The Manifold Faces of the East

This volume addresses the way in which images of Eastern Christianity are constructed in the diaries and travel descriptions of Western voyagers to the Ottoman Empire, during the second half of the sixteenth century. The articles included in the present volume aim to cover a vast geographical area, including the city of Constantinople/Istanbul along with the Eastern regions under the Ottoman control, as well as Transylvania, Wallachia, and Moldavia. The studies present travelers coming from diverse backgrounds (Germany, Belgium, France, and Italy), different confessions (Catholics or Protestants), and various intellectual qualifications (scholars, theologians, Renaissance humanists). Taking into consideration the travelogues under scrutiny in this volume, one can draw a more sophisticated perspective of the other, not solely restricted to refutation and depreciation, but bringing forth acceptance and respect towards the other's religious practices and spiritual values.