Fifteenth Century Ottoman Realities — Heath W Lowry

This work examines the manner in which the Ottomans established control in the fourteenth and fifteenth century over a largely Orthodox Christian population in the Balkans and Aegean basin It argues that their success in ruling the multi ethnic multi confessioanl state thus created was due less to force of numbers than it was o their granting a wide variety of concessions and privileges to their subjects This policy known as istimalet or good will and accomodation stemned according to Lowry from a combination of factors including a severe shortage of trained manpower to administer their ever grawing politiy and an understanding from a remarkably early period that the fruits of conquest booty and slaves were no substitute for the steady flow of income tax revenues which could be obtained from a population whose support they enjoyed

This work examines the manner in which the Ottomans established control in the fourteenth and fifteenth century over a largely Orthodox Christian population in the Balkans and Aegean basin It argues that their success in ruling the multi ethnic multi confessioanl state thus created was due less to force of numbers than it was o their granting a wide variety of concessions and privileges to their subjects This policy known as istimalet or good will and accomodation stemned according to Lowry from a combination of factors including a severe shortage of trained manpower to administer their ever grawing politiy and an understanding from a remarkably early period that the fruits of conquest booty and slaves were no substitute for the steady flow of income tax revenues which could be obtained from a population whose support they enjoyed

This work examines the manner in which the Ottomans established control in the fourteenth and fifteenth century over a largely Orthodox Christian population in the Balkans and Aegean basin It argues that their success in ruling the multi ethnic multi confessioanl state thus created was due less to force of numbers than it was o their granting a wide variety of concessions and privileges to their subjects This policy known as istimalet or good will and accomodation stemned according to Lowry from a combination of factors including a severe shortage of trained manpower to administer their ever grawing politiy and an understanding from a remarkably early period that the fruits of conquest booty and slaves were no substitute for the steady flow of income tax revenues which could be obtained from a population whose support they enjoyed

This work examines the manner in which the Ottomans established control in the fourteenth and fifteenth century over a largely Orthodox Christian population in the Balkans and Aegean basin It argues that their success in ruling the multi ethnic multi confessioanl state thus created was due less to force of numbers than it was o their granting a wide variety of concessions and privileges to their subjects This policy known as istimalet or good will and accomodation stemned according to Lowry from a combination of factors including a severe shortage of trained manpower to administer their ever grawing politiy and an understanding from a remarkably early period that the fruits of conquest booty and slaves were no substitute for the steady flow of income tax revenues which could be obtained from a population whose support they enjoyed