2. Common Characteristics
Religion (of the rulers at least…)
All three Islamic empires were military creations
Governing
Autocratic: emperors imposed their will on the state
Ongoing problems with royal succession
Ottoman rulers legally killed brothers after taking the throne
Influence of Royal and Upper-Class Women
Harem
Harem politics: women often influenced policies, selections

3. Political

4. OTTOMAN EMPIRE

5. RISE OF OTTOMAN EMPIRE
Founded in 1289 by Osman, who commanded a large group of Muslim warriors
Later Expand into outer regions of Byzantine Empire
Successful b/c of gunpowder in early sieges
Use of Janissary Corps
14th-15th centuries: Expand into South Eastern Europe
1453: Conquer Constantinople
Under the leadership of Mehmed II (r )
Absolute monarchy; centralized state

6. Maintained strong navy in Mediterranean region to protect trade routes they controlled there.
Remained a significant sea power until the 1700s.

7. Politics of the ottoman empire
Sultans control politics and economy
Promoted religious toleration to “People of the Books”
Separate themselves from the masses
Face many issues with succession
Harem
Sultans will promote cultural heritage and development
Architecture
Coffeehouses

8. SULEYMAN THE MAGNIFICENT
Empire at its height under Suleyman
Reigned
Came to power through murder of brothers
Conquered lands in Europe, Asia, Africa
Syria, modern-day Israel, Egypt
Hungary, Croatia, Rumania
Siege of Vienna (Austria) in 1529 failed
Built powerful navy to rule Mediterranean
Encouraged development of arts
Beautified Constantinople with mosques
Empire began a slow decline after Suleyman

9. Society

10. Ottoman SOCIAL STRUCTURE
Women typically restricted to the harem = part of the house that the women resided in. Only men of close relation were allowed in.
Women had no rights aside from tradition, class, husbands’ wishes

11. Ottoman Law
Ottomans (Muslims) ruled diverse people: Arabs, Greeks, Slavs, Armenians, Jews, etc.
Millets = separate communities of non-Muslims --> each millet controlled its own affairs
Population divided into different classes
1st class = ruling class made up of sultan, his family & high government officials
2nd class = nobility
3rd class (largest) = peasants

12. The ottoman MILLET system
Millet System: Different communities based on religion throughout the empire
Each millet was headed by its own religious dignitary
Advised sultan on affairs in the community
Was punished by sultan for problems of the community
In the millet system each community was responsible for
Taxes
Education
Legal Matters: Marriage, Divorce, Inheritance

13. Coerced labor in the Ottoman Empire
Devshirme System:
Young Balkan, Christian males between the ages of 8 and 15
Educated in Palace schools, converted to Islam
Learned several languages (Turkish, Arabic, Persian)
Trained in military techniques
Pledged absolute allegiance to Sultan
Received highest offices in Empire
Others were forced to work for farmers
Some become the elite infantry of the Ottoman Empire – Janissary Corps (ended c. 1800)

14. Culture

15. Ottoman Islamic Civilization
Borrowed many elements from the Byzantine, Persian, and Arab cultures
Bridges, mosques, and aqueducts reflect this blend of culture
Turned Christian church of Hagia Sophia into a mosque

17. The Contraction of the Ottoman Empire

18. The Ottoman Empire: “Sick Man of Europe”
In the 1800s= the Ottoman Empire went from being a great power in the world to one of the weakest territories
Could no longer keep up with Western Europe
Unable to prevent region after region from falling under European control

19. Causes of Territorial Losses
Cause #1 = European aggression
Invasions from Russia, Britain, France, and Austria
Example: one of the earliest invasions = in 1798 = Napoleon’s invasion of Egypt
Cause #2 = Nationalism and independence movements by different groups within the Ottoman Empire
Independence achieved by: Greece, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania (with help of European militaries)
Driven by nationalism
Napoleon’s Invasion of Egypt

20. More Problems for the Ottoman Empire
Weak central government
Increasing power of local authorities and rulers
Unable to effectively raise revenue (taxes)
Growing technological and military gap with Europe
Decreasing power of the Janissaries (elite infantry units of the Ottoman Empire)

21. Economic Problems for the Ottoman Empire
The economy of the Ottoman Empire weakened for several reasons:
Europeans achieved direct sea access to Asia = no longer a need for them to go through the Ottoman and Arab land routes to get there = loss of revenue for those groups
Ottoman artisans and workers hit hard by competition from cheap European manufactured goods
An Ottoman Merchant in Istanbul
(with no customers) 

22. Economic Problems for the Ottoman Empire
Series of unbalanced agreements between European powers and the Ottoman Empire = allowed Europeans many exemptions from Ottoman law and taxation
Allowed these Westerners to easily “infiltrate” the Ottoman economy
Ottoman Empire came to rely on foreign loans to sustain itself
Unable to repay those debts OR the interest on them
Led to foreign control of much of its revenue-generating system

23. The Ottoman Empire: Attempts at Reform
Ottoman Empire began programs of “defensive modernization”
Earlier, more sustained, and more vigorous than the “self-strengthening” policies of China
Several factors contributed to this:
The Ottoman Empire
China
No internal upheavals
Taiping Rebellion
Only nationalist revolts on edges of empire
Peasant rebellions at the center of the state
No explosive population growth
Massive population growth
Ottoman leaders = Turkic and Muslim (similar to their people)
China’s rulers = Qing rulers = Manchu (considered foreigners & NOT like their people)

24. The Ottoman Empire: Attempts at Reform
Reforms began in the late 1700s with Sultan Selim III
Wanted to reorganize and update the army
Wanted to draw on European advisors and techniques
Result = opposition from ulama (Muslim religious scholars) and the Janissaries
Believed these reforms would threaten their power and that they conflicted with Islam
Selim III = overthrown and murdered in 1807

25. The Ottoman Empire: Attempts at Reform
Future sultans crushed the Janissaries and brought the ulama under state control
Started the Tanzimat (reorganization) reform:
Factories making cloth, paper, and arms
Modern mining operations
Resettlement of agricultural land
Telegraphs, steamships, railroads, modern postal service
Western-style law codes and courts
New elementary and secondary schools
Equal rights (under law) for Muslims AND non-Muslims
The Ottoman Constitution, 1895
(Extended equal rights to all)

26. Supporters of Ottoman Reforms
Supporters of these reforms = called the “Young Ottomans”
Lower-level officials and military officers, writers, poets, journalists
Had a new view of the Ottoman Empire = a secular state whose people were loyal to the dynasty that ruled it, rather than a state based on religion
Wanted a European-style democratic, constitutional government
Only way to overcome “backwardness” and stop European aggression

27. Supporters of Ottoman Reforms
“Islamic modernism” = idea that Muslim societies can embrace Western technical and scientific knowledge, while rejecting its materialism
Islam can be modern AND maintain its religious character

28. Supporters of Ottoman Reforms
The Young Ottomans did not have much success  authoritarian rule continued in the Ottoman Empire
“Young Turks” = group of military and civilian elites
Opposed this tyrannical rule
Wanted a completely secular (non-religious) law code
Supported continuing modernization based on European achievements
Viewed the Ottoman Empire as a “Turkish national state”
This antagonized non-Turkic peoples and helped stimulate Arab and other nationalisms  contributed to disintegration of Ottoman Empire after WWI
A photograph of Young Turks from 1902

29. Supporters of Ottoman Reforms
1908 = successful military coup by the Young Turks
Reforms that they implemented:
Secularized schools, courts, and law codes
Allowed elections and political parties
Established a “Law of Family Rights” for all people
Opened up modern schools for women
Allowed women to wear Western clothing
Restricted polygamy
Allowed women to get divorces in some situations
Encouraged Turkish as the official language
Declaration of the Young Turk Revolution

30. Comparing China and the Ottoman Empire
Both shared several similarities by the beginning of the 20th century:
Both “semi-colonies” within the “informal empires” of Europe
Both were hurt by a rapidly shifting balance of global power
Kept formal independence
Attempted to modernize, but never truly succeeded; no industrial economies
No restoration of a strong state
Both gave rise to new nationalist views of society
Both empires officially collapsed in the early 20th century

31. Comparing China and the Ottoman Empire
There were also key differences between China and the Ottoman Empire in the aftermath of European imperialism:
China
The Ottoman Empire
Collapse of the Chinese empire in 1911 was followed by a revolutionary upheaval that led to a communist government by 1949
Collapse of the Ottoman Empire was followed by the creation of new, smaller nation-states – including Turkey
Rejection of Confucian culture
Viewed as secular and elitist
Confucianism was always tied to a single state (China); not thriving elsewhere
Islam retained a hold on civilization
Islamic religious tradition = personally meaningful to its followers
Islam = never tied to a single state; many independent centers