A comparative approach to the place of royal households in various polities, especially in relation to the development of other political institutions and to international relations. With contributions from international experts, the Ottoman royal household will be studied in the context of its predecessors and neighbours, such as the Carolingian empire, Byzantium, Seljukid sultans, the Inner Asian royal organization, and Romanov Russia. Requirements : short papers for every comparative, non-Ottoman module, plus a major research paper of around 20-30 pages based on Ottoman materials. Counts towards fulfilling the seminar requirement in History while also serving as a course in advanced paleography. Prerequisite : An adequate command of Ottoman Turkish, through TLL 501-502 or the equivalent, and subject to the instructor's approval.
