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

Malcolm argues that the Ottomans were not just external threats to be feared, but in Western thought. Thinkers used Ottoman examples to:

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" Malcolm argues that the Ottomans were not just

their own political flaws through the concept of "despotism". Radical writers began portraying Islam as a religion

In the 16th century, writers often admired the Ottoman meritocratic slave system, which allowed talented individuals to rise regardless of birth.

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

their own societies by highlighting Ottoman strengths.