Here come the Turks!

Monday began our study on the Ottoman invasion/conquest/transition or the Byzantine decline/fall/???  As you can tell, we have talked a lot about narratives.  How is history presented and by who?  Great practice for our AP World History students and thinking about point of view.

Today we visited the Topkapi Palace, the imperial palace for the Ottoman Sultan.  Various phases of courtyards kept him, his family and harem, and his advisors secluded from the public.  Beautiful and grand without being ostentatious. 

The NEH female scholars posing in the courtyard of the harem ("forbidden") portion of the palace

Inside the forbidden palace rooms

Views of the courtyard