Approaching Ottoman History: An Introduction to the Sources

by Suraiya Faroqhi

In a state-of-the art introduction to Ottoman history, Suraiya Faroqhi explores the documentary sources and explains how to interpret them to students in the field and in related disciplines. By considering both archival and narrative sources, she demonstrates why they were prepared, encouraging her readers to adopt a critical approach to their findings. While the book is essentially a guide to a complex discipline for initiates into the field, the experienced Ottomanist will find much that is original and provocative in its sophisticated interpretation.

Genres: History

276 pages, Paperback

First published December 8, 1995

About the author

Suraiya Faroqhi was born in Berlin to a German mother and Indian father in 1941. She studied at Hamburg University and she came to Istanbul through a university exchange program when she was 21. At Istanbul University, she became a student of Ömer Lütfi Barkan. She completed her master's degree in Hamburg and between 1968-1970 she studied English Language Teaching at Indiana University-Bloomington. After her post-doctorate, she worked as English Lecturer at METU. She retired from METU in 1987 and from München Ludwig Maximillan Universität in 2005.

A turning point in her life came in 1962-63, when she took the opportunity to go to Istanbul University on a fellowship as an exchange student. Subsequently she became a student of Ömer Lüfti Barkan, one of the founding fathers of Ottoman history and an editor of Annales. When she first read Fernand Braudel at Barkan’s insistence, she “had the feeling that’s the sort of thing I wanted to do.” She wrote her doctoral thesis at Hamburg on a set of documents that a late 16th-century vizier submitted to his sultan discussing Ottoman politics at the time.[1]

She is regarded as one of the most important economic and social historians of the Ottoman Empire working today. Professor Faroqhi has written substantially on Ottoman urban history, arts and crafts, and on the hitherto underrepresented world of the ordinary people in the empire. She is well known for her distinctive approach to Ottoman everyday life and public culture. She has published numerous books and articles in the field of pre- modern Ottoman history.

Reviews

[Derek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strong introduction to Ottoman historiography. Faroqhi is undoubtedly prolific in her field (if not of particular interest to those of us more politically inclined). For the non-Ottomanist looking to garner something from the text, I'd suggest focusing on chapter 1 (the intro), chapter 7 (historiographical debates about the Ottoman Empire), and chapter 8, the conclusion. The rest will be less useful to those of us doing the modern ME.

[Joshua · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit dated, but otherwise a great intro. into the main issues in Ottoman scholarship

[Murat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Osmanlı Tarihini inceleme konusunda bir araştırmacının yapması gerekenleri rehber düzeyinde anlatan bir kitap. Yakınçağ üzerine çalışmam nedeniyle benim için tek sorun kitabın ağırlıklı olarak Yeniçağ üzerine çalışmalar yapanlar için hazırlanması.



-Ayrıca kitabın önemli yerlerini alıntı ve özet olarak Notion uygulaması üzerinden not aldım. İsteyenler bana mail adresimle ulaşırsa paylaşabilirim.

-In addition, I took note of the important parts of the book, as quotations and abstracts, through the Notion application. If anyone wants to reach me with my e-mail address, I can share it.

[Samet ÖNATA · Rating 3 out of 5]

Genel olarak kitap, tarih metodolojisi, kaynak ulaşımı ve kullanımı hakkında özel bilgi ve tavsiyeler vermektedir. Özellikle Tarih lisans öğrencileri için bir başucu kitabı denilebilecek türden bir eser. Alanı Yeniçağ olan lisansüstü tarihçileri açısından da oldukça kıymetli bilgiler içeriyor. Diğer alanlarda çalışan tarihçiler için kısmi faydalarının olabileceğini söylemekte mümkün.

[R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Como siempre un muy trabajo, bien estructurado, explicado de forma clara y elocuente, pone sobre el tapete todas las cuestiones actuales en la historiografía del Imperio Otomano, discute fuentes, recomienda lecturas fantásticas... Una lectura casi obligada para todos aquellos interesados en ser otomanistas, aunque convendría que se lanzase al mercado una edición actualizada ya que la presente tiene más de diez años - única razón por la que le doy 4 estrellas en vez de 5.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read. Great information for the research. Faroqhi is one of the top Middle Eastern historians so whether it is this text or another she is worth reading.

[Pinar G · Rating 5 out of 5]

My magnificient professor who wrote this book is an amazing person. This book is also a good summary of her immense study in her life

[Büşra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably the best book I have read for the research so far from my favourite historian.