The cultural heritage of the Ottoman Empire has traditionally been presented to us through its monuments and high arts. Our understanding of its culture has thus come from a world created by and for sultans, viziers and the elite of the Empire. But what of the world of the craftsmen and tradesmen who produced the monuments and artefacts? Or the townspeople who prayed in the mosques, drank water from the sebils or passed by the mausolea in the ordinary course of their lives? How did they live and die? To date no book has adequately explored the day-to-day life of the common people during the centuries of Ottoman rule. In this new edition Faroqhi explores the urban world of the Ottoman lands from the Middle Ages to the early 20th century, describing the social significance of the popular arts and crafts of the period and examining the interaction among the diverse populations and classes of the Empire.

The following book, embody the results of an earnest attempt to set forth the chief characteristics of those heterogeneous nationalities which, in process of time and by virtue of conquest, have fallen under the dominion of Islam. The work deals with the Ottoman and Christian subjects of the Sultan generally, but chiefly with the Turks of Constantinople. In the preparation of this edition of his work the author has endeavoured to bring the contents up to the present date, without, however, entering into too many details, whereby the book, already a bulky one, would have become both tedious and cumbersome. Many friends have aided him in this task by their advice and assistance, amongst them being His Excellency D. G. Metaxas, the Greek Plenipotentiary to our Court, who most kindly read, and in part revised, the chapter on the Greeks in Constantinople. The author has studied his subject with a serious desire to bring before the intelligent reading public of this country such facts and such anecdotes (elucidatory and explanatory) as may enable an impartial reader to form a fair conclusion as to the present conditions and the probable destiny of that great Oriental Empire on whose future action and fate so much of the peace and welfare of Western Europe depends. To attain such a purpose, a knowledge of the life and manners of the Turks and of the Eastern Christians, and of their religious and political views, is indispensable. And the writer of this book offers as an excuse for this bulky volume that his researches on the spot, as well as in every attainable work of authority on a subject so wide, so deep, and so important could not, with justice, be compressed into a smaller space. On the other hand, each chapter of this book could easily be developed into a thick volume by itself, and yet not exhaust its subject.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

This book explores the relationship between the Sultan and his subjects in the Ottoman Empire, from the early years of the Empire to the decline of the Sultanate in the 20th century. It provides a detailed analysis of the political, economic, and social factors that shaped Ottoman politics and society, and sheds light on the complexities of Ottoman politics and governance. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.