Spring 2005

HIS 331C • History of the Ottoman Empire

Course Description

This course is an introduction to the history of one of the last and greatest of the world empires. The Ottoman state lasted for more than six hundred years (1300-1923), extended its rule over vast territories in Europe, Asia and Africa, and was a major player on the global scene. The course reviews the main developments in the empire’s eventful history, from its origins as a small Turkish principality to its final breakup after World War I, examining its changing institutions and relationships with other powers. The lectures and readings also explore the social, economic and cultural life of the empire’s pluralistic population.

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