Approximately one century ago, on 3 March 1924, the grand National Assembly of Ankara decided to abolish the Ottoman caliphateThe Muslim political institution or state centred around the caliph, which came to an end, historically, in 1924 with the disappearance of the Ottoman Empire.. While protests were limited and short-lived, the decision sparked a lively intellectual debate. This lecture addresses some of the controversies preceding and following the decision to abolish the caliphate, the debates within pan-Islamic congresses concerning the fate of the institution, and British policymakers’ perceptions of caliphal authority. These are some of the issues explored by the book The Abolition of the Ottoman Caliphate, 1924: Debates and Implications (Routledge, 2024) edited by Elisa Giunchi and Nicola Melis.
The abolition of the Ottoman caliphate in 1924
Islamic History and Thought Lecture Series
Hosted by The Institute of Ismaili Studies (London) and convened by Dr Orkhan Mir-Kasimov, the Islamic History and Thought Lecture Series is designed to invite scholars of various international academic institutions, specialising in intellectual, social and political aspects of medieval and early modern Islamic societies, to present and discuss their research. Watch previous lectures on our YouTube channel.
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Views expressed in this lecture are those of the presenting scholars, not necessarily of IIS, the Ismaili community or its leadership. Promotion of this lecture is not an explicit endorsement of the ideas presented.
