This book, entitled The Artisans and Janissaries of Istanbul: Before and After The Auspicious Event, 1808-39, tells the story of the artisans and janissaries in Istanbul during the reign of Mahmud II (r. 1808-39). It is about people like the aforementioned toymaker/seller who survived on the margins of society and were able to return to the center of Istanbul, albeit in his case as impoverished men who had to earn a living and did not have the power of armed men. The book seeks to uncover both individual and institutional hi(stories) and to show what everyday life was like before and after he Auspicious Event, and to what extent the state crushing of the janissary power paved the way for further yet complex liberalization of the Ottoman Empire and thus had an impact on the guilds and the relevant actors.
