Ottomans & Arabs Chapter 26

Ottoman: factors of decline Competition b/w elites Weak rulers Increasingly powerful Janissary corps Increased competition from European merchants Military challenges from the West Ottomans vs Russia (result: loss of Serbia, Greece and most of balkans)

Survival Played European rivals against each other Selim III: reformed bureaucracy, new army & navy. Killed by Janissaries in 1807 Mahmud II: slaughtered Janissaries, families and religious allies, reforms based on Western influence (angered conservative religious leaders) Tanzimat Reforms: 1839- 1876: series of Western influenced reforms in education, government, newspapers, constitution. Introduction of Railroad & telegraph systems effect: communication increased, minority groups increased power Consequences: artisans negatively effected (thank you, Britain), women’s status remained stagnant

Backlash to reforms Conflict b/w old and new orders Abdul Hamid: attempted return to despotic governing..nullified constitution, removed Westerners in power, continued SOME Western practices Coup 1908: Ottoman Society for Union and Progress (Young Turks) fought for return to 1876 constitution, Sultan remained as figurehead War in N. Africa: Ottomans lost Libya Young Turks vs Arabs WWI: Turkey sided with Germany…..

Arab Heartlands Fertile Crescent, Egypt, North Africa Identified with Ottoman rulers as Muslims, disliked Ottoman rule Fear of Western rule

Muhammad Ali, Westernizing Egypt Napoleon invades Egypt: (1798) example of Western military power, eventually defeated by the British Western reforms introduced (military, agriculture) little accomplished in the long-term Khedives: Muhammad’s descendents, ruled Egypt until 1952

Issues and European Help Cotton: solely dependent on export Misuse of money by the elite Indebted to European powers Suez Canal: introduces power struggle b/w European powers and Egypt (France and Britain) Conservative Muslims resented Western presence Liberal Muslims borrowed from West Skirmish b/w Britain and Khedival army results in British domination (Egypt is NOT colonized)

Egypt in Sudan Sudan exploited, forced to reform slave trade Jihad called against Egyptian rulers and Britain Sudan successful in maintaining independence until 1896 Western tech vs Eastern tech