Under Osman's Tree: The Ottoman Empire, Egypt, and Environmental History

by Alan Mikhail

Osman, the founder of the Ottoman Empire, had a dream in which a tree sprouted from his navel. As the tree grew, its shade covered the earth; as Osman’s empire grew, it, too, covered the earth. This is the most widely accepted foundation myth of the longest-lasting empire in the history of Islam, and offers a telling clue to its unique legacy. Underlying every aspect of the Ottoman Empire’s epic history—from its founding around 1300 to its end in the twentieth century—is its successful management of natural resources. Under Osman’s Tree  analyzes this rich environmental history to understand the most remarkable qualities of the Ottoman Empire—its longevity, politics, economy, and society.
 
The early modern Middle East was the world’s most crucial zone of connection and interaction. Accordingly, the Ottoman Empire’s many varied environments affected and were affected by global trade, climate, and disease. From down in the mud of Egypt’s canals to up in the treetops of Anatolia, Alan Mikhail tackles major aspects of the Middle East’s environmental natural resource management, climate, human and animal labor, energy, water control, disease, and politics. He also points to some of the ways in which the region’s dominant religious tradition, Islam, has understood and related to the natural world. Marrying environmental and Ottoman history, Under Osman’s Tree offers a bold new interpretation of the past five hundred years of Middle Eastern history.

Genres: History, Environment, Nonfiction, Middle East

352 pages, Hardcover

Published March 13, 2017

Reviews

[Revanth Ukkalam · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Ottoman Empire was an ecosystem."

Under Osman's Tree is a superb subaltern study of the Middle East of the Ottoman times. Here Mikhail gives voice to not just the people below but all those elements which can claim centrality but cannot really speak for themselves: water, silt, rats, and horses. Not just is this a subaltern book but also one that lies on the 'unending frontier' of environmental history. It runs a great distance from the peasants in Egypt who controlled the canals commissioned by Istanbul to the volcanic eruption in Iceland which killed 1/6th of Egypt's population by way of famine.

[Annette · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an excellent introduction to the environmental history of Egypt under the Ottomans. It touches on a variety of issues and shortcomings in the existing literature. However, due to its broad scope, many of the arguments felt underdeveloped and at some points it felt like Mikhail was stating the obvious (although sometimes scholars have to do this).

[Caleb Mattinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Under Osman's Tree is a delightful and insightful read into the Ottoman Empire and its essential environmental elements, particularly in Egypt. Whether it is issues of irrigation, sources of labor, disease, or the role of animals in the economy, Mikhail provides in-depth research at an easy and approachable level that any audience can enjoy.

[Bethany Mcdowell James · Rating 4 out of 5]

An incredible examination of the legal and environmental history of Ottoman Egypt.