ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to revisit the emergence and development of Ottoman governance from the early fourteenth to the late sixteenth century, in the light of the historical record and documentary trail left behind by the Ottomans. The choice of this particular time span reflects the historical focus of the Renaissance widely construed; this time span also corresponds with a period during which the Ottoman enterprise transformed itself from a frontier principality to an early modern empire. The chapter discusses the composition and objectives of the Ottoman political center, the various methods it utilized, the records it kept, the interlocutors it addressed and created, the dynamism it displayed, and the limitations it faced. The term "governance" is privileged in the chapter over "state", since it is more conducive to a dynamic, multifaceted understanding of power. At the end, the Ottoman case will look less arcane to an audience that is more familiar with similar issues from a European context.
