Course Synopsis:

This course will examine the rise of the Ottoman Empire in the 14th century in its historical context as the inheritor of Turco-Mongolian, Perso-Islamic, and Byzantine imperial legacies, situated strategically in both Europe and the Middle East.  We will trace the evolution of this empire from its inception as a frontier principality, through its many struggles and transformations in the course of 600 years as a world empire, until its demise in the 20th century, after the end of World War One.  Using a thematic, comparative approach, we will delve into the historical specificities of the Ottoman Empire and the diverse peoples that allowed its existence to be sustained for centuries, and the later breakdown of some of these internal governing mechanisms (i.e. the rise of nationalism in the Empire).  Students will also investigate the historiographical debates surrounding various aspects of writing Ottoman history.

Tentative Method of Assessment:

Response Papers - 25%
Magnificent Century review - 20%
Book Review Assignment - 20%
Take-home Final Essay Exam - 35%

Texts and/or Resources Required:

Daniel Goffman, The Ottoman Empire and Early Modern Europe (Cambridge University Press, 2002).
Donald Quataert, The Ottoman Empire 1700-1922 (Cambridge University Press 2000).

*Please note:  This is a preliminary web course description only.  The department reserves the right to change without notice any information in this description.  The final, binding course outline will be distributed in the first class of the semester.