L’Égypte des villages autour du seizième siècle

By (author) N. Michel

Book cover: L’Égypte des villages autour du seizième siècle

Extent: 544 pages

Publisher: Peeters Publishers

Subjects: Early Modern & Renaissance Studies, Islamic & Middle Eastern Studies

Series: Collection Turcica

Series volume number: 23

Language: French

Paperback (Published)

(August 2018)

ISBN: 9789042934795

Price: $105.00

Out of stock

eBook (Published)

(August 2018)

ISBN: 9789042937543

Price: $105.00

This book aims at studying the history of Islamic Egypt during a little-known time period (the 16th century) through the lens of its rural world, an even lesser-known reality. Following their conquest of Egypt in 1517, the Ottomans developed a lasting concern for the countryside, as it represented a major source of state income. Their attempt to assess and harness its resources brought about an exceptional set of archival records, part of which remain extant to date. These archives retain information on land regimes and fiscal organization as well as shedding light on the distribution of power and authority within rural societies. Despite giving evidence on the wide-ranging autonomy that local peasant communities could enjoy, such records still impart uniformity to highly diverse and unequal societies. Studying 16th-century Egypt in this way is thus insightful to understand its former Mamluk history as well as its evolutions to come during Ottoman times.


This book aims at studying the history of Islamic Egypt during a little-known time period (the 16th century) through the lens of its rural world, an even lesser-known reality. Following their conquest of Egypt in 1517, the Ottomans developed a lasting concern for the countryside, as it represented a major source of state income. Their attempt to assess and harness its resources brought about an exceptional set of archival records, part of which remain extant to date. These archives retain information on land regimes and fiscal organisation as well as shedding light on the distribution of power and authority within rural societies. Despite giving evidence on the wide-ranging autonomy that local peasant communities could enjoy, such records still impart uniformity to highly diverse and unequal societies. Studying 16th-century Egypt in this way is thus insightful to understand its former Mamluk history as well as its evolutions to come during Ottoman times.

  • By (author) N. Michel