AGE OF IMPERIALISM Europeans Set Their Sights On THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE

IN ITS PRIME, THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE HAD VAST TERRITORY THAT STRETCHED AROUND THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA

THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE  The Ottoman Empire lasted from 1299 to 1923  It was succeeded by the Republic of Turkey in 1923  At the height of its power, it spanned three continents (Africa, Asia, and Europe)  Constantinople (now known as Istanbul) was its capital city  Its leaders were called “sultans”  The greatest of the sultans ruled from 1526 to His name was Suleyman I, better known as “Suleyman the Magnificent”

Suleyman the Magnificent  Suleyman greatly expanded the Ottoman Empire, leading military conquests of Christian-held territories  Under his rule, the Ottomans were the world leaders of technology, art, architecture, law, philosophy, and education  Suleyman’s reign was the “Golden Age of the Ottoman Empire”, a time of incredible economic prosperity  After his death in 1566, the Golden Age was at an end and the Ottoman Empire began a slow and steady decline over the next 300 years

The Ottomans’ Decline After Suleyman’s death, he was followed by a series of weak, often corrupt sultans There was dissension and quarreling in the government, which weakened the Empire Corruption and theft ended the economic prosperity Among Muslims, there began a movement to reject Western thought and technology and follow the rules of Islam in a stricter fashion (go back to the way life was during the Prophet Muhammad’s time) Sultan Selim III tried to modernize the army, but was overthrown by traditional thinkers who saw modern technology as wrong and against Islam As a result, the Ottomans began to fall behind the European nations in terms of technology and military might

Europeans Grab Ottoman Territory GEOPOLITICS: an interest in taking land for its resources or strategic location  Geopolitics played a big part in the decline of the Ottoman Empire.  Other nations wanted the land of the Ottoman Empire because of where it was located (all along the Mediterranean and the Black Sea).  Control of the waterways meant control of trade.  During the mid-1800s, RUSSIA was especially interested in taking over parts of the Ottoman Empire. This led to war.  During the early 1900s, discovery of oil in Persia and Arabia drew a GREAT DEAL of interest from world powers.

THE CRIMEAN WAR Russia VS. Ottoman Empire (and Britain & France, too!)

THE CRIMEAN WAR  Ottomans had what Russia wanted: control of the Black Sea  In 1853, war broke out between the Russians and Ottomans  It was called the Crimean War because most of the fighting took place on the peninsula of Crimea  Fearing Russian expansion, Britain, France, and Sardinia (later to be a part of the united Italy) entered the war on the side of the Ottomans  The combined forces of Britain, France, Sardinia, and the Ottomans fend off the Russians in 1856  2 interesting points about the Crimean War: this is the first war where women served as combat nurses (led by Florence Nightingale), and this is the first war covered by newspaper journalists

RESULTS OF THE CRIMEAN WAR Despite beating the Russians, the Crimean War was not good for the Ottomans Ottomans’ outdated technology was exposed in the war The Russians encouraged their fellow Slavs in the Ottoman Empire to rebel against their rulers Greece and Serbia had already gained their freedom from the Ottomans, and now rebellions led to other countries joining them: Romania, Montenegro, Cyprus, Bosnia, Bulgaria, and Herzegovina (the Balkans) The Ottomans lost African lands, as well By the time World War I began (1914), the Ottoman Empire was severely reduced in size and in deep decline

“THE GREAT GAME” The Great Game geopolitical conflict British EmpireRussian Empiresupremacy in Central Asia The Great Game was a term that referred to the strategic rivalry and geopolitical conflict between the British Empire and the Russian Empire for supremacy in Central Asia in the 19 th Century Caption from a 1911 English satirical magazine reads: "If we hadn't a thorough understanding, I (British lion) might almost be tempted to ask what you (Russian bear) are doing there with our little playfellow (Persian cat)."

EGYPT

EGYPT TRIES TO BLOCK IMPERIALISM Muslim leaders in Egypt watched the decline of the Ottoman Empire, and were determined to avoid their fate. Egypt broke away from the Ottoman Empire in 1841 How do they avoid the Ottomans’ fate? Adjust to the modern world, or be consumed by it Adjust to the modern world, or be consumed by it Egypt’s location at the head of the Red Sea made their land attractive to Britain and France (geopolitics again!) A new leader of Egypt emerged, a man who tried to start up new reforms of the economy and modernize the military. The goal of this modernization was to avoid being taken over by imperials like Britain and France This leader’s name was Muhammad Ali

MUHAMMAD ALI

THE SUEZ CANAL

BUILDING THE SUEZ CANAL  Muhammad Ali’s grandson Isma’il continued his efforts to modernize Egypt  A major step was the construction of the Suez Canal, which would connect the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea  Why was connecting these two bodies of water so important?

BEFORE THE SUEZ CANAL

AFTER THE SUEZ CANAL

THE SUEZ CANAL OPENS… …AND WHAT HAPPENS?  The Suez Canal opened in 1869  The Egyptians had borrowed over $450 million from European bankers to construct it  The Egyptians couldn’t make their payments (and now they have quicker access to Asia)  Britain insisted on overseeing control of the canal (and now they have quicker access to Asia)  The British end up also occupying Egypt, which was exactly what the Egyptians wanted to avoid

PERSIA (later known as IRAN)  Persia was another Muslim territory targeted by the imperial Europeans  Corrupt leaders wanted to work with the Europeans, while the people and religious leaders were against modernization  The discovery of oil in 1908 led to the Anglo-Persian Oil Company being formed, and the British exploited the oil in the region  Russia and Britain divided Persia into spheres of influence, taking economic control of the nation