This two-volume reference provides university and high school students―and the general public―with a wealth of information on one of the most important empires the world has ever known. · Features approximately 180 entries that cover a wide variety of topics related to political, social, and culture aspects of Ottoman society · Features numerous primary documents that add to the vividness of the portrayal of individuals and events · Explores the many countries and numerous ethnic, linguistic, and cultural groups encompassed by the Ottoman Empire Shows how, for much of its history, Jews, Christians, and Muslims lived side by side in this vast realm · Provides the only work of its kind written for university undergraduates, high school students, and the general public