The Religious and Cultural Landscape of Ottoman Manastır (Handbook of Oriental Studies: Section 1 the Near and Middle East, 153)

"In this ground-breaking work on the Ottoman town of Manastir (Bitola), Robert Mihajlovski, provides a detailed account of the development of Islamic, Christian and Sephardic religious architecture and culture as it manifested in the town and precincts. Originally a town on the edge of the Via Egnatia, this small provincial town gradually developed into a significant administrative, military, religious, cultural and intellectual centre for the Balkans; a vibrant place, nurturing progressive multi-cultural and multi-confessional values with considerable influence on the formation of modern Balkan identities. The present work is the culmination of thirty years of research using primary source material from archives and chronicles and the monuments themselves for the purpose of both preserving and extending the boundaries of current knowledge. It offers a comprehensive biography of a great cultural knot in the Balkans and offers a rich source for further use by scholars, students and non-technical readership alike"-- Provided by publisher Contents Acknowledgements Illustrations Note on Pronunciation Introduction A Geographical Note An Overview of Pre-Ottoman ChristianCultural History 1 The Conquering Church 2 Days and Deeds of Heraclean Bishops 3 Peripheral Ecclesiastical Centres 4 Evangelization of the Slavs 5 Sectarians and Separatists 6 The “Bitola Inscription” 7 The Byzantine Reconquista 8 Crushed between the East and the West 9 Filling the Vacuum Chapter 1 Pax Ottomana in Toli Manastır (1385–1808) 1 The Ottoman Conquest 2 The Development of Toli Manastır 3 From a Provincial Town to an Administrative Centre 4 Survey of the Mosques of Toli Manastır 5 The Other Benefitiaries Chapter 2 Christianity in Ottoman Manastir (1385–1767) 1 Continuity Unchallenged 2 The Cult of the God-Bearer Pelagonitissa 3 The Revitalization of Christianity in Manastır 4 Regional Church Heritage 5 Literacy and Diplomacy 6 The Early Church of St. Demetrios 7 Further Regional Church Heritage 8 The Prelates on Record 9 Vindication and Revival 10 In the Middle of Controlled Demolition 11 Some Welcome Immigrants Chapter 3 The Sephardic Jews of Manastır (1497–1808) 1 Early Judaism in the Balkans 2 Medieval Jewry 3 The Sephardic Exodus 4 The Sephardim in Manastır 5 The Shabbatai Tsvi Controversy and Beyond 6 The Dawn of a New Era Chapter 4 The Ottoman Capital of Turquie d’Europe 1 The Historical Background: From the Time of Ali Paşa until the First Balkan War in 1912 2 The Urban Development and Topography of the Town 3 The Religious and Cultural Traditions of the Ottoman Muslim Population in Manastır during the 19th Century 4 The Ottoman Christians of Bitola/Manastır during the 19th Century 5 The Sephardic Jewish Community of Bitola/Manastır between 1800 and 1943 Conclusion Glossary Bibliography Index of Personal and Place Names