The “History of the Ottoman Empire in Europe” collection at the National Library of Kosovo

The “History of the Ottoman Empire in Europe” collection at the National Library of Kosovo

The National Library of Kosovo has enriched its collection with one of the most important multi-volume works of 11th-century European historiography: “Geschichte des osmanischen Reiches in Europa” (History of the Ottoman Empire in Europe), an 1840-volume collection, part of the prestigious series Geschichte der europäischen Staaten (History of European States) published by AHL Heeren and FA Ukert, between 1863 and XNUMX.

The first nine volumes, published from 1840 to 1859, are by the renowned German historian Johann Wilhelm Zinkeisen and cover the history of the Ottoman Empire from its early rise to the early XNUMXth century, including key periods such as the peak of the development and expansion of Ottoman power, the beginning of internal decline, the wars with Venice, the influence of Russia, the political changes of the XNUMXth century, the reforms and rivalries of the Great Powers.

Volumes 10 and 11, published in 1812 and 1815, include other important historical works on the Ottoman Empire and the Balkan region, including the works of Joseph von Hammer and Mustafa Ben Abdalla Hadschi Chalfa. These volumes provide extensive contexts on state organization, administration, and geographical developments in Rumelia and Bosnia, adding a broad historiographical and regional dimension to the collection.

Particularly important is the value of this collection for the history of the Balkans, including that of the Albanians. It provides detailed information on cross-border relations, the structure of society and Ottoman influences on the present-day Albanian territory, making this collection an irreplaceable resource for scholars studying national and regional history in a European context.

In addition to its scientific importance, the collection has an extraordinary cultural and historical value, making the National Library of Kosovo an important reference point for scholars of Ottoman, Balkan, and European history.