logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2023
50m 13s

32. The Greatest Ottoman Adventurer

Goalhanger
About this episode

Evliya Çelebi travelled for 41 years. He documented his adventures, which included interactions with vampires, humans transforming into chickens, and dervishes riding rhinos. Listen as William and Anita are joined by Caroline Finkel to discuss this man and the vivid descriptions he provided of the Ottoman Empire.


*This episode was recorded before the devastating earthquake hit Turkey and Syria. Our thoughts are with those who have been affected.*


LRB Empire offer: lrb.me/empire


Twitter: @Empirepoduk


Goalhangerpodcasts.com


Producer: Callum Hill

Exec Producer: Jack Davenport

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Up next
Oct 8
297. Gaza in WW1: A Rematch For Gallipoli (Part 7)
How did British Army General Murray fail to take Gaza in 1917? Who was General Allenby and how did his tactics in the cavalry charge on Gaza City lead to transformation in the region? What are the connections between the Gallipoli campaign and the siege of Gaza? Anita Anand and W ... Show More
43m 43s
Oct 5
296. Ottoman Gaza: Gunpowder Conquests & Rising Nationalism (Part 6)
In 1516, the Ottomans defeated the mighty Mamluk Empire in the Middle East, taking control of Gaza. How did Ottoman forces roll out scorched-earth tactics on Gaza City to punish those who had rebelled against them? How did the citrus and cotton industries develop in Ottoman Pales ... Show More
57m 1s
Oct 1
295. Crusader Gaza: Saladin & Richard The Lionheart (Part 5)
Why did Crusaders travel from Western Europe to Gaza and The Levant in the 11th century? Who was Saladin and how did he conquer the Franks? How did the Mamluks defeat the Mongols in the 1200s and usher in an era of prosperity for Gaza? Anita and William are joined by Jonathan Phi ... Show More
49m 7s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2024
Atatürk: Fall of the Ottoman Empire
On the 19th of May, 1919, an Ottoman general stepped ashore at the Black Sea port city of Samsun. This marked the beginning of the Turkish War of Independence, and ultimately the end of the Ottoman Empire. The man's name was Mustafa Kemal, the soldier, statesman and reformer who ... Show More
33m 56s
Feb 2012
Evliya Çelebi: World Traveler and Companion to Mankind
Evliya Çelebi grew up in 17th century Istanbul as the "boon companion" of Sultan Murad IV. In his 20s, Evliya had a prophetic dream and spent decades traveling. During his travels he wrote the Seyahatname, one of history's important travel narratives. Learn more about your ad-cho ... Show More
27m 4s
Sep 2022
Rise of the Persians
The Achaemenid Empire, or better known as the First Persian Empire, was one of the largest empires in History - led by Cyrus the Great it covered 2.1 million square miles. But where did it come from? And what do we know about their society? It was in their DNA to travel and explo ... Show More
44m 46s
Apr 2022
La chute de Constantinople
Dans cet épisode de Crousti-History, on vous parle de la chute de Constantinople. Cap sur l’Orient !La ville est devenue la plus importante d’Europe après la chute de Rome. Placée comme elle l’est, au milieu des routes commerciales, rien d’étonnant… Mais voilà, elle est convoitée ... Show More
3m 2s
Jun 2024
460. The Empress of the Apocalypse
In 972AD a princess of the Byzantine Empire was sent by her uncle, the Roman emperor in Constantinople, to marry the son of Otto the Great - Emperor of the Latin West. A tantalising and formidable figure, Theophanu became a major player in one of the most tumultuous and mysteriou ... Show More
55m 26s
Aug 2023
EP27 More Steppe Stories
Huns, Mongols, Turks, Scythians and other nomadic steppe tribes are longtime interests of Dan's. In this show he interviews historian Kenneth W. Harl who specializes in the study of those fascinating peoples. 1. Empires of the Steppes: A History of the Nomadic Tribes Who Shaped C ... Show More
1h 10m
Jun 2024
The Parthians
The Parthians were heavyweights of ancient Mesopotamia. Hailing from what is now modern day Iran, they charged onto the scene by destroying the Seleucid Empire and became one of Rome’s most formidable enemies. They are perhaps most famous for capturing Crassus - Rome’s spider-lik ... Show More
54m 58s
Jul 2022
Istanbul in the Ottoman Golden Age
Greg Jenner is joined by Prof Ebru Boyar and special guest Sue Perkins as they travel back 500 years to explore the Ottoman Empire. They take a look at the cultural richness and diversity of Istanbul through the ages, from law and order to what your sartorial choices said about y ... Show More
56m 18s
Nov 2023
The Rise of Constantinople with Bettany Hughes
The city of Constantinople, founded by the Roman Emperor Constantine in 324 AD, was a glittering jewel in the eastern Mediterranean for more than a thousand years. Its dazzling cathedrals, ambitious emperors and mixing pot culture were the stuff of legend throughout Christendom. ... Show More
39m 35s
Mar 2022
Le génocide Arménien
Dans cet épisode de Crousti-History, on vous parle du génocide arménien. Ça va être sympa cet épisode…En 1907, un parti nationaliste se crée au sein de l’Empire ottoman. Le mouvement des jeunes Turcs a plusieurs ambitions. Mais l’histoire se complique et ils veulent finalement él ... Show More
2m 50s