first impression
opening section of the ottomans: khans, caesars, and caliphs is immediately engaging. building the context by straight into framing what the ottomans actually WERE.
not just a muslim empire
the book makes it clear early: the ottomans weren’t simply another islamic polity. they sat between worlds and consciously operated as a bridge between east and west.
they ruled muslims, christians, jews. they are the origin of tolerance and secularism.
byzantine inheritance
they inherited byzantium:
- roman imperial administration
- caesar logic of sovereignty
- continuity of empire
hence the title kayser-i rum. but they also inherit the "image" of the byzantine from the eyes of the roman world. these are, medieval, backward, Oriental, and religiously distinct.
the exclusion
weird how they're basically absent from renaissance narratives, despite literally controlling the eastern mediterranean during that exact period. they preserved roman law, patronized arts and sciences, facilitated trade routes. but western historiography treats the renaissance as purely european, as if the ottomans were just a backdrop threat rather than active participants in the same world.
cant wait to read the full book and see how much this reframes things.