To my family for giving me life and love - Bilkent University

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Writing a dissertation in Turkey concerning a Christian order in the
Middle Ages would, until recently, have been impossible. Unfortunately, the
European Middle Ages have been little studied in Turkey, because of an almost
total absence of primary sources, or even up-to-date secondary sources, since
medieval history has not received much attention from university history
departments and thus university libraries have not acquired the relevant books.
Bilkent University stands out as a unique institution in Turkey in presenting the
opportunity for the serious study of medieval history. Hence, to start with, I
would like to express my gratitude to the founder and honorary chair of the
department, Prof. Dr. Halil Inalcik, and to the Rector of Bilkent University, Prof.
Dr. Ali Doğramacı, for giving this and many other invaluable opportunities to
Turkish students of history. I am enormously indebted to my professors of
European History Dr. Paul Latimer, Dr. Cadoc D.A. Leighton and Dr. David
Thornton. It is they who have, over the years, shaped my mind and skills in the
task of conducting research and writing history. Dr. Latimer has been an
excellent supervisor by being generous with his time, and with his gentle and
constructive suggestions and criticisms. I would like to thank also to the staff of
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