1450-1750

1450-1750

Ottoman EmpireThe Ottoman Empire, was a multi-ethnic and multi-religious Turkish-ruled state.

The state was also known as the Turkish Empire or Turkey

Republic of Turkey was officially proclaimed in 1923 after the Ottoman Empire disbanded following their defeat in WWI

Ottoman Empire At the height of its power (16th–17th century), it spanned three continents, controlling much of Southeastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, stretching from the Strait of Gibraltar in the west to the Caspian Sea and Persian Gulf in the east, from the edge of Austria, Slovakia and parts of Ukraine in the north to Sudan, Eritrea, Somalia and Yemen in the south.

The Ottoman Empire contained 29 provinces, in addition to the tributary principalities of Moldavia, Transylvania, and Wallachia [Vlad Tepes aka Dracula]

Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman Empire was at the center of interactions between the Eastern and Western worlds for six centuries.

The Ottoman Empire was, in many respects, an Islamic successor to earlier Mediterranean empires — namely the Roman and Byzantine empires.

In fact, they claimed they were the inheritors of the two Romes.

Osman I (r. 1299-1326)Declared independence from Seljuk Turks in 1299

“Bone-breaker”

Mongol invasions pushed many groups westward into Byzantine Empire

Continuous war with Byzantine Empire

The Golden Age of the Ottomans

Mehmet I (r. 1413-1421)After the defeat of the Ottomans by the Turko-Mongol/Tatar Tamerlane, the Ottoman Empire went into a period of chaos and civil war.

The disorder ended with Mehmet I emerged and restored Ottoman power.

Mehmet II, The ConquerorMehmet I’s grandson reorganized the structure of both the state and military and captured Constantinople in 1453.

The city became the new capital of the Ottomans and Mehmet II assumed the title of Kayser-I-Rum or Roman Emperor

Attempt after his death to take Rome failed

The Ottoman Capital -- Constantinople in time it would become Istanbul

The Fall of Constantinople: 1453

The End of the Byzantine Empire

Hagia Sophia is “converted”

Ottoman Growth

With Ottoman conquest of Constantinople, the Ottomans becomes the dominant power in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Military and naval conquests help to expand empire as well as trade

Growth also due to new trade and routes between Europe and Asia.

Trade and military alliances with other “European” powers

Selim I (r. 1512-1520)

Expanded the empire dramatically with defeat of Safavid Persia (Sunni v. Shia)

Egypt and naval presence in Red Sea

Competition emerges between Ottomans and Portuguese

Suleiman the Magnificent (1520-1566)

Expanded Ottoman rule by first capturing Belgrade

Later captures the territories of present-day Hungary and much of Central and Eastern Europe

Vienna to Baghdad

Kanun, the Lawgiver

Basis for later constitutions

Topkapi Harem

Topkapi “Fruit Room”

Ottoman ExpansionUnder Selim and Suleiman, the empire became a dominant naval force, controlling much of the Mediterranean Sea.

The exploits of the Ottoman admiral, Barbarossa Hayreddin Pasha, who commanded the Turkish Navy during Suleiman's reign, led to a number of military victories over Christian navies.

Among these were the conquest of Tunis and Algeria from Spain and the evacuation of Muslims and Jews from Spain to the safety of Ottoman lands during the Spanish Inquisition

Ottoman Empire and Europe

The last conquest occurred on behalf of France as a joint venture between the forces of the French king Francis I and those of the Ottoman admiral Barbarossa.

France and the Ottoman Empire, united by mutual opposition to Habsburg rule in southern and central Europe, became strong allies during this period.

The alliance was economic as well as military, as the sultans granted France the right of trade within the empire without levy of taxation. What does this do to France’s motivation to explore?

In fact, the Ottoman Empire was by this time a significant and accepted part of the European political sphere, and entered into a military alliance with France, England and the Netherlands against Habsburg Spain, Italy and Habsburg Austria.

Ottomans and Western Europe

As the 16th century progressed, Ottoman naval superiority was challenged by the growing sea powers of western Europe, particularly Portugal, in the Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean and the Spice Islands.

With the Ottomans blockading sea-lanes to the East and South, the European powers were driven to find another way to the ancient silk and spice routes, now under Ottoman control.

On land, the empire was preoccupied by military campaigns in the Austria and Persia, two widely-separated theaters of war.

The strain of these conflicts on the empire's resources, and the logistics of maintaining lines of supply and communication across such vast distances, ultimately rendered its sea efforts unsustainable and unsuccessful.

The overriding military need for defense on the western and eastern frontiers of the empire eventually made effective long-term engagement on a global scale impossible.

The Ottoman Bureaucracy

SULTANSULTAN

DivansDivans

Social / MilitaryDivans

Social / MilitaryDivans

Heads of Individual

Religious Millets

Heads of Individual

Religious Millets

Local Administrators& Military

Local Administrators& Military

Landowners / Tax CollectorsLandowners / Tax Collectors

MuslimsMuslims JewsJews

ChristiansChristians

Ottoman Society

Few conflicts with Christians

Rival Muslim groups had claims to dynastic rule

Multiethnic army

Recruited Christian children for army (devsirme)

Bureaucracy

Arabic and Ottoman languages

Created a separate class with allegiance to sultan

Education

Palace schools and governors or janissaries

Janissaries

“Recruited” from Balkans and beyond with allegiance to sultan

Elite, military machines

Precision and discipline

Uniforms and military band

Feared throughout Europe

Move west not east. Why?

Calligraphy

Conversations Between Muslims & Christians

The Ottoman Empire Trade Routes

Ottoman DeclineSome historians support the idea the Ottoman defeat at the Battle of Lepanto (1570) gave the Holy League temporary control over the Mediterranean, protected Rome from invasion, and prevented the Ottomans from advancing any more into Europe.

The Jelali revolts (1519–1610) and Janissary revolts (1622) caused widespread lawlessness and rebellion in Anatolia in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, and toppled several governments.

However, the 17th century was not simply an era of stagnation and decline, but also a key period in which the Ottoman state and its structures began to adapt to new pressures and new realities, internal and external but a little too late.

Ottoman DeclineDuring the stagnation period much territory in the Balkans was ceded to Austria. Certain areas of the empire, such as Egypt and Algeria, became independent in all but name, and subsequently came under the influence of Britain and France.

The 18th century saw centralized authority giving way to varying degrees of provincial autonomy enjoyed by local governors and leaders.

A series of wars were fought between the Russian and Ottoman empires from the 17th to the 19th century.

Ottoman Decline

Educational and Technological Reforms were unsuccessful

Fortified Walls not enough. Why?

Military Reforms too late

Ethnic Autonomy leads to ethnic nationalism

Islamic philosophy, mathematics, and Chinese technology were not enough

Walls to keep out invaders from European nations not able to sustain new techonologies

Janissary revolt and subsequent massacres