The Department of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies
Subject: Persian Epic, Ottoman Historiography, and the Formation of Ottoman Imperial Identity in the Court of Bāyezīd II (1481-1512).
Supervisor: Dr. Julia Rubanovich and Prof. Eyal Ginio.
Abstract: My study concerns the formation of imperial identity in the Ottoman court of Sultan Bāyezīd II (r. 1481-1512). During this period, profound changes took place in the Ottoman state. Following the conquest of the city of Constantinople in 1453, it gradually began to transform into a world-spanning empire, a process that led the Ottoman elite to seek new sources of legitimacy better to suit their changing situation as rulers of world power. As a result, a unique Ottoman imperial identity began to develop in the court, drawing upon elements from the various cultures and traditions that prevailed in the Ottoman realm. I aim to illuminate the early formation of this identity by focusing on one of these traditions, which has yet to be thoroughly studied – Islamic-Persian heritage, and particularly, Persian epic poetry. I intend to examine why the Ottomans began using the model of epic writing in Persian for writing their histories, why this phenomenon started only in the second half of the fifteenth century, and how writing according to this model impacted the formation of imperial Ottoman identity during those years.
Azrieli Scholarship 2022/23
Mandel Scholion Alumni