Mapping the Adriatic: Ottoman Nautical Charts Before the Treaty of Karlowitz

Type:

Book Chapter

Author:

Ahmet Üstüner; Okan Büyüktapu

Published:

2025

Abstract The Ottoman Empire’s cartographic practices during the mid-fifteenth to late seventeenth centuries epitomized a unique synthesis of Eastern and Western traditions in their mapping of the Adriatic Sea. This study investigates how Ottoman cartography evolved from traditional Islamic geographical descriptions to sophisticated nautical charts through systematic knowledge exchange and maritime innovation. The research methodology combines analysis of primary sources, including key manuscripts like Kitâb-ı Bahriye and Cihânnümâ, with examination of institutional records and cartographic artifacts from major Ottoman collections. The development of Ottoman Adriatic cartography occurred in three distinct phases: initial engagement with European cartography during Mehmed II’s reign through translations of Ptolemy’s works, a golden age of maritime innovation in the sixteenth century marked by Piri Reis’s contributions, and a transformative period of systematic European knowledge integration in the seventeenth century led by scholars like Kâtib Çelebi. The findings demonstrate that Ottoman cartographers successfully integrated Islamic scholarly foundations with European technical innovations while developing specialized institutions and employing multilingual mapmakers. The Ottoman Empire’s cartographic evolution reflects its remarkable ability to synthesize diverse traditions while serving practical imperial needs, establishing a distinctive cartographic tradition that effec…

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