HISTORY OF THE OTTOMAN STATE AND CIVILISATION (English edition)
English edition: vol. 1, edited by Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, foreword by Halil İnalcik, Istanbul, 2001, vol. 2, edited and foreword by Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, Istanbul, 2002 (illustrated)
This collective work is the first volume of a comprehensive survey which covers the six hundred year-old history of the Ottoman state and civilisation from the formation of the Ottoman principality until the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey in 1923. Volume One comprises articles titled "From the Founding to Küçük Kaynarca", "From Küçük Kaynarca to the Collapse", "Ottoman State Organization", "Administrative Organization during the Tanzimat Period", "Ottoman Military Establishment", "The Ottoman Legal System", "Ottoman Society", "The Structure of the Ottoman Economy".
Volume Two includes articles titled "Ottoman Turkish", "Turkish Literature in Anatolia", "Turkish Literature during the Period of Westernization", "An Exploration into Intellectual Life during the Period of Westernization", "The Literature of Muslim Peoples in Europe during the Ottoman Period", "Aspects of Intellectual Life in the Arab Provinces during the Ottoman Period", "Ottoman Educational and Scholarly-Scientific Institutions", "The Ottoman Scientific-Scholarly Literature", "Art and Architecture", "The Art of Calligraphy in the Ottoman Empire", "The Art of Illumination in the Ottoman Empire".
This book is a product of the large-scale research project of IRCICA titled "History of Muslim Nations". It aims to give an objective account of the history of the Ottoman state and civilisation on the basis of the Ottoman archival sources, chronicles, and works by contemporary Western and Turkish scholars. The work includes 250 photographs.
Volume Three, the new edition of Volume One, as well as the Russian edition of the book are being prepared.
Price: First volume (in Turkish): US$60,
Second volume (in Turkish): US$60,
First volume ISBN 92-9063-051-5
Second volume ISBN 92-9063-052-3
Set ISBN 92-9063-053-1
Price: First volume (in Arabic): US$40,
Second volume (in Arabic): US$40,
First volume ISBN 92-9063-081-7
Second volume ISBN 92-9063-082-5
Set ISBN 92-9063-088-3
Price: First volume (in English): US$60,
Second volume (in English): US$60,
First volume ISBN 92-9063-114-7
Second volume ISBN 92-9063-115-5
Set ISBN 92-9063-116-3
This book is a comprehensive study of various aspects of the six hundred-year old history of the Ottoman State and civilisation from the formation of the Ottoman principality until the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey in 1923. Rather than enumerating the historical facts in a chronological order, the book treats the subjects at hand in an analytical way by detecting relations between the events and attempting to reach a synthesis. The first volume focuses on the following subjects: Ottoman political history, Ottoman state administration during the classical period, administrative organisation during and after the Tanzimat period, Ottoman military organisation, Ottoman legal system, Ottoman society, Ottoman economy. The second volume deals with the following subjects: language and literature, intellectual life, religion and thought, education and science, architecture and art - covering calligraphy, illumination and music.
Zaman newspaper, one of the most widely circulated daily newspapers of Turkey, re-printed the book in a handy edition in agreement with IRCICA, for distribution to readers as a cultural service.
"Since a long time, there was a need for a work on Ottoman history that would be written by specialists of the field, that could be easily read by the laymen but would still comply with the scholarly criteria. ... With its articles and its exquisite illustrations, this work edited by Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu has indeed become 'a concise (and exemplary) source of scholarly quality related to Ottoman political history, administrative institutions and civilisational history' (p. xxii). It deserves every praise." Nejat Goyunc, The Journal of Ottoman Studies XIX, Istanbul, 1999
"This new book authored by Turkish scholars, each one an authority in his/her field, has the quality to be the first book to take up the subjects of Ottoman history and Ottoman civilisation together." Zaman, 2 February 1995
"The Ottoman civilisation is described under all its aspects, and the subjects of architecture, fine arts, state administration, relations with other states, are examined." Ekrem Kaftan, Turkiye, No: 10, 27 January 1995
"Taking into consideration the place of the Ottoman State in world history and geography, the production of a scholarly work of such a scale would only have been possible through an organised institutional academic effort. In this respect, this book by IRCICA is meritorious. Aksiyon - Book, 11-17 March 1995
"... Research articles written by different persons around the axis of a particular theme have a greater quality as references." Dogan Hizlan, Hurriyet, 21 March 1996
"... The detailed index allows one to use this book as a very special encyclopaedia ..." Antik ve Dekor, No: 27 (1994)
"This work will be a standard reference in its field for years. The quality of the articles is high and the Western reader will safely use the Turkish views they contain." Klaus Kreiser, Bamberg University, Sudostforschungen (SOF), 19 January 2000
IRCICA’s book History of the Ottoman State, Society and Civilisation has been published in a Bosnian edition. The book had resulted from a collaborative research project of select scholars specialised on various aspects of Ottoman history. The aim was to produce a comprehensive reference on the Ottoman period on the basis of the Ottoman archival sources, chronicles, and works by contemporary Western and Turkish scholars. The first edition was published in two volumes in Turkish, in 1994 and 1997 respectively. Later, these volumes were translated into Arabic and English and published during 1999-2002. The Bosnian edition, produced with the cooperation of the Oriental Institute in Sarajevo, is fourth with respect to language. It is a big, single volume containing the majority of the chapters of the original edition.
A large-scale book launching ceremony was held on 12 April 2005 at the Bosnian Institute in Sarajevo, in presence of H.E. Sulejman Tihić, Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Also present were State Ministers Messrs. Safet Halilovic and Mirsad Kebo, the ambassadors of some countries and guests from universities and cultural circles. Prof.Dr. Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, Secretary General of the OIC, who is the Editor of the book, was present at the ceremony. IRCICA was represented by its Director General Dr. Halit Eren and Arch. Dr. Amir Pasic (IRCICA).
The Bosnian edition of the present book resulted from the collaboration between IRCICA and the Oriental Institute in Sarajevo. It was prepared under the co-editorship of Professors Enes Karic and Fehim Nametak. The project was coordinated by Dr. Behija Zlatar, Director of the Institute. The translation was done by Enes Karic, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kerima Filan (who also revised and harmonised the entire text), and Mrs. Amina Siljak Jasenkovic. Mr. Tarik Jesenkovic did the design.
This collective work is the first volume of a comprehensive survey which covers the six hundred year-old history of the Ottoman state and civilisation from the formation of the Ottoman principality until the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey in 1923. Volume One comprises articles titled "From the Founding to Küçük Kaynarca", "From Küçük Kaynarca to the Collapse", "Ottoman State Organization", "Administrative Organization during the Tanzimat Period", "Ottoman Military Establishment", "The Ottoman Legal System", "Ottoman Society", "The Structure of the Ottoman Economy".
Volume Two includes articles titled "Ottoman Turkish", "Turkish Literature in Anatolia", "Turkish Literature during the Period of Westernization", "An Exploration into Intellectual Life during the Period of Westernization", "The Literature of Muslim Peoples in Europe during the Ottoman Period", "Aspects of Intellectual Life in the Arab Provinces during the Ottoman Period", "Ottoman Educational and Scholarly-Scientific Institutions", "The Ottoman Scientific-Scholarly Literature", "Art and Architecture", "The Art of Calligraphy in the Ottoman Empire", "The Art of Illumination in the Ottoman Empire".
This book is a product of the large-scale research project of IRCICA titled "History of Muslim Nations". It aims to give an objective account of the history of the Ottoman state and civilisation on the basis of the Ottoman archival sources, chronicles, and works by contemporary Western and Turkish scholars. The work includes 250 photographs.
Volume Three, the new edition of Volume One, as well as the Russian edition of the book are being prepared.
Price: First volume (in Turkish): US$60,
Second volume (in Turkish): US$60,
First volume ISBN 92-9063-051-5
Second volume ISBN 92-9063-052-3
Set ISBN 92-9063-053-1
Price: First volume (in Arabic): US$40,
Second volume (in Arabic): US$40,
First volume ISBN 92-9063-081-7
Second volume ISBN 92-9063-082-5
Set ISBN 92-9063-088-3
Price: First volume (in English): US$60,
Second volume (in English): US$60,
First volume ISBN 92-9063-114-7
Second volume ISBN 92-9063-115-5
Set ISBN 92-9063-116-3
This book is a comprehensive study of various aspects of the six hundred-year old history of the Ottoman State and civilisation from the formation of the Ottoman principality until the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey in 1923. Rather than enumerating the historical facts in a chronological order, the book treats the subjects at hand in an analytical way by detecting relations between the events and attempting to reach a synthesis. The first volume focuses on the following subjects: Ottoman political history, Ottoman state administration during the classical period, administrative organisation during and after the Tanzimat period, Ottoman military organisation, Ottoman legal system, Ottoman society, Ottoman economy. The second volume deals with the following subjects: language and literature, intellectual life, religion and thought, education and science, architecture and art - covering calligraphy, illumination and music.
Zaman newspaper, one of the most widely circulated daily newspapers of Turkey, re-printed the book in a handy edition in agreement with IRCICA, for distribution to readers as a cultural service.
"Since a long time, there was a need for a work on Ottoman history that would be written by specialists of the field, that could be easily read by the laymen but would still comply with the scholarly criteria. ... With its articles and its exquisite illustrations, this work edited by Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu has indeed become 'a concise (and exemplary) source of scholarly quality related to Ottoman political history, administrative institutions and civilisational history' (p. xxii). It deserves every praise." Nejat Goyunc, The Journal of Ottoman Studies XIX, Istanbul, 1999
"This new book authored by Turkish scholars, each one an authority in his/her field, has the quality to be the first book to take up the subjects of Ottoman history and Ottoman civilisation together." Zaman, 2 February 1995
"The Ottoman civilisation is described under all its aspects, and the subjects of architecture, fine arts, state administration, relations with other states, are examined." Ekrem Kaftan, Turkiye, No: 10, 27 January 1995
"Taking into consideration the place of the Ottoman State in world history and geography, the production of a scholarly work of such a scale would only have been possible through an organised institutional academic effort. In this respect, this book by IRCICA is meritorious. Aksiyon - Book, 11-17 March 1995
"... Research articles written by different persons around the axis of a particular theme have a greater quality as references." Dogan Hizlan, Hurriyet, 21 March 1996
"... The detailed index allows one to use this book as a very special encyclopaedia ..." Antik ve Dekor, No: 27 (1994)
"This work will be a standard reference in its field for years. The quality of the articles is high and the Western reader will safely use the Turkish views they contain." Klaus Kreiser, Bamberg University, Sudostforschungen (SOF), 19 January 2000
IRCICA’s book History of the Ottoman State, Society and Civilisation has been published in a Bosnian edition. The book had resulted from a collaborative research project of select scholars specialised on various aspects of Ottoman history. The aim was to produce a comprehensive reference on the Ottoman period on the basis of the Ottoman archival sources, chronicles, and works by contemporary Western and Turkish scholars. The first edition was published in two volumes in Turkish, in 1994 and 1997 respectively. Later, these volumes were translated into Arabic and English and published during 1999-2002. The Bosnian edition, produced with the cooperation of the Oriental Institute in Sarajevo, is fourth with respect to language. It is a big, single volume containing the majority of the chapters of the original edition.
A large-scale book launching ceremony was held on 12 April 2005 at the Bosnian Institute in Sarajevo, in presence of H.E. Sulejman Tihić, Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Also present were State Ministers Messrs. Safet Halilovic and Mirsad Kebo, the ambassadors of some countries and guests from universities and cultural circles. Prof.Dr. Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, Secretary General of the OIC, who is the Editor of the book, was present at the ceremony. IRCICA was represented by its Director General Dr. Halit Eren and Arch. Dr. Amir Pasic (IRCICA).
The Bosnian edition of the present book resulted from the collaboration between IRCICA and the Oriental Institute in Sarajevo. It was prepared under the co-editorship of Professors Enes Karic and Fehim Nametak. The project was coordinated by Dr. Behija Zlatar, Director of the Institute. The translation was done by Enes Karic, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kerima Filan (who also revised and harmonised the entire text), and Mrs. Amina Siljak Jasenkovic. Mr. Tarik Jesenkovic did the design.
HISTORY OF THE OTTOMAN STATE, SOCIETY & CIVILISATION Edited by E. Ihsanoglu Research Centre for Islamic History, Art & Culture (IRClCA) 2002, Vol 1 , 827 pages, Vol.2, 822, 9290630531 Hb
The story of the birth, rise and decline of the Ottomans is a complex one. On the one hand, it is a history dominated by endless wars, conquests, territorial losses and alliances. On the other, it is six centuries of tremendous cultural and artistic achievements.
The History of the Ottoman State, Society & Civilisation is perhaps the first of its kind to provide an integrated approach to this once multinational and multicultural empire. The work covers in detail a widerange of topics as diverse as law, finance, industry, society, literature, science, art and architecture.
Ottoman history has been discussed many times before, but usually from a European perspective and largely on the basis of European sources. In an attempt to balance the picture, Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu and his team of experts have relied on Ottoman archival sources, chronicles and works published by contemporary scholars world-wide.
he History of the Ottoman State, Society & Civilisation is a collective publication divided into two volumes. The first focuses on the history of the Ottoman state and society from the formation of the Ottoman beylik (principality) until the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey in 1923. Its companion volume, deals with the history of Ottoman culture and civilisation.
Particularly fascinating is the transformation from state to empire and the Ottoman policy of integration. When new lands were conquered, the process of Ottomanization was gradual and tolerance was shown to the local population and their customs. This tolerant attitude characteristic of the early phase of the Ottoman state, is attributed to the inclination of the Ottomans towards mysticism. Often the sultans themselves were connected to a Sufi path. The connection is not surprising considering that the Ottoman Empire was built on the foundations laid by the Seljuks, who were themselves patrons of some of the most celebrated literary figures and mystics such as Nizami, Attarand Rumi.
One of the book’s most important contributions is the highlighting of the relationship between Ottoman social history and culture. It is interesting that the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, the Empire’s most representative manifestation, was the administrative and educational centre of the Ottomans for over 400 years. The hierarchical layout and progression of the palace with its public, administrative, educational and private areas – not to mention the Imperial Treasury, Tower of Justice and the artisan workshops is a microcosmic representation of the Ottoman social system.
The Ottoman concept of society stems from an interpretation of a verse from the Qur’an (43:32). This understanding forms the basis of Ottoman social order and political philosophy expressed in a formula called “the circle of justice”. “According to the Ottoman worldview, die loops that form the ‘the circle of justice’ are: justice, state, the Shari’a, sovereignty, army, wealth, and people … If one of the loops is missing, the state and the society are destined for destruction.” Taking into account the constant shift of power; the wars, defeats and successes, it is remarkable how the Ottomans were able to preserve such unity for over 600 years. Indeed, the Ottomans are one of the greatest empires ever to exist wiüi respect to longevity and geographical expanse. With the decline of the empire, there was a move towards westernisation. With the exception of calligraphy, all aspects of Ottoman life fell under European influence, including clothing, music, architecture and the traditional art of illumination.
The History of the Ottoman State, Society & Civilisation is a significant contribution to the field of history, and contains a rich bibliography, chronology and detailed index. It also includes, maps, photographs, diagrams and tables. Although it is primarily a scholarly work, it is nevertheless highly readable. An indispensable resource for anyone interested in Ottoman or World History.
