Ottoman ceremonies and pageants became so popular that the courts of European dukes and princes began to emulate them. During the 16th and 17th centuries, Ottoman visual material culture became an integral part of European court ceremonies, in which Ottoman costumes and objects—that had been looted during the Battle of Lepanto—began to appear in pageants and as diplomatic gifts between European monarchs symbolising power, authority and even colonial possibility.

Source:

M. Mustafa, Legacy of Ottoman Renaissance Material and Visual Culture in the Early Modern World, 1400-1699 (Sydney: Centre for Ottoman Renaissance and Civilisation, 2023), 113, 122.

This podcast explores the higher education reforms implemented by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in Turkey during the 1930s, in which Albert Einstein was a significant contributor.

Source:

M. Mustafa, Perceptions of the Other: Eurocentrism in the Historiography of Islam from the Medieval Period to the Modern Era ~ Clash of Civilisations or Dialogue of Cultures? Revised Edition (Sydney: Centre for Ottoman Renaissance and Civilisation, 2025), 192-198.

Given that the majority of his writings are in Turkish, Professor Bayraktar Bayraklı's significant contributions remain largely unrecognised beyond Turkey's borders. My objective in translating this specific excerpt from his work Medeniyetlerin Batışı (Fall of Civilisations) into English is to enhance awareness of his substantial impact on Islam and Islamic Studies. For many years, he and his colleagues, including the late scholar Yaşar Nuri Öztürk, have been tirelessly working to eliminate superstitious elements that have infiltrated the Islamic faith, which have also influenced Qur’anic interpretations within the modern context, complicating the ability of Muslims to navigate their religion in contemporary society. Centuries of ignorance and a lack of foresight have hindered Muslims from advancing in the realms of science and technology. Through the lens of the Qur’an, Professor Bayraklı illustrates Allah’s guidance for humanity, ultimately leading to the recognition of its missteps and the necessary changes required to live in accordance with His wisdom.

Source:

B. Bayraklı, Medeniyetlerin Batışı (Istanbul: Düşün Yayıncılık, 2021), 255-298.

The pleasing and charming rococo style aptly suited Ottoman art aesthetics with its arabesque saz scrolls on Iznik çini tiles, textiles, the cursive scripts of Ottoman-Turkish and Arabic Qur’an, and reliance on chinoiserie motifs of flowers, fruits and landscapes. Early introduction of rococo elements into the Ottoman oeuvre in 1579 precede one of the earliest French rococo interior design works in the Chateau de Marly (1679-1684). This podcast explores the distinctively Ottoman rococo art form.

Source:

M. Mustafa, Oriental Imaginings, Oriental Refashioning: Turquerie, the Tulip Age, and Ottoman Modernity, 1683-1867 (Sydney: Centre for Ottoman Renaissance and Civilisation, 2023), 88.

The Mediterranean Zeitgeist is of historical significance because it draws on comparative analysis of the accomplishments of early modern Europe and the Ottoman Empire respectively. By re-Orienting the Renaissance, the history of the early modern Mediterranean civilisations in the sixteenth century underscores the shared cultural and artistic heritage of the region.

M. Mustafa, The Mediterranean Zeitgeist: Re-Orienting the Renaissance. Essays Series (Sydney: Centre for Ottoman Renaissance and Civilisation, 2021), 1-2.

Following a span of 624 years, the Ottoman Empire came to an end after the First World War, marked by the signing of the Treaty of Sevres in 1920, which permitted the Allied Powers to occupy Turkey. Nevertheless, European imperialism faced opposition from Mustafa Kemal, who spearheaded the Turkish War of Independence from 1919 to 1922. The establishment of the republic in 1923 and the subsequent dissolution of the Ottoman Caliphate in 1924 signified the Ottoman Empire's transition into the pages of history.

By the conclusion of the 19th century, the Ottoman millet system, which was instituted in the 15th century by Mehmed II, had provided the empire's non-Muslim subjects, such as the Armenians and Greeks, with religious, linguistic, and cultural autonomy. However, this system had evolved into intense nationalism, leading to extremist actions by these cultural groups against the Ottoman State.

The podcast explores the political, social, and military advancements of the Ottoman Empire, beginning with the conquest of Constantinople in 1453 by Mehmed II, Bajezid I, and Selim I.