Boogert (Ottoman studies, U. of Leiden) focuses on the perception, theory, and practice of the capitulatory system in the Ottoman legal system in the 18th century, warning that perceptions about the system found in Western sources must be treated with caution because bankruptcies of foreign merchants in the Ottoman Empire were handled in a way that did not necessarily conform to the theory of the capitulation or the perceptions of Western diplomats. He covers early studies of the capitulation, the sultan's promise, the protection system, misrepresentations of the Ottoman legal system, the division of estates, bankruptcy, and theft. Case studies enhance most of the chapters. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)