THE OTHER IN CANTEMIR’S HISTORY: CONTRADICTIONS
THE OTHER IN CANTEMIR’S HISTORY: CONTRADICTIONS

Summary/Abstract: The present paper compares two images of Ottoman figures depicted by Dimitrie Cantemir in his “History of the Growth and Decay of the Ottoman Empire” One of these figures is Sheikh Bedreddin (Peder Ulledyn, as referred to by Cantemir), the leader of an uprising in 1419. The second is Daltaban Mustapha Pasha, a controversial figure, whom Cantemir depicted as ’one of the greatest heroes of the age.’ Cantemir’s account of Sheikh Bedreddin is in consonance with the dominant narrative of Ottoman chronicles, whereas his description of Daltaban Mustapha Pasha is a digression. The paper addresses the issue of Cantemir’s adherence to Ottoman traditions and discusses Cantemir’s interpretations in the light of his critical filtering of sources and integration of historical knowledge.

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