The medieval theory of the caliphate, epitomized by the Abbasids (750-1258), was the construct of jurists who conceived it as a contractual leadership of the Muslim community in succession to the Prophet Muhammed's political authority. In this book, Huseyin Yilmaz traces how a new conception of the caliphate emerged under the Ottomans, who redefine "This work is a product of very diligent research and scholarship. Full of insightful arguments, the study fills an important gap in the field and sets a framework for future researchers."---Hasan Karatas, Nazariyat