An Ottoman Century: The District of Jerusalem in the 1600s

by Dror Ze'evi

Based on micro-level research of the District of Jerusalem, this book addresses some of the most crucial questions concerning the Ottoman empire in a time of crisis and decline and decentralization, the rise of the notable elite, the urban-rural-pastoral nexus, agrarian relations and the encroachment of European economy. At the same time it paints a vivid picture of life in an Ottoman province. By integrating court record, petitions, chronicles and even local poetry, the book recreates a historical world that, though long vanished, has left an indelible imprint on the city of Jerusalem and its surroundings.

258 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1996

Reviews

[J.M. Hushour · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent urban history which takes on decline paradigms, Weber, Wallenstein, and all kinds of other shit. Using the 1703 revolt in the city as his endpoint, Ze'evi uses the preceding century's political and social developments to show that, yes, Ottoman control was very decentralized and whatnot, but that still didn't stop a lively local political scene to evolve which revolted against Istanbul when centralization was attempted. The European trade presence was the periphery (not the Jerusalemite economy), bedouins were hired military forces, and a high level of religious tolerance proliferated amongst the richness of the city's guilds and social circles. The urban-rural economic symbiosis discussed here is an excellent bit, too.