townspeople who prayed in the mosques, drank water from the sebils or passed by the mausolea in the ordinary course of their lives? How did they live and die? To date no book has adequately explored the day-to-day life of the common people during the centuries of Ottoman rule. In this new edition Faroqhi explores the urban world of the Ottoman lands from the Middle Ages to the early 20th century, describing the social significance of the popular arts and crafts of the period and examining the interaction among the diverse populations and classes of the Empire.