Sultans, Syntax, And Scripture: Queens' Library Exhibition Curators' Talk

Join the library curators of Queens' College for a behind-the-scenes look at their new exhibition, 'Sultans, Syntax, and Scripture'.

This exhibition explores how the Fellows of Queens’ College encountered Islamic societies in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, revealing their fascination with the scientific and religious knowledge preserved in Arabic, Persian, and Turkish sources. The Old Library’s holdings vividly illustrate this interest, from the rare Islamic manuscripts bequeathed by Thomas Thompson (d. 1666), an alumnus of the College, to its collection of European translations of major Islamic works on medicine, botany, and theology. Together, these books show how knowledge from the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal worlds entered the College, informed teaching and research, and contributed to a broader early modern project of assembling learning across cultural and religious boundaries.

This event will comprise a talk by the exhibition curators, a Q&A session, and the opportunity for attendees to explore the exhibition, hosted in the college's original medieval library.