Study Guide UGS 303

Study Guide UGS

Identification

1.Identify contemporary countries of SE Europe on a map.

2.Identify historical empires in the region and those that exerted influence on it: Habsburg, Ottoman, Byzantine, Roman, Austro-Hungarian Empire, Russian

Terms and Historical Agents

  1. What are the major European “fault lines” that run through Southeastern Europe: Religious: Orthodox vs. Catholic and Protestant Christianity, Geo-political: Ottoman vs. European Empires, Socio-economic: “proper” development vs. under-development
  2. What are some of the basic features of Slavicpaganism: Basic features include enchantment of nature, polytheism, demigods and spirits, as well as slavic folk revival in the 19th century.
  3. Who are the Bogumils: It was a dualistic teaching and rejection of latin and byzantine power. It was appealing towards the poorer classes. They rejected many of the tenets of the Orthodox Church.
  4. Give the year of the battle of Kosovo. Who were the belligerents? Why is it important: The Battle of Kosovo happened in 1389. The belligerents was an army led by the Serbian Prince Lazar Hrebeljanović and an invading army of the Ottoman Empire under the command of Sultan Murad Hüdavendigâr. It was important as it formed the foundation of national Serbian identity and it was also a catalyst of anti-Albanian and anti-Muslim Serbian nationalism.
  5. Who is Sokollu Mehmed Pasha: Sokollu Mehmed Pasha was born in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He was taken to devshirme at an early age and rose up the ranks of Ottoman bureaucracy to become the Grand Vizier to the Sultan. He was a modernizing force in Ottoman bureaucracy and was an architect of foreign policy.
  6. What is cultural syncretism? Name two examples in Southeastern Europe: Cultural syncretism is when distinct aspects of different cultures blend together to make something new and unique. It can come in forms of religious practices, architecture, philosophy, recreation, and even food. Examples are the fusion of Ottoman and Balkan culture and the mixing of Orthodox and Islamic culture in Albania.
  7. What is a millet: Millet is a self organization of religious communities.
  8. What is devshirme: Ottoman practice of forcibly recruiting soldiers and bureaucrats from among the children of their Balkan Christian subjects.
  9. What are the main branches of Ottoman art? What was the center of production of Ottoman art in the 16th century: The main branches are book arts which include calligraphy and painting, architecture, and ceramics. The center of production was Istanbul.
    1. What is the Ottoman album? What was its function in the court of Ahmed I: The Ottoman album is a “bound collection” of calligraphy, painting, and drawings by David J. Roxburgh. It was commissioned by Ahmed I and compiled by Kalander Pasha. The Ottoman album played an important role in the promotion of imperial ideology and the construction of the sultan's public image.
    2. What is Ragusa/Dubrovnik? What made it exceptional in SE Europe: Ragusa/Dubrovnik was a mercantile society and the largest trading fleet in the world. It was exceptional as it maintained independence from the Ottomans and was the first to introduce quarantine or lazaretto which is a quarantine station for maritime travelers.
    3. What is Filiki Eteria: Filiki Eteria is a secret revolutionary organization that was funded by the Greek diaspora and relied on transnational networks across the Balkans and Europe.
    4. What is the Eastern Question: A contest by the Great powers for control of former Ottoman territories.
    5. What is the Grand Tour? And how did Lord Byron’s route differ from the standard route: The Grand Tour was a custom of a traditional trip through Europe, with Italy as a key

destination, undertaken by upper-class young European men of sufficient means and rank. Byron's route was also unusual in that he did not follow the typical itinerary of a Grand Tourist. Instead of focusing solely on the art and architecture of Europe's great cities, Byron was interested in experiencing the local culture and meeting the people of the places he visited.

  1. What are the main features of the Byronic hero: Byronic heroes are arrogant, intelligent, educated outcasts, who somehow balance their cynicism and self-destructive tendencies with a mysterious magnetism and attraction, particularly for heroines.
  2. What is “Barbarogenius”: This new type of man was to be seen as a figure whose fresh, primitive, and creative genius would conquer and rejuvenate tired European culture. It was used to emphasize Holy Roman Emperor Frederick's military prowess and his ability to rule over diverse and sometimes hostile territories.

Interpretation

  1. What is Orientalism? What is Balkanism? How do these discursive regimes of knowledge

differ from each other: Orientalism (Said)(Global scale) is a historical construction of the East in Western scholarship and imagination that reinforces stereotypes and “otherness” of the East. Balkanism (more negative connotation) (Totorova) is a distinct subset of Orientalism; construction of “the Balkans” as Europe's peripheral “Other”.

  1. Briefly describe the political/social structure of the Ottoman empire in the age of absolutism: In the age of absolutism, the Ottoman Empire was ruled by a single absolute monarch, the Sultan, who exercised complete control over the government and society. The Sultan was considered the ultimate authority in all matters, both secular and religious, and was often seen as a representative of Allah on Earth.
  2. What was the role of women at the Ottoman court? How did they exercise political agency: Most Ottoman women were permitted to participate in the legal system, purchase and sell property, inherit and bequeath wealth, and participate in other financial activities, rights

which were unusual in the rest of Europe until the 19th century. Women wielded power

through their patronage (Sultana), and although this cannot be considered as a direct political

influence, it would have enhanced the legitimacy of their ruling families. Use discussion prompt points. Haram - ensure the succession (having a son), Bathhouses - female social space

  1. What factors contributed to the decline of the Ottoman empire through the 18th and 19th

centuries: Some of the reasons for Ottoman decline were external, most obviously the growth in

European power. The Ottomans were never able to make headway against European powers

in the Indian Ocean, and as European states built their global trade empires the Ottoman the economy remained largely landlocked. Couldn’t keep up with Western colonies, Nationalism/Ethnic conflict (political unrest) (poorly handled), Competition with Western maritime empires (they were landlocked), Admin challenges (size, too centralized, and taxation),

Industrialization in West, Modernization Attempt (too little, too late)

  1. What is hüzün? What are the two traditions of hüzünin Islamic thought? How does Orhan

Pamuk interpret hüzün in Istanbul: Memories and the City: Hüzün is Arabic for melancholy that means a feeling of deep spiritual loss. The two traditions are moralistic which is loss and pain result in worldly attachment and mystical Sufi which is a profound longing for the union with Allah. Nostalgia/loss of empire (passive politics) ,Sufism (longing for divine) - melancholy b/c too materialist. For Pamuk, hüzün is a kind of collective memory, a way of connecting with the past and with the shared history of the city's inhabitants.

  1. What were the main tenets of Enlightenment? In what ways did Enlightenment differ in

Southeastern Europe from the West: The main tenets included empiricism, skepticism, reason, faith, revelation, and superstition. It differed in Southeastern Europe as they had a weaker public sphere, monasteries were centers of learning, and it was a cultural renewal of vernacular languages and traditions. Secularism, Human reason/rational, Greater political participation (rule of law) (no women, no lower sorts) (race is complicated)

  1. Name two examples of cultural interaction and exchange between Ottomans and

Hungarians in the 17th century? What were some of the lasting impacts of Ottoman

presence on Hungarian Culture: Syncretism, Objects of trade, Bathhouses, Art + Architecture. Many Hungarian buildings, especially those in the border regions, were influenced by Ottoman architectural styles, such as the use of domes, arches, and decorative motifs. Hungarian musicians adopted many elements of Ottoman music, including scales, melodies, and instruments such as the tambur, and incorporated them into their own compositions. The Ottomans also brought with them new crafts and trades, such as pottery and carpet weaving, which had a lasting impact on the Hungarian economy and culture.

  1. What was the reaction of Austrian Empire to national revolutions and uprisings of the

19th century Balkans: The Austrian Empire's reaction to the national revolutions and uprisings of the 19th century in the Balkans was generally one of opposition and suppression. The Austrian government saw these movements as a threat to its own territorial integrity and sought to prevent their spread into its own territories.

  1. What were some of the experiments in foreign policy by the Great Powers in the 19th

century in SE Europe? How did these policies affect the emerging nations of SE Europe: Humanitarian and Population exchange. An experiment was the Congress of Berlin in 1878, which was convened by the Great Powers to redrew the map of Southeastern Europe, granting independence to Serbia, Montenegro, and Romania and establishing the semi-autonomous region of Bulgaria. This decision had a profound impact on the national identities of these countries and helped to set the stage for further nationalist movements throughout the region.These policies both supported and hindered the development of national identities in the region, and they ultimately contributed to the instability and fragmentation that characterized the Balkans in the early 20th century.

  1. How do you understand the metaphor of Southeastern Europe/the Balkans as a “bridge”?

Provide examples either from Fatih Akin’s Crossing the Bridge or Ivo Andrić’s Bridge

on the Drina: The metaphor of Southeastern Europe/the Balkans as a "bridge" refers to the region's geographic location and historical role as a crossroads between different cultures and civilizations. The region has been a meeting point for East and West, North and South, and has been home to a diverse mix of ethnic and religious groups. In Fatih Akin's documentary film "Crossing the Bridge," the metaphor of the bridge is used to explore the musical culture of Istanbul, a city that straddles Europe and Asia. In Ivo Andrić's novel "Bridge on the Drina," the metaphor of the bridge is used to explore the history of the Balkans and the interactions between different ethnic and religious groups in the region.