An Ottoman Statesman in War & Peace: Ahmed Resmi Efendi, 1700-1783

Description

This study of the life and milieu of a statesman, utilizing a wide array of hitherto unused chronicle and documentary material, offers new insights into many aspects of Ottoman eighteenth-century society. Subjects touched upon include career development and patronage in the central bureaucracy, increasing knowledge and interest in European diplomacy, and the impact of war on traditional attitudes. Of particular interest is the section on the 1768-74 Russo-Turkish War, a traumatic awakening for the Ottomans, who yielded significant territory, but were also faced with the necessity of reconstructing a polity and ideology which no longer produced results on the battlefield. Ahmed Resmi was the first of a new generation of statesmen who saw real virtue in the rationalization of war and the need for peace within prescribed borders. Contents Acknowledgments Introduction I. Ahmed Resmi's Early Career II. Ahmed Resmi in Vienna and Berlin: A Glimpse of the Other III. The Russo-Turkish War, 1768 to 1774: On the Battlefront IV. Ahmed Resmi’s Post-War Career and Contribution toOttoman Political Discourse Glossary Bibliography Index