Kajian Semiotika terhadap Representasi Kekhalifahan Utsmaniyah melalui Tokoh Murad I dalam Buku The Chronicles Ghazi: The Rise of Ottomans Seri Perdana karya Felix Siau (2014)

Abstract

This study explores the semiotic representation of the Ottoman Caliphate as portrayed through the figure of Murad I in the first volume of The Chronicles of Ghazi: The Rise of Ottomans by Felix Siauw. Employing a descriptive qualitative approach and Charles Sanders Peirce’s semiotic analysis, the research examines both visual and narrative signs that construct meanings related to leadership, jihad, and Islamic values associated with Murad I during the formative period of the Ottoman Caliphate. The findings reveal that Murad I is depicted not merely as a military commander, but also as a spiritual leader and a symbol of civilizational transformation. Visual elements such as robes, weapons, and facial expressions in the illustrations function as representamen, signifying the identity of a Muslim warrior and embodying the ghazi spirit (a fighter in the path of God). The objects of these signs point toward values of struggle, courage, and the legitimacy of power in both religious and political dimensions. The interpretants generated from these signs shape the readers’ perception of Murad I as an ideal model of Islamic leadership. Consequently, the visual and verbal narratives in this work serve a dual function—as an educational tool and as an ideological medium to reinforce the historical identity of Islam, particularly within the context of the caliphate. This book, therefore, is not merely a piece of popular historical literature but also a medium for value transmission through a deliberate and impactful semiotic strategy.