Transcript Ottoman Empire - sasworldhistory

Ottoman Empire
The Modern Era
(1750-1914)
The acorn says…
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Compare reaction to foreign interference in
the Ottoman Empire (and China, India, SE
Asia, & Japan)
Muhammad Ali
Suez Canal
Remember the Ottomans?
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Conquered Constantinople in 1453:
Istanbul
“Golden Age” under Suleyman
Magnificent in mid 16th c.
Janissaries
Blend Byzantine, Arab, & Persian styles
Dominate overland trade routes
Ottoman Empire at beginning of
Modern Era
Ottoman Decline (18th & 19th c.):
the Sick Man of Europe
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Government corruption, ineptitude, series of
assassinations
Competition from European products &
usurpation of trade routes by Europeans led
to economic decline
Intellectual stagnation
Challenges to the Ottoman Empire
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The West: Napoleon invaded Muslim heartland of
Egypt in 1798 & quickly conquered weak Ottoman
Egyptian forces. He was only expelled because of
British aid/alliance.
Decentralization: As the empire decayed, regional
forces from within the Empire began to emerge.
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Inspired by Enlightenment ideas & nationalistic fervor,
Christian regions of the Balkans rebelled with European
encouragement & achieved independence.
Muhammad Ali strengthens & separates Egypt
Greek War for Independence:
1821-1832
Crimean War: 1854-1856
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Otto, FR, & Brit v. Russia
Origins: Russian
expansionism & conflict
over holy lands
Used railways & telegraphs
and female nurses
Ended with agreement to
respect Ottoman’s
independence & territorial
integrity --keep “The sick
man of Europe” around
Muhammad Ali
“Father of Modern Egypt”
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Ottoman sultan appointed him as governor (pasha) over Egypt
in 1805.
Instituted lots of reforms:
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Land reform
Tax system
Euro-style bureaucracy
Agricultural improvements …led to LOTS of cotton production -Egypt became one of world’s largest cotton producers
Modern printing press & education systems
Military reformed along Euro lines
Even tried to overthrow Ottomans …but prevented by French
& British --why would the French & British care/interfere???
British take over Egypt
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When Muhammad Ali died in 1848, Egypt was most
powerful state in Mid East, but it quickly declined.
Completion of Suez Canal in 1869 made Egypt of vital
strategic importance to the British as a link to their colonies
in India & Africa.
Modernization (including the canal) was expensive & Egypt
had a LOT of foreign debt.
After the US Civil War when world cotton market collapsed
from overproduction, Egypt couldn’t pay its international
debts ….
… So, Britain took control of state finances & the Suez
Canal. After putting down a nationalist uprising in 1882,
Britain made Egypt a protectorate.
The Suez Canal gives ‘the lion’s share’
to the British with the key to India
Ottoman Attempts at Reform
Ottomans realized they needed to make drastic
reforms by mid 19th c.
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Tanzimat (“reorganization”) Reforms: various attempts to modernize the
Ottoman Empire, to secure its territorial integrity against nationalist movements
and aggressive powers. The reforms encouraged Ottomanism among the
diverse ethnic groups, attempting to stem the tide of nationalist movements
within the Ottoman Empire. The reforms attempted to integrate non-Muslims
and non-Turks more thoroughly into Ottoman society by enhancing their civil
liberties and granting equality.
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Sent military officers to Western Euro to learn military system, but also
learned languages & exposure to culture & ideas about gov’t, democracy,
religion, & social order.
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Implemented agricultural reforms & modernized medicine …which led to
population increase, resulting in little real improvement in standard of living 
Varied Reaction to European
Domination
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Westernization: copy the social, political,
economic, & military structure of West. Usually
these reforms affected only educated elites &
political change was superficial.
Nationalism: which kind do you think??
Resistance: some hated Euro political & economic
domination that often accompanied reform; lots of
anti-Western riots & wars with European countries
Islamic Fundamentalism: especially in Sudan as
led by Mahdi in 1881.
Demise of the Ottoman Empire
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By the end of the 19th c, only the Ottomans remained
as an important independent Muslim state …but it was
really weak.
Reforms were too little, too late
In early 20th c, group of liberals known as Young
Turks deposed autocratic ruler & instituted more
reforms. But they ended up supporting Germany &
Austria-Hungary in WWI, & after the war the empire
was broken up & occupied by foreign powers
From its ruins, a new Islamic state, the Republic of
Turkey rose.
The Ottoman Empire in 1914