The+Ottoman+Empire

Emily Couture, Karina Schmitt, Simone Stinnette, Mikayla Barker 4th Period AP World History **The Ottoman Empire 1450-1918** The Ottoman Empire originated to spread the Islamic faith during the holy war, or jihad, which is why their economy depended on warfare and territorial expansion. High praise was given to military leaders and the Turkic cavalry became a warrior aristocracy. Around the 1450s, an infantry division controlled imperial armies. Their troops were called Janissaries. The Janissaries were usually young men that were legally enslaved from conquered territories. Because of their power, they received an important role in the military and eventually used it in politics. There were many high quality Ottoman rulers. This resulted when the heir to the throne usually became a military commander which provided him with leadership training. Even though the Ottomans were an absolute monarchy, the sultan, emperor, usually had to pit the shrinking warrior elite against the Janissaries, to retain his power. Ottoman sultans lived in lavish palaces, surrounded by slaves. They lived elaborate lifestyles and had active roles in politics. However, day-to-day decisions were often made by a bureaucracy led by a vizier. The Ottomans conquered Constantinople in 1453 under Mehmed II, “The Conqueror”. Following the capture of the city, the proceeding sultans tried to beautify the new capital. Between 1520 and 1566, in the rule of Suleyman the Magnificent, the mosque Suleymaniye was built and represents one of the biggest contributions the Ottomans had on Islamic life. The Ottoman Empire had so many different cultures because of its acquisitions of Europe, Asia, andAfrica; however, their common thread was Islam, and their lineage was Sunni. Social life was usually held in coffeehouses all over the capital. Artisans were separated into guilds, which were closely watched by government officials.  Janissaries tried to stop military changes that might limit their power, which caused the Ottomans to fall behind the industrialized Europe. Ottomans quickly lost power at sea. For example, in 1507, the Portuguese won a naval victory in theIndian Ocean. In contrast, in 1514 the Ottoman’s victory over the shi’ite Safavids at Chaldiran showed that the Ottomans were still a very capable Muslim threat.  The Ottoman Empirebetween the times of 1550-1650 began with the rule of sultan Selim II (1566-1574) (nicknamed “the Sot”)(shown in picture below). He was an often drunken man who let the grand vizier run the empire. This is where traces of the empire’s decline became more pronounced. Selim was a very unfitting sultan and drew many enemies due to his conflict with Bayezid. This cost the empire a fortune causing the economy to plummet due to all the gifts and bribes he needed to keep Janissaries were loyal and under his rule. One good thing that came out of his rule was capturing the islandCyprusfromVenice; however that was soon taken from them at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. The European’s navy demolished that of the Ottoman’s. The empire quickly removed their navy in remarkable time and set out on an assult inNorth Africabut this event is seen as the beginning of the Ottoman’s fall from power.  After the Ottoman Empire got almost destroyed in the battle of Lepanto the navy was recovered and the empire slowly grew. After Austrian and Polish armies defeated the Ottoman Empirein 1683, their want to expand was halted. Rebellions all across the empire were started after large taxes were placed on the people they conquered and enslaved young children. These two factors slowly allowed the power of theOttoman Empireto decline. People in the Ottoman Empirebegan to revolt and since the government had poor control it eventually grew out of hand. Russia’s want for a warm water port on the black sea led them into the Russo-Turkish war with theOttoman Empire. On July 28, 1710 the Russian Empire captured Azov. Thus, the Ottoman Empire declared war onRussia. In the end this resulted in Azov being turned over to the Ottoman Empire once again. After Russia began to approach Poland, the Ottoman Empire stepped in after signing a peace agreement with Poland and started a chain reaction of wars all over both empires. In 1792 the Ottoman Empire surrendered some of the Black Sea coast to Russia.  Throughout the beginning 1800’s, independences ran rapidly through the areas surrounding the Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans were pushed out of the Balkan States by 1870. Along with the shrinking of the empire, decline was inevitable. The Janissaries were reduced to a regular army and its biggest enemy, biggest dependence and saving grace was the European countries. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">They were too afraid the others would gain more power than the rest. The key to the Ottomans survival was to play the Europeans against each other. They didn’t fight wars on their own because they knew they weren’t strong enough, so they formed alliances, like in the Crimean War from 1854-1856. The Russians initiated war onto the Ottomans because they choose to grant Catholic France the right to preserve holy land instead of Russians Orthodox’s. Along with the religious assumptions, the Russian’s were also very close to the Black Sea and looking to capture more territories. Like the Ottomans learned, they teamed up with France and Britain and ended the war with the Treaty of Paris. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Along with fighting around the outside, a huge key to the empire’s survival was reforming the inside. The reforms were seen as a necessity in order to keep the empire alive. The Tanzimat Reform (1836-1876) created many effects on the empire, including an all around westernization movement. Education was one of a western thinker, the 1876 constitution was made that of a European one, reorganization of the bureaucracy, and the position of artisans decreased, because of the dependence on British exports. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Militarily changes occurred in 1839 after a defeat and lose of territory in Egypt to Muhammad Ali and the death of Sultan Mahmud II. The Imperial Edict of Gulhane stated that the military was a religious duty for Muslim males and ensured the equality of Muslims. The reforms Muhammad Ali created in Egypt also westernized creating a new government. With the Suez Canal opening, this made Egypt one of the most strategic places in the world for trade. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In 1889 the Ottoman Society for Union and Progress was created by Young Turks. The “Young Turks” were a group of seculars who banded against the authoritarian rule of Sultan Abdulhamid. They were “committed to the modernization and reform of their country”. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">The “Young Turks” valued westernization. This idea involved idealization of Western institutions, technology and general way of life. They believed that if the achievements of the West were used in the Ottoman Empire, it would bring prosperity to the population as it had in the West. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> As shown in the primary source document “Proclamation for the Ottoman Empire, 1908”, written by the “Young Turks”, the proposal for the empire was much like that of Western society. The “Young Turks” wanted religious freedom, free education, and the right to vote. They also wanted to “catch-up” with the West. In the proclamation it was written that steps would be taken for the formation of railroads to increase communication and trade. “Everything that can impede commerce or agriculture shall be abolished.” The “Young Turks” had a strong sense of nationalism and wanted to do the best thing for their country. In 1908 the young Turks entered Macedonia, and finally convinced the Sultan to renew the constitution. In 1914 the Ottoman Empirejoined World War I allying with the Central Power. Also in from 1915 the Young Turks felt the need to cleanse of the Armenians, causing the Armenian Genocide in which they deported the Armeians from their homelands.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">** Global Impact: ** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Because the Ottoman Empire lasted for around 600 years, it had a major impact on the globe. Towards the beginning of the empire, the Ottomans dominated most of eastern and Mediterranean trade. They connected the Eastern and Western trade though various trade routes in their territory. The blockades that the Turks set up along these trade routes forced European powers to find a new way to Asia. This opened a whole new world of trade, by sea. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">The new routes by sea led to the colonization by European powers of the Pacific islands and Asian territories. Because of the need to travel and acquire land by sea, Europe made changes in their naval transportation, starting a chain reaction of innovated technology. The Ottomans also left their mark on the Islamic world. While gaining knowledge and keeping the faith alive, the Ottomans were able to spread their beliefs and convert a whole new set of believers. Up until the 20th century, the Ottoman Empire has left its mark on the world.

Stearns, Peter N. World Civilizations: The Global Experience.New York: Pearson Longman, 2003. "The Young Turks," trans. A. Sarrou, in //Civilization since Waterloo//, Rondo Cameron, ed. (Paris, 1912), pp. 40-42
 * ~Sources~**

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