The Ottoman Empire and the Bosnian Uprising: Janissaries, Modernisation and Rebellion in the Nineteenth Century

(Hardback)

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Bosnia enjoyed a special status within the Ottoman Empire. Many of the empire's 'janissaries', an elite military stratum of soldiers and nobleman, hailed from this Balkan region. So when Sultan Mehmet II abolished this warrior class in 1826, and this curtailed the regions access to influence in Constantinople, Bosnia rebelled. Under the leadership of Husein Gradascevic, the 'dragon of Bosnia', the kingdom declared independence and waged war with the Ottoman Empire. For the first time, Fatma Sel Turhan illuminates a period of crucial importance to the Balkan regions. She argues convincingly that the uprising was a response to Ottoman moves towards modernization designed to save the Ottoman Empire from decline, but which eventually led to its demise. She assesses how far the uprising can be considered a nationalist movement, who the rebels were, and how the central authorities dealt with and punished the perpetrators. "The Ottoman Empire and the Bosnian Uprising" is a major fresh contribution to our understanding of the late Ottoman world and the history of the Balkans.

Reviews

This is a well documented, skilfully presented study of the response of Bosnians to the centralization and reform policies of the Ottoman government during the nineteenth century. Focusing on the critical period 1826 to 1836, Fatma Sel Turhan shows how Ottoman efforts to keep the empire together led not only to popular rebellions but also proved to be the first phase in the transition to a new order. This insightful book should be recommended reading for all those interested in the late Ottoman Empire and the history of the Balkans. Sevket Pamuk, Professor of History at Bogazici University, Istanbul.

Author Bio

Fatma Sel Turhan holds a PhD in History from Bogazici University.