Chapter 2 Our Man on the Danube: Habsburg-Ottoman Border Diplomacy as Perceived in the Report of ‘Os̱mān Agha

In: Transforming Empire: The Ottomans from the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean
Author:
Gül Şen
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Chapter
Pages:
22–44
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004704374_003

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Abstract

Habsburg-Ottoman relations were not only characterized by military conflict, but also by intensive diplomatic relations. In the history of this relation at the end of the seventeenth and the beginning of the eighteenth centuries, ʿOsmān Agha of Timișoara (1671–after 1732) is a well-known personality. A former captive of the Austrians, he eventually served as an interpreter and diplomat between the Habsburgs and the Ottomans. His autobiographical account on his career as a diplomat is an important source on the mechanics of diplomatic practice between these two neighboring powers during a short period of peace. Revealing ʿOsmān Agha’s role in these negotiations, his experience with the other side, and his perception of this experience, his memoirs offer insights into the mind and actions of an Ottoman official. Being familiar with the political cultures of both sides he was uniquely qualified to act as an intermediator in imperial diplomacy.

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Series:  The Ottoman Empire and its Heritage, Volume: 80
Cover Transforming Empire: The Ottomans from the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean
E-Book ISBN:
9789004704374
Publisher:
Brill
Print Publication Date:
17 Sep 2024
Front Matter
Part 1 Peoples
Part 2 Places
Part 3 Practices
Back Matter

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