In addition to local elements, they did not hesitate to rely on the expertise of, and offer contracts to, foreign Christians whenever it suited their interests. The Christians were instrumental in the early successes of the Ottoman Empire 2, and the Ottomans did not remain an alienated caste of rulers, but tried to incorporate local elements into their government in an effort to maximize the efficiency of their rule. It should not be forgotten that the Ottomans established their rule primarily in the Christian Balkans, and that their pragmatism and the complex ethno-religious composition of the frontiers persuaded them to resort to using the service of Christians as a means of integration. Firstly, Christian allies of the Ottomans were individuals the Ottomans employed a number of Christians in their service, mostly, but not always, after they had converted. The Ottomans came into contact and allied themselves with Christians on two levels. Rather than an inevitable conflict, what prevailed was cooperation in which cultural, ethnic, and religious boundaries seemed to disappear.
Nevertheless, the misreading of the Ghaza (Holy War) literature 1 and the consequent romanticization of the Ottomans' struggle in carrying the banner of Islam conceal the true nature of relations between Muslims and Christians. The Ottomans, although a Muslim polity, did not hesitate to cooperate with Christians for practical reasons. Rezeption der griechisch-römischen MedizinĬooperation between the Ottomans and various Christian groups and individuals started as early as the beginning of the 14th century, when the Ottoman state itself emerged. Istanbul as a hub of early modern European diplomacy Islam-Christian Transfers of Military Technology British and American Constitutional Models
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