Absolutist France vs. Ottoman Empire European monarchy compared with a land-based Asian empire

Coming to Power ► Bourbon monarchs come to power in 1500’s with Henry IV ► End of civil wars over religion and absolutism ► Nation-state ► Expansion by Louis XIV to ‘”natural boundaries” ► Expansion overseas to Americas and India trading posts ► Turkic tribe from steppes of Central Asia ► Conquest state—took Constantinople in 1453 ► Moved into Balkans ► Moved into North Africa ► United Muslim regions ► Navy almost complete superiority in the Mediterranean until end of 1500’s

Government ► Centralized state with absolute monarch (political, religious and military leader ► Control over hereditary monarchs ► Bureaucracy of middle class and nobles of the robe ► Powerful and capable chief ministers ► Intendent system ► Tax farming ► Mercantilism ► Louis XIV (1600’s to early 1700’s) ► Sultan, absolute monarch (political, religious and military leader) ► Warrior aristocracy-granted land to be used to support themselves and family (land belonged emperor) ► Janissaries—”slave” soldiers and administrators ► Islamic scholars and legal experts in bureaucracy ► Vizier—chief minister handled day to day administration ► Divan-imperial council ► Suleiman the Magnificent (1500’s)

Palace ► Versailles ► 1000’s of courtiers and their attendants ► No problems of succession ► Topkapi ► Harem (living quarters reserved for wives and concubines and female relatives in a Muslim household) ► Problems of succession

Topkapi Palace

Economics ► France ► Agriculture ► Vigorous trade and pro-industrialism ► Encouraged by state which adopted mercantilism ► Dependent on overseas colonies ► Tax farming ► Goods from Americas like coffee, tobacco, chocolate ► Ottoman Empire ► Agriculture ► Vigorous trade, but held in low esteem by Ottoman elite so in hands of Jews, Christians, foreigners ► Capitulations: Special agreements between the Ottoman Empire and various foreign governments giving those governments and their citizens and subjects specific exemptions from the laws of the empire. ► Tax farming ► Began to collect taxes on trade— European merchants went around ► Goods from America like coffee and tobacco

Culture ► France ► Versailles ► Clothing, furniture, dances, food, etc. ► Ballet ► Opera ► Plays –Racine and Moliere ► French Academies-science and the arts ► Ottoman ► Sultan trained in a craft ► Construction of monumental architecture- Suleymaniye mosque ► Isnik tiles-synthesis of Chinese and European motifs—painted floral designs ► Textiles, silver, bookbinding,calligraphy, carpets

Isnik Tiles

Suleymaniye mosque

Dealing with ethnic minorities ► France only had to deal with them in colonies, France at home nation state ► Appointed governors to collect tax revenues, oversee justice and economic activities ► Slave labor ► Prohibited Protestants from settling in New France ► Lost Canada and Indian outpost to English in 7 years war ► Ottomans have many ethnic and religious minorities ► Millet system—tolerated them, but special administration and tax system ► Expansion brought wealth to empire ► Later provinces became autonomous like Egypt ► Problems in the Balkans, Greek independence in 1820’s ► Europeans and capitulations—let revenue and trade get out of their hands

Weaknesses ► France ► Powerful army of 400,000 that added territory to Strasburg ► Expense and losses in later years— war of Spanish succession ► Policies towards Huguenots ► Drain on treasury ► Losses overseas to British ► Ottoman—remember over 600 years in empire ► At its height, too large to effectively rule ► Loses meant not enough revenue for army and bureaucracy ► Many local officials become autonomous ► Decline in quality of sultans (sons are no longer trained in provinces), growing harem intrigue ► Resistance of Janisaries to reforms ► Europeans bypass empire in favor of overseas trade ► Inflation from influx of American silver, poor balance of trade