A Social History of Ottoman Istanbul
Cambridge University Press, 4/15/2010
EAN 9780521136235, ISBN10: 0521136237
Paperback, 378 pages, 23.1 x 15.4 x 1.8 cm
Language: English
Using a wealth of contemporary Ottoman sources, this book recreates the social history of Istanbul, a huge, cosmopolitan metropolis and imperial capital of the Ottoman Empire. Seat of the Sultan and an opulent international emporium, Istanbul was also a city of violence shaken regularly by natural disasters and by the turmoil of sultanic politics and violent revolt. Its inhabitants, entertained by imperial festivities and cared for by the great pious foundations which touched every aspect of their lives, also amused themselves in the numerous pleasure gardens and the many public baths of the city. While the book is focused on Istanbul, it presents a broad picture of Ottoman society, how it was structured and how it developed and transformed across four centuries. As such, the book offers an exciting alternative to the more traditional histories of the Ottoman Empire.
Introduction
1. Conquest
2. The palace and the populace
3. Fear and death
4. Welfare
5. The consuming city
6. Outings and excursions
7. The hamam
8. The nineteenth century
Beyond the city
Chronology
Who's who.
'The authors paint a vivid picture of the Ottoman capital, as seen through Ottoman eyes and as it appeared to foreign visitors down the ages. Every serious visitor to Istanbul should read this book.' Colin Imber