Christianity And Judaism In The Ottoman Empire
Under the Ottoman Empire, Christians and Jews were, in principle, tolerated, but polytheists were not, in accordance with Sharia law. In practice, the degree of tolerance variety by time and place.
Orthodox Christians were the largest non-Muslim group. With the rise of Imperial Russia, they came to have an external advocate.
Roman Catholics benefited from the protection of the western Great Powers.
Forced conversion of those raised by a non-Muslim father is counter to Sharia law, and was not a standard practice. However, anyone whose father was Muslim was usually legally required to be Muslim or face execution for apostasy. Until the empire began to crumble, Ottoman law required the execution of all former Muslims and non-Muslim children of a Muslim father in accordance with the Sharia law on apostasy.
Read more about Christianity And Judaism In The Ottoman Empire: Civil Status, Religion As An Ottoman Institution, Religion and The Legal System, Education, Devşirme, Taxation, Religious Architecture
Famous quotes containing the words christianity and, christianity, judaism and/or empire:
“I believe that men are generally still a little afraid of the dark, though the witches are all hung, and Christianity and candles have been introduced.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“With two thousand years of Christianity behind him ... a man can’t see a regiment of soldiers march past without going off the deep end. It starts off far too many ideas in his head.”
—Louis-Ferdinand Céline (1894–1961)
“Christianity is the religion of melancholy and hypochondria. Islam, on the other hand, promotes apathy, and Judaism instills its adherents with a certain choleric vehemence, the heathen Greeks may well be called happy optimists.”
—Franz Grillparzer (1791–1872)
“Let Rome in Tiber melt and the wide arch
Of the ranged empire fall! Here is my space.
Kingdoms are clay; our dungy earth alike
Feeds beast as man. The nobleness of life
Is to do thus; when such a mutual pair
And such a twain can do ‘t, in which I bind,
On pain of punishment, the world to weet
We stand up peerless.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)