Development of the Ottoman Empire

HIST*3840 Ottoman Empire 1300-1923

Department of History

Critical Review

March 6th, 2013

The imperial transformation of the Ottoman Empire from a nomadic principality to a vast world empire can be attributed to the adaptable and dynamic nature of the political framework implemented by its earliest leaders. The diverse ethno-religious landscape prevalent in the earliest stages of the principality’s growth contributed to the culturally complex, socially differentiated and politically competitive environment that produced periods of stability as well as disorder. A variety of factors contributed to the ultimate rise of the Ottoman Empire with influence from the Arab, Persian European worlds, fused with the Turkish-Mongolian traditions of Central Asia and the teachings of varying forms of Islam.

There are several institutions that deserve recognition as stabilizing forces within the Ottoman state. During the initial expansion of the Ottoman territories under Osman I in the Anatolian frontier, it was imperative to adapt an inclusive ethos and integrate the various provincial warlords into the imperialist plans of the Ottoman state. The plethora of Turkish tribes being funnelled into Asia Minor due to Mongol pressure created a diverse group of tribes with various religious beliefs, many of which were not rigidly Islamic. Alliances were formed amongst the tribes based on the theory of strength in numbers; this would result in greater material gains from plundering the productive settlements in the hinterlands of Anatolia. The early military success achieved by the Ottoman emirate lured Muslim scholars and warriors from the across the region to the Ottoman land that was gaining a reputation as a hub for Islam culture. The process of building Ottoman power hinged on the premises of securing alliances, maintaining vassalages and later, full annexation. The carefully planned coexistence with other principalities was a trademark of Ottoman success and...