Useful Enemies: Islam And The Ottoman Empire In... Review

their own societies by highlighting Ottoman strengths.

By presenting Islam as a man-made tool for state power, Enlightenment-era thinkers could indirectly attack the divine origins of Christianity. Useful Enemies: Islam and the Ottoman Empire in...

Later thinkers developed the "despotism" narrative to argue that the Sultan's absolute power over life and property was unnatural and destined for failure, using it as a warning for European monarchs. 2. Islam as a "Political Religion" their own societies by highlighting Ottoman strengths

Early on, many Westerners viewed Islam as a Christian heresy rather than a completely separate religion, which led to Catholics and Protestants accusing each other of being "virtually Muslims". 3. Shifting Perceptions (1450–1750) The guide to Malcolm's chronological coverage includes: Useful Enemies: Islam and the Ottoman Empire in...

Radical writers began portraying Islam as a religion specifically engineered for political control.