Nelly Hanna - Böcker

In 1517, the Ottoman Empire had finally defeated the Mamluk Sultanate in Egypt, completing their conquest of the Middle East and turning Egypt into a province of the Ottoman Empire. While much has been documented about the Mamluk period until 1517, publications on the historical record about the sixteenth century reveals little from distinctly Egyptian perspectives. In Empires in Friction, Nelly Hanna explores this transitional period and provides insight into the intricate dynamics of imperial control and political transition. With an original approach to understanding empire, Hanna challenges traditional narratives that emphasize the centralization of power and the dominance of the capital. Instead, she proposes a nuanced paradigm that focuses on the imperial problem of distance, the autonomy of provinces, and the continuity of local customs and economic activities across different imperial regimes. Hanna dives into the financial, economic, and commercial domains where Ottomanization happened. In each, the new ruling power faced challenges in understanding the existing processes, but ultimately the ability of Egyptian merchants to prosper under Ottoman rule shows how Egypt remained under the Ottomans for so many centuries. Hanna deftly demonstrates the strain and areas of conformity in transferring from one imperial system with specific traditions to another. Fused together through the continuation of provincial operation, the Mamluk and Ottoman rules were not observably differentiable during the sixteenth century as the periphery operated at an arm’s length from the Ottoman capital.

This text examines the re-emergence of the economic sector in Cairo during the 17th century, and its complex influences on social conditions. It traces the relationship between economic activities and culture through examining the life and work of Isma'il Abu Taqiyya - an Egyptian merchant.

In fine detail, Hanna explores economic influences on culture during periods of plenty and poverty during the first three centuries of Ottoman rule. She unveils a fully-fledged Cairene middle-class culture that bridges the gap between the salons (majalis) of the elite and the common people.

In 1517, the Ottoman Empire had finally defeated the Mamluk Sultanate in Egypt, completing their conquest of the Middle East and turning Egypt into a province of the Ottoman Empire. While much has been documented about the Mamluk period until 1517, publication on the historical record about the sixteenth century reveals little from distinctly Egyptian perspectives. In Empires in Friction, Nelly Hanna explores this transitional period and provides insight into the intricate dynamics of imperial control and political transition.With an original approach to understanding empire, Hanna challenges traditional narratives that emphasize the centralization of power and the dominance of the capital. Instead, she proposes a nuanced paradigm that focuses on the imperial problem of distance, the autonomy of provinces, and the continuity of local customs and economic activities across different imperial regimes.Hanna dives into the financial, economic, and commercial domains where Ottomanization happened. In each, the new ruling power faced challenges in understanding the existing processes, but ultimately the ability of Egyptian merchants to prosper under Ottoman rule shows how Egypt remained under the Ottomans for so many centuries. Hanna deftly demonstrates the strain and areas of conformity in transferring from one imperial system with specific traditions to another. Fused together through the continuation of provincial operation, the Mamluk and Ottoman rules are not observably differentiable during the sixteenth century as the periphery operates at an arm’s length from the Ottoman capital.

The study of the economic history of Islamic lands before 1800 has lagged behind the political, diplomatic and social history of the same area. This book covers three large topics: land, trades and money. It proposes entirely new perspectives on the non-European experience of ordinary people. This is a view from the inside about economic realities, suggesting ways to understand economic history in a social and cultural context. The first of its kind, it will be of vital use to all students of the area.