Ottoman Empire Notes

Ottoman Empire

Causes of Decline

Weak rulers & subsequent power struggles

Economic deterioration

Turkish artisans can’t compete with influx of Western industrial goods

Jewish/Christian merchants increase ties to west

Military decline

Janissaries unwilling to keep up with Western weaponry

Unable to retain control of portions of empire

Attempted Reforms

Selim III (1789 - 1807)

Increased literacy w/ first printing press

Build a new army/navy

The janissaries held office of political bureaucracy

Restructure bureaucracy

Mahmud II (1826 - 1838)

Builds western-style army and overthrows janissaries

Forces nobles to submit to his authority

Exchanged ambassadors and advisors w/ the West

Tanzimat reforms (1839 - 1876)

Western-style education

Infrastructure (postal service, telegraphs, railways)

New constitution (influenced by west)

Open unrestricted trade w/ west

Discuss changes to polygamy, harem, veiling

Empire Falls in 1908

Egypt

Invasion by Napoleon (1798)

inadvertently destroys Mamaluke dynasty

Trauma to Islamic world

Benefits to Europeans

Muhammad Ali takes power

Attempts to westernize Egypt

Creates Western style military...most power in region

Tries and fails to industrialize and expand production, fails due to European opposition

Khedives (successor to Ali) (1867 →)

Incapable of continuing Ali’s reform → corruption ensues

Construction of Suez Canal (unable to maintain ownership)

Calls for jihad to remove western influence & return for the purity of the past

Others argue that more needs to be learned from the west

Disagreement continues to this day

Mahdist Revolt

Led by Sufi mystic (Muhammad Achmad - “Mahdi”)

Violent, guerilla uprising against Egyptians/Europeans → ultimately put down

China

Death of the Ming, birth of the Qing

Ming dynasty overthrown by Manchus (Qing dynasty)

Maintain majority of Chinese traditions

Sustain bureaucrats, and continue exam system

Reversion to “Sons of Heaven” tradition...