1. Ms. Susan M. Pojer Horace Greeley HS Chappaqua, NY
The "Sick Man
of Europe"
1600s
Ms. Susan M. Pojer Horace Greeley HS Chappaqua, NY

2. The Ottoman Empire Expands
QUESTIONS: What kind of empire was it (if they need some help: land or sea)? What did it mean to be a land empire – what were the characteristics? (agricultural, large, defensive, bordered by other land empires)? Why couldn’t they industrialize at the same pace as others? Students did the AUTOPSY OF AN EMPIRE about a month or two ago….does anyone remember some of the reasons why the Ottoman empire fell??

3. The Luxurious Lifestyle of the Sultans
During the early days of the Ottoman Empire – their life was luxurious and the empire was rich.

4. The Actual Topkapi Palace

5. Topkapi Harem
What are some of the characteristics of Islam architecture and art (geometric patterns, colors, no images of people, pointed doorways, minarets, domes….think of the Taj Mahal, etc….

6. It’s Good to Be the Sultan!

7. Topkapi “Fruit Room”

8. Topkapi’s Great Craftsmenship

9. EARLY STRUGGLES FOR REFORM
Ottoman was losing power in the age of industrialization and needed to introduce new reforms that would help them deal with the new industrial world.

10. Ottoman problems by 1850 WEAKENED STATE – loss of territory
FINANCIAL PROBLEMS
JANISSARIES ARE INEFFECTIVE
Weakened State: not industrializing, nationalism among the regional areas in the Ottoman area – especially amongst Christian groups such as Serbs
Financial Problems: not industrialized, cheap European goods had people protesting about foreign imports as it put people out of work
Janissaries are getting lazy and entitled

11. Sultan Selim III - REFORM
tried to strengthen military, standardize tax
Janissaries did not want it – REVOLT
Led to a revolt in Serbia making Serbia independent
Sultan Selim introduced these in late 1700’s, but they were rejected by the Janissaries and nobles who didn’t like tax increases. He wanted to make the military and government stronger so they could compete with the Europeans….and – like the French during the French Revolution – the taxes were unfairly based and thus taxing elites such as the Janissaries would be a better source of revenue. The Janissaries eventually rebelled against him and imprisoned him…but the writing is on the wall – they are on the way out! They are too entitled and - if you remember from Unit 4: they were no longer a top-notch military group because they insisted on living outside the barracks and hiring mercenaries to do their work. SERBIA – the Janissaries were particularly brutal to the Serbians and this led to the Serbian independence in 1805….thus, the Ottomans are getting smaller!
The Janissaries were very traditional and conservative. They did not like change. Because they were a strong force,t hey could be very strong in their opposition.
The Janissaries, for example, helped create a problem in Serbia. The local residents hated the Janissaries and felt they interfered in theeir religious affairs (which was Orthodox Christians). They claimed abuse. Selim threatened to send them back to the capital if this problem persisted and the Janissaries freaked out. They thought this was the end of their power. So they had a bit of a hissy fit and killed Christians in Serbia. The Ottomans could no lnger keep Serbian confidence and had to let the Serbians be independent after Russia threatened to help the Serbians (because they were Orthodox Christian, too).
The Janissaries really stunted reform and it went on the back burner for awhile.

12. Greece INDEPENDENCE
Greece also goes for independence and are helped out by the British and French Putting back the “classical world” Ottoman is looking weaker!

13. TANZIMAT REFORMS Need for reform is obvious– GO SECULAR!!
- Code of civil laws (public trials, equal rights)
Military training (German & French models)
French language in all training
European clothing, styles (fez hat)
These rights and reforms not for women
What does it mean “secular”? Why do the Ottomans feel secular would keep their empire together? (the other regions are Christian – not Muslim – and the Greek and Serbs already left, so they felt this would satisfy the growing sense of nationalism in the area)…
However, Mahmud in 1826, reintroduced reform after Greece was lost. We’ll look at this a little later.
Because the Europeans saw the Greek independence as a triumph of European civilization over the Ottoman Empire, Mahmud was able to convince others that reform was needed. They needed to modernize because everyone began to see them as “backwards”
He thought the Janissaries should be destroyed and when the Ottoman people were fully upset about the loss of Greeece he announced his plan
A new army corp (open to Janissaries)
Janissaries tried to revolt, but he put his loyal troops on them and destroyed the entire force
He also reduced power of religious elite with SECULAR programs
- Called it TANZIMAT or “restructuring”
Schools established in Istanbul with western instructors teaching chemistry, engineering, matheamtics, physics and military history – medical school.
Later, prepatory schools
Newspapers
Beards were deemed unhygenic and even a fire hazard. No more loose clothing or turbans.
Equalized taxation
Decreased influence and power of women – women’s work done by men with mechanized products (weaving machines and factories)

14. The Gradual
Loss of Territory:
18c & 19c

15. The Decline of the Empire: 18c
The Ottoman empire was quite large, but it began to lose power.
First Serbia

16. Greek War for Independence: 1821-1832
Then Greece
1829 – Greece Independnece…BEFORE the Ottomans had bragged that the shattering of Byzantine rule rule over Greece showed the superiority of Islamic civilization and proof of God’s favor. BUT many of the Europans and Russsians saw the capture of the old capital – Constantinople – as a reason for waging a new holy war on the Ottoman Empire
The new interest in the classical age during the 18th and 19th century and convinced many people to press for independnece for Greece. It was a way to recapture that “essence” of classical civilization. Many went to Greece to fight the Ottoman’s including the English poet, Lord Byron. But when the British, French and Russian fleets came together to fight, they totally beat the Ottomans.

17. The “Sick Man of Europe”!
Crimean War:
RUSSIA VS. OTTOMAN
RUSSIA HAS ALWAYS WANTED THE BLACK SEA – Why? (warm-water port) WHO HAS CONTROL OF THAT AREA? (Ottomans) - WAR
Russia had been attempting to get the Black Sea since Peter the Great and gain territory at the Ottoman’s expense. Russia ALSO saw themselves as the protectors of the Orthodox faith and protector of the Slavic people. The Ottoman empire and their Muslim faith – despite their attempts at reform – was an affront to the Russians and they helped stir up nationalistic anger.
Ottoman’s had come up against the Russians in the Serbian and Greek independence movements and were a little afraid of them.
The Russians and the Ottoman’s began fighting for the area – WHO DO YOU THINK THE EUROPEANS DECIDED TO HELP and why? (Nope – the Ottomans! The Russians scared the Western Europeans as well – they were very large – and they felt that the Ottomans made a nice “buffer” between the West and Russia…with the Europeans help, the Crimean War was won by the Ottomans. Russians are angry, embarrassed and will remember this “traitor” behavior by the Europeans! But now the Ottomans are the “sick man of Europe” – they have to have the help of industrial nations to exist!
However, the Austrians, British and Frence forces all got involved in the Crimean War – not on the Russian side (whom they had fought with against the Ottomans during the Greek war of indepenednce) but with the OTTOMAN’s AGAINST THE RUSSIANS. They felt that the threat o fRussia was stronger than the Ottomans and that the Ottoman’s were a good barrier against the Russians.
The Crimean War hurt Russia’s economy and political system.
The Crimean War was the first war to feature newspapers as a propoganda force (especially in Britian). It featured Florence Nightengale. It marked the transition from traditional modern warfare with PERCUSSION Cazps and BREECH-LOADING RIFLES. It introduced the idea of railroads for rapid transfer of equipment, trenched warfare, long-range artillery and conscript armies.
The “Sick Man of Europe”!

18. CRIMEAN WAR RESULTS: Ottoman Win (Europe helped)
Modern Warfare
- breech-loading rifles, percussion caps, railroads
Conscript armies (forcing people into army)
2. Ottoman declined after war
dependent on foreign loans and help – owed Europe for help
-Europeans given extra-territoriality (allowed to live in Ottoman territory, but not subject to the laws)
Florence Nightingale – Red Cross AFTER CRIMEAN WAR: Ottomans focused on trying to overcome European “backwardness” but also trying to preserve the state against European aggression and keeping themselves a MUSLIM country!!! Focus on the muslim!! Reject European imperialism…this will backfire

19. The Young Turks revolt freedom of speech, press, assembly,
Pushed for reforms 
freedom of speech, press, assembly,
secular schools, Turkish language
WANTED FREEDOM OF EUROPEAN DOMINATION….willing to sacrifice Ottoman Empire and have Turkish nationalism
The Young Turks began to push for reforms along TURKISH NATIONALITY – not Ottoman….they had problems with the heterogenous society in the Ottomans and they felt the only way to beat the Europeans would be to “join them” by becoming more modern and secular; embrace technology, science and modern life….once the Ottoman Empire broke up…this is how Turkey would continue (different than the other Islamic countries in the middle east) - allowed women to attend school and wear western clothing, etc….

20. The Ottoman Empire in 1914

21. Two Armed Camps
Allied Powers:
Central Powers: