Ottoman Quiz 10

• The "Long" 19th century


  Selim III' reign in 1789 to 1914, start of WWI – conflict with European empires
• Main Focus Areas


  • The "Long" 19th century – Selim III' reign in 1789 to 1914, start of WWI – conflict with European empires
  • Impact of Western culture and innovative Ottoman response
  • Tensions in the age of reform and change: modernity vs tradition
  • Religiosity vs secularism
  • Attempt to recentralization
  • Territorial losses: Egypt, Greece and Serbia
  • Tanzimat Reforms
  • Rise of Nationalism
• Selim III


  Started the modernization reforms of the imperial structures starting with military
• Selim III's reforms


  1. Recentralize the governing administration

  2. Established new military corps, Nizam-i Cedid (New Order) in 1793 with state fund, equipped and trained by European advisors

  3. Permanent embassies established first in London (1793), Vienna, Berlin, Paris
• Ottoman Empire's enemies?


  • Europeans in the West
  • Persians in the East
• European powers were interested in expanding their territories into the Ottoman lands.
• 18th century -> Russians started rising

  As a result, Ottomans started reforming their military and political structure
• Nationhood and citizenship = new European ideologies forced onto Ottomans
• Whyw ere ottomans forced to oblige to European demands?

  Coz Europeans became EQUALLY as powerful as Ottomans so they had to listen to them
• 1839 -> beginning of Tanzimat era
• Tanzimat = Reformation era
• Europeans started separatign reliigon from political adminsitration whereas Ottmans still had this
• Sheikh-ul-islam was threatened by the separation of religion and political admin COZ it threatened their Islamic heritage
• Recentralizing the governing admin was requirement for the modernization of this period
• Territorial losses = Egypt, Greece and Serbia. Why?


  Coz they either: became:

  • independent OR
  • autonomous that had their own dynasty
• Europeans & Ottomans preferred diplomacy over war\
• Due to the demographic of society, a rebellion could start anywhere and turn over into a bigger issues that makes them independent from ottoman empire - so was a vry delicate situation (for Ottoman Empire)
• BEFORE: ottomans were always more powerful or treated as such

  NOW: Ottomans and Europeans appear to hv same rank & so begins to not hv to pay ottomans tribute but hv equal trade with them & ottomans send THEM ambassadors not just one-way
• • Napoleon’s invasion of Egypt in 1798 was beginning of European direct intervention in Ottoman affairs
• Reason for takeover (in 1811) by Mehmet Ali was that Mamluk elites in the region were very weak and so took them over militarily
• What reforms did Mehmet Ali put in place to modernize and centrlaize the country?

  • Established Arabic press & govt newspaper
  • Sorta made his own country -> autonomous entity form Ottoman empire
  • New army (the Nizamiye)
  • Attended in joint Ottoman-Egyptian fleet to resist Europeans (1821)
  • Invaded Syria (1831) and threatened Ottoman integrity in Anatolia
• Why did Europeans force the nationhood/citizensip rule on them?

  1. For equal treatment of Christians citizens in Ottoman Empire
  2. To eliminate discriminatory practices like taxes, Millet system and military conscription
• Why did Mehmet Ali 'take part in joint Ottoman-Egyptian fleet to resist Europeans'?


  Coz 3 diff Christian diaspora came together within the Ottoman empire, to join with European forces & Sultan asked Mehmet Ali to bring his troops against this fleet. But Egypt fleet lost & Greece got its independence (BUT WASNT AN INDEP COUNTRY YET)
• Why was Mehet Ali 'granted with hereditary governorship'?

  Due to the invasion of Syria & threat to Ottoman integrity in Anatolia
• In a way Mehmet Ali, acting on behalf of the Sultan, was dealing w/another provincial disapora and establishing his own disapora in Egypt
• Mehmet Ali created the Translation Office of the Sublime Porte in 1821 -why?


  • War with Greece was in the same year & so they had lost Greek diplomats.
  • Since they left there were no diplomats linking ottomans & europeans - SO translation office was set up for muslims diplomats to do this job and asssigning muslim ambassadors to european countries
• Muslims diplomats were taught to learn European languages as well
• 1830 -> France invaded Algeria. Why?


  Used the excuse of Algerian corsiers/pirates who kidnapped European women and sold them to Ottoman Empire's harem
• Britain convinved international sphere & W. Empires to abolish slavery & France protested that Ottomans should do the same (& so Ottomans had to follow suit)
• • Greek uprising with separatist aims started coordinated movement of Greeks of Odessa, Constantinople and Greece

  -> These 3 areas were ALL part of Ottoman empire
• Serbia inspired by Greece's independence and rebellions and decided to do intercriminal violence
• Both Greece & Serbia kicked Muslims out of their countries and these Muslims moved to the Ottoman Empire
• Patriotism to Ottoman state, was a cocnept inspire by France
• B4: special trade opportunitIes provided BY=Ottomans TO=FOREIGN MERCHANTS (it was a privilege given by Ottomans to les spowerful empires)

  NOW: these capitualtion rights were DEMANDED now-

  1. Equal privilege as to Ottoman Muslims
  2. & became an OBLIGATION (& burden) on Ottomans
  3. (even tho)
• European imperialism


  • Came in several forms
  • Previously, victory in wars against the Ottomans allowed for the seizure of more territory through treaty arrangement
  • By the nineteenth century, Western or Russian intervention occurred through support for separatist movements fomenting among the Ottomans' non-Muslim populations, most of which first arose in the Balkans
• European imperialism


  • Manifested through the insistence on and the commercial manipulation of the Capitulations granted to Western nations
  • French and English merchants had already become permanent fixtures in port cities and trade hubs in previous centuries
• Proteges (supporters)


  Non-Muslim proteges were given citizenship and extended the same privileges and benefits
• By mid 19th century


  Local non-Muslim merchants with European connections had be able to profit more than their Muslim counterparts
• Benefits of Capitulatory agreements

  • Judicial extraterritoriality
  • Tax exemption licenses
• Non-Muslims had experienced new found wealth and economic status


  Muslims perceived themselves as negatively affected by reforms and unfair Capitulatory agreements which lead to ethnoreligious strife and tensions