Some Observations on the Perception of Muslims in 16th Century Portuguese Chronicles

Hava Önalan

Makale detayları

Some Observations on the Perception of Muslims in 16th Century Portuguese Chronicles

Yazarlar:

Hava Önalan

Yayıncı:

Istanbul University

Ana Başlıklar:

İslam Araştırmaları (Diğer)

Dergi:

İslam Tetkikleri Dergisi Vol.15 Issue 1, pp.237-261

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

3/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001351654

pISSN:

2717-6967

Anahtar kelimeler:

Özet:

 The sixteenth-century Portuguese chronicles, while narrating the Age of Discoveries in an epic tone, are also notable for their hate speech against Muslims and Islam. In these chronicles, the life of Prophet Muhammad and Islam are often depicted in a biased and disparaging manner. Portugals activities in India not only brought economic rivalry with Muslim states but also intensified religious conflict. Plans to destroy sacred cities of the Islamic world, such as Mecca, Medina, and Jeddah, and to desecrate Prophet Muhammads tomb, were documented in detail. Muslims were frequently derided with terms like followers of Muhammad or adherents of a false religion, while Mecca, Medina, and Jeddah were described as places that must be destroyed. In the correspondence of Afonso de Albuquerque and other Portuguese leaders, explicit plans to demolish these cities are evident. To protect its economic interests, Portugal supported conflicts among Muslim states and exploited these divisions to its advantage. Chroniclers of the period portrayed Islam as heresy and favored a narrative that exalted Christianity. Chronicles not only reflect Portugals religious and political discourses but also serve as critical documents for understanding the tense relationship between the two religions and its economic, political, and cultural contexts. This article aims to depict the Muslim-Christian conflict of the 16th century through the perspective of the Portuguese chroniclers of the period.

 The sixteenth-century Portuguese chronicles, while narrating the Age of Discoveries in an epic tone, are also notable for their hate speech against Muslims and Islam. In these chronicles, the life of Prophet Muhammad and Islam are often depicted in a biased and disparaging manner. Portugals activities in India not only brought economic rivalry with Muslim states but also intensified religious conflict. Plans to destroy sacred cities of the Islamic world, such as Mecca, Medina, and Jeddah, and to desecrate Prophet Muhammads tomb, were documented in detail. Muslims were frequently derided with terms like followers of Muhammad or adherents of a false religion, while Mecca, Medina, and Jeddah were described as places that must be destroyed. In the correspondence of Afonso de Albuquerque and other Portuguese leaders, explicit plans to demolish these cities are evident. To protect its economic interests, Portugal supported conflicts among Muslim states and exploited these divisions to its advantage. Chroniclers of the period portrayed Islam as heresy and favored a narrative that exalted Christianity. Chronicles not only reflect Portugals religious and political discourses but also serve as critical documents for understanding the tense relationship between the two religions and its economic, political, and cultural contexts. This article aims to depict the Muslim-Christian conflict of the 16th century through the perspective of the Portuguese chroniclers of the period.

 The sixteenth-century Portuguese chronicles, while narrating the Age of Discoveries in an epic tone, are also notable for their hate speech against Muslims and Islam. In these chronicles, the life of Prophet Muhammad and Islam are often depicted in a biased and disparaging manner. Portugals activities in India not only brought economic rivalry with Muslim states but also intensified religious conflict. Plans to destroy sacred cities of the Islamic world, such as Mecca, Medina, and Jeddah, and to desecrate Prophet Muhammads tomb, were documented in detail. Muslims were frequently derided with terms like followers of Muhammad or adherents of a false religion, while Mecca, Medina, and Jeddah were described as places that must be destroyed. In the correspondence of Afonso de Albuquerque and other Portuguese leaders, explicit plans to demolish these cities are evident. To protect its economic interests, Portugal supported conflicts among Muslim states and exploited these divisions to its advantage. Chroniclers of the period portrayed Islam as heresy and favored a narrative that exalted Christianity. Chronicles not only reflect Portugals religious and political discourses but also serve as critical documents for understanding the tense relationship between the two religions and its economic, political, and cultural contexts. This article aims to depict the Muslim-Christian conflict of the 16th century through the perspective of the Portuguese chroniclers of the period.

 On altıncı yüzyıl Portekiz kronikleri coğrafi keşifler dönemini epik bir dille anlatırken, Müslümanlara ve İslamiyete yönelik nefret söylemleriyle de dikkat çekmektedir. Bu kroniklerde Hz. Muhammedin hayatı ve İslamiyet, genellikle taraflı ve küçümseyici bir üslupla ele alınmıştır. Portekizin Hindistandaki faaliyetleri Müslüman devletlerle yalnızca ekonomik rekabeti değil, dinî çatışmayı da beraberinde getirmiştir. Mekke, Medine ve Cidde gibi İslam dünyasının kutsal şehirlerini tahrip ederek Hz. Muhammedin naaşını kaçırmaya yönelik emellere dair planlar, ayrıntılı bir biçimde kaleme alınmıştır. Müslümanlar genellikle Muhammedin takipçileri ya da yanlış dinin mensupları gibi ifadelerle aşağılanmış; Mekke, Medine ve Cidde ise tahrip edilmesi gereken yerler olarak betimlenmiştir. Afonso de Albuquerque ö.1515 ve diğer Portekizli liderlerin yazışmalarında, bu şehirleri yıkma planlarının açıkça dile getirildiği görülmektedir. Portekiz, ekonomik çıkarlarını koruma amacıyla Müslüman devletler arasındaki çatışmaları desteklemiş ve bu zayıflıkları, lehine kullanmıştır. Dönemin kronik yazarları, İslamiyeti bir sapkınlık olarak tanımlarken Hıristiyanlığı yücelten bir anlatımı tercih etmişlerdir. Kronikler, Portekizin dinî ve siyasi söylemlerini yansıtmanın yanı sıra iki din arasındaki gerilimli ilişkiyi ve bu ilişkinin ekonomik, politik ve kültürel bağlamlarını anlamak için önemli birer belge niteliği taşımaktadır. Bu makale; on altıncı yüzyılda yaşanan Müslüman-Hıristiyan çatışmasını, dönemin Portekizli kronik yazarlarının gözünden anlatmayı amaçlamaktadır.

Makale detayları

Some Observations on the Perception of Muslims in 16th Century Portuguese Chronicles

Yazarlar:

Hava Önalan

Yayıncı:

Istanbul University

Ana Başlıklar:

İslam Araştırmaları (Diğer)

Dergi:

İslam Tetkikleri Dergisi Vol.15 Issue 1, pp.237-261

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

3/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001351654

pISSN:

2717-6967

Islam

Muslims

Christianity

Portuguese

16th Century

Prophet Muhammadİslamiyet

Müslüman

Hıristiyan

Portekiz

16. Yüzyıl

Hz. Muhammed

Sayı

Makale detayları

Yazarlar: Hava Önalan

Yayıncı: Istanbul University

Ana Başlıklar: İslam Araştırmaları (Diğer)

Dergi: İslam Tetkikleri Dergisi Vol.15 Issue 1, pp.237-261

Belge Tipi: Makale

Yayın Tarihi: 3/2025

Belge Dili: Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.): 2001351654

pISSN: 2717-6967

Sayı

Yazarlar:

Hava Önalan

Yayıncı:

Istanbul University

Ana Başlıklar:

İslam Araştırmaları (Diğer)

Dergi:

İslam Tetkikleri Dergisi Vol.15 Issue 1, pp.237-261

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

3/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001351654

pISSN:

2717-6967