Under Osman's tree: the Ottoman Empire, Egypt, and environmental history

Osman, the founder of the Ottoman Empire, had a dream in which a tree sprouted from his navel.

As the tree grew, its shade covered the earth; as Osman's empire grew, it, too, covered the earth.

This is the most widely accepted foundation myth of the longest-lasting empire in the history of Islam, and offers a telling clue to its unique legacy.

Underlying every aspect of the Ottoman Empire's epic history - from its founding around 1300 to its end in the 20th century - is its successful management of natural resources.

This work analyses this rich environmental history to understand the most remarkable qualities of the Ottoman Empire - its longevity, politics, economy, and society.