"Colin Imber's book is an excellent source for understanding the Ottoman Empire." (Cosmopolis, cosmopolis.ch, August 30, 2019)
Preface to the Third Edition.- Chronology.- The Dynasty.- Recruitment.- The Palace.- The Provinces: Anatolia and the Balkan Peninsula.- The Arab Provinces.- The Law.- The Army.- The Fleet.- Some Conclusions.
COLIN IMBER was Reader in Turkish at the University of Manchester, UK until his recent retirement.
This highly-praised and authoritative account surveys the history of the Ottoman Empire from its obscure origins in the fourteenth century, through its rise to world-power status in the sixteenth century, to the troubled times of the seventeenth century. Going beyond a simple narrative of Ottoman achievements and key events, Colin Imber uses original sources and research, as well as the rapidly growing body of modern scholarship on the subject, to show how the Sultans governed their realms and the limits on their authority.
A helpful chronological introduction provides the context, while separate chapters deal with the inner politics of the dynasty, the court and central government, the provinces, the law courts and legal system, and the army and fleet. Revised, updated and expanded, this new edition now also features a chapter on taxation and incorporates the most recent developments in the field throughout.