Useful Enemies: Islam And The Ottoman Empire In... ✦ Plus & Recent

Malcolm argues that the Ottomans were not just external threats to be feared, but in Western thought. Thinkers used Ottoman examples to:

The idea of "oriental despotism" did not begin as a simple insult. It evolved as a response to positive assessments of Ottoman power. Useful Enemies: Islam and the Ottoman Empire in...

Early on, many Westerners viewed Islam as a Christian heresy rather than a completely separate religion, which led to Catholics and Protestants accusing each other of being "virtually Muslims". 3. Shifting Perceptions (1450–1750) The guide to Malcolm's chronological coverage includes: Malcolm argues that the Ottomans were not just

their own societies by highlighting Ottoman strengths. Early on, many Westerners viewed Islam as a

Radical writers began portraying Islam as a religion specifically engineered for political control.

By presenting Islam as a man-made tool for state power, Enlightenment-era thinkers could indirectly attack the divine origins of Christianity.