The European and Ottoman Consciousness: Perceptions of the 'Golden Age' in the Early Modern Period
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Metin Mustafa
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Abstract: This study explores the cultural perceptions of a 'golden age' - a period peace, justice and prosperity. It looks at the notion of the 'golden age' in 15th-16th century Europe and Ottoman experiences. Did the early modern scholars or writers of the period actually believe in the 'golden age' or was it merely a metaphoric term they used? This is a challenging question to answer because of the varied attitudes at the time, as there was little distinction between history and myth. How did the Ottomans similarly experience this fragmented period through their cultural achievements and, diplomatic and commercial encounters with their early modern counterparts? From this paradigm the article seeks to explore the convergence of social, political and cultural dynamisms at play that transformed the early modern societies in the Mediterranean basin and beyond. By focusing on the meeting points of these respective societies, cultural boundaries and barriers dissipate aligning the early modern Ottoman experience during the Süleymanic Age (1520-1595) with that of the Renaissance Italy and Europe.