Early modern Bulgaria and ‘Ottoman Catholicism’

New perspectives on a translocal community in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries

The project comprehensively studies the social and political history of the Bulgarian Catholics living within and outside the Ottoman Empire in the seventeenth and the eighteenth century on the basis of extensive and partly newly discovered primary sources from Vatican and other archives. The Catholic mission in Bulgaria, initiated in the late sixteenth century and bolstered by the Congregatio de Propaganda Fide from 1622 onwards, aimed to establish ecclesiastical structures and protect Catholic life under Ottoman rule. The project emphasizes the transimperial nature of Bulgarian Catholicism, extending beyond Ottoman borders to Wallachia, Moldova, Transylvania and the Banat region, and questions the narrative of the emergence of Bulgarian nationalism within the Catholic community prior to the Bulgarian national revival in the eighteenth century.

Methodologically, the study adopts a theoretical framework informed by microhistory and global history, exploring the concept of ‘Ottoman Catholicism’ and its interplay with Orthodox religious culture, Ottoman rule, the idea of Europe and contacts to non-Ottoman Catholics. It engages with the social construction of space and the translocality of Bulgarian Catholics, considering their interactions with various political powers and religious communities across imperial borders. The project addresses questions of power dynamics, confessionalization and the role of Catholicism in shaping Balkan identities.

The research is organized into three clusters, examining the influence of Catholic faith and religious culture on Bulgarian Catholics, their relationship with Ottoman rule and Muslim authorities, and their connections to Catholic Europe. It emphasizes the role of missionary activities, diplomatic efforts and transregional networks in facilitating exchanges of ideas and practices between East and West. The study aims to reassess the marginalized history of Bulgarian Catholics within the broader context of European and Ottoman relations, contributing to a nuanced understanding of religious and social dynamics in southeastern Europe during the early modern period.