Global encounters: Europe and the Ottoman Empire, 1206-1368
- Course Code: HWH98
- Dates: 13/05/24 - 24/06/24
- Time: 15:00 - 17:00
- Taught: Mon, Daytime
- Duration: 6 sessions (over 7 weeks)
- Location: Keeley Street
- Tutor: Vanessa King
Course Code: HWH98
Duration: 6 sessions (over 7 weeks)
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What is the course about?
This is an introductory course that explores the rise of the Ottoman Turks with particular focus on their interaction with the West.
Over 6 weeks we will look at key events and themes that underpinned relations between Islam and Christians in medieval and early modern Europe.
What will we cover?
We begin by exploring the background history and themes that emerge during the Middle Ages. On the one hand there were fundamental religious differences, but on the other, the Ottomans controlled the trade routes to the spices and silks in the Far East.
In week two, we study the rise of the family of Osman, later known as the Ottomans. Our focus will be on Mehmet’s capture of Constantinople (Istanbul) in 1453 and its impact on Europe.
Week three will focus on the sixteenth century which saw the apogee of Ottoman power and the first European ambassadors to the sultan’s court.
Weeks four and five will be devoted to the art and literature that emerged to visualise ‘the Turk’.
In our final week we study the autobiography of Osman of Timisoara who spent years in Vienna as a Turkish captive.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Identify ways in which Christians and Muslims interacted during the immediate aftermath of 1453
- Describe the interaction between European ambassadors and the Ottoman court as revealed in the letters of Ogier Busbecq
- Explain the causes and consequences of the battle of Lepanto (1571) and siege of Vienna (1683) as depicted in art.
- Interpret seventeenth-century Muslim attitudes towards the West from the writings of Celebi and Osman of Timisoara.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This course is for anyone with an enquiring mind and an enthusiasm for history. No previous knowledge is
necessary but a good understanding of English is essential.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Each week there will be an informative talk, using PowerPoint, during which class discussion will be encouraged.
We shall use small group work to analyse original sources and a range of handouts will be available for discussion
purposes.
Occasionally small pieces of homework reading will be distributed to augment your knowledge. You are
encouraged to bring along/describe items you have read in newspapers/heard on radio/seen on TV you think may be of interest to the group.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
There are no additional costs although you may wish to bring note-taking materials.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
If you are interested in pursuing the study of cross-cultural encounters, you might consider enrolling on the course Global Encounters: Europe and the Far East before 1700 scheduled for autumn 2023.
Vanessa King is a reitred university lecturer in Medieval and early Modern History. She is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and Honorary Fellow of Birkbeck College University of London. At City Lit, Vanessa offers courses and day schools on London, European, and Global Encounters in the Far East. She has published widely on the Anglo-Norman period (1066-1154), and is currently writing a book on Early English Queenship 600-1066 for Routledge. You can follow her progress via her website: https://queenshipinpreconquestengland.wordpress.com/ Vanessa’s expertise in medieval matters means she is frequently called upon to give public lectures and speak on BBC Radio. Vanessa's philosophy of teaching is to make history come alive through informative presentations with a good sense of humour. In her spare time, she enjoys nothing better than talking history over a glass of red wine!
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
