16世纪欧洲基督教徒的奥斯曼观念探析

Christian European Image of the Ottoman in the 16^(th) Century

19世纪后,欧洲基督教徒将奥斯曼帝国主要视为"欧洲病夫"。然而,在近代早期,尤其是16世纪,当奥斯曼帝国在欧洲扩张达到顶峰时,欧洲基督教徒的奥斯曼观念是多元和复杂的。负面观念包括"世界的恐怖""上帝之鞭"和敌人等,正面观念也不容忽视,有强大、秩序良好和体制高效等,甚至有些欧洲势力将奥斯曼人视为其在基督教世界内部政治、商业和宗教斗争中可资利用的工具或盟友。这些观念根植于欧洲基督徒对伊斯兰教来源已久的敌视、奥斯曼帝国的实力优势和对欧洲的威胁、欧洲国家间的相互冲突和近代世俗主义政治的发展。在一定程度上,欧洲基督教徒的奥斯曼观念也是欧洲在自我定位和建构自我认知过程中,将奥斯曼人作为参照物对比后产生的心理映象。

The Ottoman Empire was deemed the'Sick Man of Europe'since the 19^(th) century.However,in the early modern era,especially the 16^(th) century,when the expansion of the Ottoman Empire reached its peak,Christian European images of the Ottoman were different and various:it was derogatorily described as the'Terror of the World',the'Scourge of God',and the'Enemy of Christendom';meanwhile,the Ottoman Empire was also praised as powerful,orderly,and efficient.Some even considered it as a usable ally in political,commercial and religious conflicts in the Christian world.These images were derived from the profound hostility toward the Islamic world,the ascendency of the Ottoman power,the internal conflicts among Christian powers,and the development of modern politics.To some extent,the images of the Ottoman Empire were self-projections reflecting Christian Europe's comparative self-orientation and construction with the Ottoman Empire in mind.