The Discovery of Ottoman Greece: Knowledge, Encounter, and Belief in the Mediterranean World of Martin Crusius

Calis’s (cultural history, Utrecht Univ.) debut book focuses on the scholarly life of Martin Crusius (1526–1607), a classicist and pious Lutheran. His book gives readers a well-rounded picture of how knowledge was acquired and disseminated in the 16th century. Born Martin Kraus, his adopted name of Crusius reflected his deep commitment to learning the Greek language and everything about Greece, plus his strong interest in spreading Lutheran principles to the Greek Orthodox world. Not a traveler, he welcomed many visitors from Greece who brought him books and information and made up the source material for his massive Turcograecia, a compendium of changes in the Greek world since antiquity and impressions of Ottoman Greece. While not a commercial success in its own time, it was a vital link for etymologists later. A remarkable amount of Crusius’s research notes survived as well to fill out the picture of creating the work. The personal side of Crusius comes through his memoirs and notes, including entertaining stories of his childhood, parents’ challenges, his dreams, and teaching duties.