Review of the development of history writing in Ottoman society; the scope, meaning and uses of history; official and non-official şehnames, chronicles, histories. Uses of Ottoman historical writing for modern scholarship. Readings in major historians of the 16th and 17th centuries (Kemal Paşazade, Celalzade, Mustafa Ali, Naima) in printed and manuscript texts. Requirements : a major research paper of around 30 pages. Counts towards fulfilling the seminar requirement in History while also serving as a course in advanced paleography. Prerequisite : An adequate command of Ottoman Turkish, through TLL 501-502 or the equivalent, and subject to the instructor's approval.