A Masterpiece from Word to Image: Siyer-i Nebi
Uncover the story of Siyer-i Nebi, the magnificent 1595 Ottoman manuscript depicting the life of Prophet Muhammad. Learn about its unique iconography, dispersed volumes, and the artists who created it.
Mirasium
Digital Memory of Anatolian Cultural Heritage
Mirasium
Digital Memory of Anatolian Cultural Heritage
Tag Ottoman Empire
Turquerie: The 18th-Century European Craze for Ottoman Art, Fashion, and Music
Explore the Turquerie movement that captivated 18th-century Europe, turning Ottoman-inspired fashion, art, music, and coffee rituals into symbols of refinement. Discover how diplomatic visits, Lady Montagu’s letters, and master painters reshaped the West’s fascination with the East.
James Ellsworth De Kay’s Sketches of Turkey: An American Traveler Defying Orientalism and Philhellenism in 1830s Istanbul
Explore how American doctor James Ellsworth De Kay’s 1833 travelogue Sketches of Turkey challenged 19th-century Orientalism and Philhellenism, offering a unique portrait of Ottoman Istanbul under Mahmud II.
Slavery in the Ottoman Empire: From Slave to Royal Consort and Grand Vizier
Explore the unique nature of slavery in the Ottoman Empire. This article examines the kul and devshirme systems, the legal rights of slaves, and the extraordinary social mobility that allowed individuals like Hürrem Sultan and Sokollu Mehmed Pasha to rise from servitude to the heights of imperial power.
In the Light of Travelogues: 17th‑Century Anatolia – Taking the Pulse of an Empire
Discover the social, economic, and cultural fabric of 17th-century Anatolia through the eyes of Evliya Çelebi, Paul Rycaut, and other travelers. Embark on a journey that takes the pulse of an empire in the light of travelogues.