Abdulhamid II is no doubt one of the most controversial Ottoman Sultans in history. A massive literature continues to florish about him and his policy of pan-Islamism. Sometimes permeated by biased and subjective approaches this literature is increasingly deminated by more balanced and objective accounts depicting a more realistic image of the Sultan ed the developments of his reign.The present book represents a fine example of the latter group of studies. It contains a well-documented anlysis of the policies of Abdulhamid II particularly pan-Islamism with due regard to the international political environment and the intellectual movements surrounding the idea of Islamic unity and solidarity.