European views of the Ottomans
European interaction with the Islamic world is not a recent phenomenon. The study of Orientalism is today as important as ever, and studying its early forms sheds light on historical reasons for modern interaction. The EU-funded project 'European Orientalism' (EOS) aimed to compare German and English responses to the Ottoman Empire between 1500 and 1650. The study addressed five major themes using historical documents including military accounts, travel narratives and dramatic pageants. EOS ran over two years to September 2012, and fell under the Marie Curie career development programme for researchers. First, the research began with a comparison of German and English texts describing a Turkish threat to Europe. The analysis focused on key events, including the 1529 Siege of Vienna and the Battle of Lepanto, and compared the respective portrayals of the Turks. Additionally, the study examined dissemination of such materials between Germany and England. A second level of research explored more positive travel accounts of the Ottomans, which challenged the threat mentality and contributed valuable new understanding for the time. Another element compared German and English historical accounts, some of which incorporated Turkish material. Unlike the study's earlier comparisons, these documents showed real differences, indicating that Europe was not uniformly hostile to the east. EOS also compared European artistic and dramatic responses to the Ottomans, again showing English/German differences. Research output consisted of two published book chapters, and one article is under review. Another three draft chapters were also prepared on the histories of Islam as portrayed in modern English writings, and four conference papers have been produced. The legacy of EOS was an innovative reappraisal of historical mechanisms affecting different European national responses to the Orient. That means a more complete understanding of how modern relationships evolved.
Keywords
Ottoman Empire, Orientalism, military accounts, travel narratives, dramatic pageants, threat mentality
