Cemal Kafadar offers a much more subtle and complex interpretation of the early Ottoman period than that provided by other historians. His careful analysis of medieval as well as modern historiography from the perspective of a cultural historian demonstrates how ethnic, tribal, linguistic, religious, and political affiliations were all at play in the struggle for power in Anatolia and the Balkans during the late Middle Ages.

This highly original look at the rise of the Ottoman empire—the longest-lived political entity in human history—shows the transformation of a tiny frontier enterprise into a centralized imperial state that saw itself as both leader of the world's Muslims and heir to the Eastern Roman Empire.

Cemal Kafadar is Associate Professor of History at Harvard University.

“Kafadar enters into the re-examination of the rise of the Ottomans. . . . Hardly an aspect of this highly researched work will be free of controversy. Therein lies its strength.”—The Historian

“Penetrating analysis. . . . May well become the definitive treatment of the subject. . . . Kafadar’s contribution should be of considerable value not just for its treatment of Ottoman origins, but also as an example of what sophisticated methodology can achieve in the field of Islamic history, where it is still little practiced.”—Journal of Interdisciplinary History

“With this compelling scholarly contribution, Cemal Kafadar is constructively provocative to the point where such informed speculation is unlikely to end here; nor should it, since it is such a seminal subject among Ottomanists. . . . This study embraces a skillful elaboration . . . that brings the level of Ottoman origins to a new high.”—International History Review

“An interesting and thoughtful book which is best viewed through the layering of the thematic content, personal persuasion, and style that typify it. . . . Kafadar’s style is clear and the book quite readable.”—Journal of Islamic Studies

“Kafadar’s book is most timely. He is not only familiar with the primary sources, and the often thorny problems posed by their interpretations; he is also well aware of a wide range of work currently being undertaken outside the Ottoman field, particularly in European medieval studies. Even more to the point, he approaches the secondary literature with a critical mind. . . . Impressively fair-minded, Kafadar makes his own position clear from the outset: He intervenes in the debate as a Turkish scholar whose cosmopolitan experiences have given him a thorough skepticism concerning the many claims of the relevant rival nationalisms. Thus, he treats early Ottoman history in a manner that takes complexity into account, refusing to construct neat alternatives that do violence to real life. . . . Scholarly sophistication and intricacy, combined with a clear exegesis of the relevant material, make this an enjoyable book to read.”—International Journal of Middle East Studies

“Kafadar contributes a distinguished addition to Ottoman studies with this thoughtful and thought-provoking discussion of the pioneer phase of Ottoman state building between the late 13th century and 1453. . . . It is a measure of the breadth and seriousness of his approach that his reflections on history, nationalism, and historic folk memory acquire an immediate relevance in the present context of the enormities occurring in those Balkan lands that were once among the Ottomans' oldest territorial acquisitions.”—Choice

1996 M. Fuat Köprülü Award, The Turkish Studies Association