Transcript The Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman
Empire was the
one of the
largest and
longest lasting
empires in
history.
It was an empire
inspired and
sustained by
Islam.
The Ottomans established an empire
over European, Asian, and
African territories. With this, the
Ottomans took their faith, Islam,
and established Islamic traditions
and culture that have lasted to today.
Overview
• Controlled what is now Turkey and parts of
North Africa, Southwest Asia, and Southeast
Europe
• Istanbul = capital city (Originally Constantinople,
but when taken by Sultan Mehmed renamed city
Istanbul)
• Rulers were called sultans – sultans had absolute
power – main purpose – to ensure justice,
especially for the helpless (also took title of
Caliph- thus, ruler of Islamic world as well)
• Although an Islamic empire, Christians and Jews
could pay a tax that would allow them to worship.
What lead to the creation
and expansion of the
Ottoman Empire?
• Muslim Ottomans were
driven by a desire to convert
new territory to Islam.
• Wanted to control trade
routes
What would be significant about the
location of Asia Minor?
Asia Minor
Whoever controlled this area would
control the trade routes between Europe
and Asia (west and east) as well as
Europe and Africa (north and south).
Asia Minor
Once Constantinople was taken,
Ottomans controlled the east/west
and north/south trade routes.
Asia Minor
The empire continued to
expand under various
sultans.
Locate Mecca. Why
is this city so
important to the
Islamic Ottoman
Empire? Why
would access to this
city be so important
to the Ottomans?
One of the pillars
of Islam is a
pilgrimage to
Mecca. Thus,
Ottomans wanted
to maintain safe
access to Mecca.
At its height, the Ottoman Empire included Anatolia (Turkey),
Southeastern Europe, the Arab Middle East and North Africa
Another
important
factor of the
expansion
of the
empire was
the
wisdom of
Suleiman.
Suleiman
1520 - 1566
Called…
•The Magnificent
(by Christians)
•The Lawgiver
(by Muslims)
Suleiman’s Wisdom …
• Helped any Islamic country that was
threatened by invading Europeans.
• Destabilization of Europe - he realized that
if he could destabilize the Catholic Church
and the Holy Roman Empire, he could keep
Europe destabilized. Therefore, when
Christianity split Europe into Catholics and
Protestants, he financially supported the
Protestants in order to keep Europe
destabilized.
• Ruled with great wisdom and justice.
Considered a second Solomon.
Suleiman’s empire …
• He reigned for 46 years
• Empire at peak under Suleiman
• Empire gained enormous wealth – from control
of the Mediterranean … especially Egypt, which
gave him the resources to build his empire
• Called himself Caliph – which justified his
annexation of other Islamic countries such as
Iraq and Arabia
• Europe greatest threat to empire
– Built a fleet which dominated Mediterranean
Suleiman – the builder
• Great cultivator of arts – Istanbul became
center of visual arts, music, writing and
philosophy – Suleiman himself was a
great poet and many of his poems are
considered the best of Islamic poetry
• Wanted to make Istanbul a center of
Islamic culture – massive building projects
with architect Sinan –
Suleiman’s Mosque
Mosques
of Sinan
considered
some of the
greatest in the
world
The
Blue
Mosque
Under Suleiman’s reign,
the Ottoman Empire was
considered the richest and
most powerful empire in
Southwest Asia.
As the
empire
grew, so did
the need for
a larger,
stronger
army whose
loyalty was
strictly to the
sultan.
The Janissaries
• Sultan’s soldiers
• 1300’s - Developed
from a small force of
slaves.
• By 1600 they were so
powerful even Sultans
feared them
• As Sultans grew
weaker, Janissaries
grew stronger
• However, they grew weak when they refused to learn
modern ways of fighting.
But alas,
all good things must come to
pass!
Even with the Ottoman Empire!
After Suleiman, the empire
started a slow decline!
Decline of empire
• Historians differ on opinions for decline of
empire; however, listed are a few of the
most accepted reasons…
• Growth of European trade routes …
Wealth of Ottomans was primarily due to trade. Center
of their empire stood at the crossroads of Europe, Asia,
Africa, and India. However, as Europe grew they
created new trade routes, thus by-passing Ottoman
territories. Because Ottomans collected taxes on goods
passing along their trade routes, they began to lose a
vast amount of income.
• Ottomans did not industrialize like the
rest of Europe. Thus, trade became
unbalanced. Europe was buying only raw
materials from Ottomans and shipping back
finished goods which they had manufactured.
Since these had been produced with new,
industrial methods, they were much cheaper
than what was produced in the empire.
Eventually, the craftsmen were put out of
business.
More factors…
• The empire was constantly fighting wars
with expanding European colonialism.
• Ottomans feared and distrusted new ideas –
thus rejected anything new.
• By the 1800’s the empire was near
bankruptcy - couldn’t compete with
European trade.
• Lost much territory after many wars
The end of the empire
• World War I
– Remaining Ottoman Empire sided with
Central Powers (Germany) – the losing side of
WWI.
L to R. Kaiser Wilhelm II, Germany, Enver Pasha Ottoman Empire (Turkey),
Emperor Franz Joseph, Austro Hungarian Empire (Austria/Hungary).
In your notes, write the 1st letter of each of the countries
listed and then go back and see if you can name them!
During WWI,
Ottoman empire
consisted of territory
that is now Lebanon, Syria,
Israel, Saudi Arabia,
Yemen, Qatar,
Kuwait, Iraq,
Bahrain, United Arab
Emirates.
Some of these
territories had been
controlled by the
Ottomans for more
than 1000 years!
However … after World War I, the
empire lost control of the Arab lands.
France and Britain split up most of
the Ottoman’s remaining territories
dividing the territories into various
nations and maintaining control of
these new nations.
Most importantly …
New nations created – with no
regard to religious, cultural,
tribal, and ethnic groups or
historical divisions … all of
which were very important to
Middle Easterns
For example,
Lebanon was
carved out of
territory
traditionally
ruled by Syria.
This is why to
this day, Syria
tries to control
this area.
Shia = Shi’ite
Various rival
ethnic groups
were placed
together
within the
country of
Iraq.
Took land
that was
historically
controlled
by Iraq and
created new
country of
Kuwait.
Let’s look at the bigger picture …
Other than
historically
controlling
this area,
why else
might Iraq
want
control of
this land?
Let’s look at the bigger picture …
Loss of
coast line
and a
major
access to
the Persian
Gulf!
England took control
of Iraq and various
gulf states, such as
Transjordan (today Jordan). It already
had control of Egypt.
France received
Lebanon and Syria.
These moves
reneged on the
promises of
independence that
had been made by
Britain earlier in the
war.
The end of the empire
1922 –Turkey was declared a
republic … the Ottoman Empire
finally came to an end!