THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE
Crest of the Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire
Why the Middle East?
Rich Fertile soil
Mountainous regions provide shelter and security
Sea Coasts offer rich fishing
Trade Routes between Asia and Europe
Area rich in Spices—Able to trade with both Europe and Asia as a form of income
Silk trade from Asia to Europe brought paper and gunpowder
More than products exchanged—
scientific, religious and artistic ideas also
Topographical Map of the Region
The Beginning
Christian Crusaders fighting since 1095 to stop the spread of Islam
1299 independence declared—Osman Gazi
Gazi reigned until 1326
Land amassed
through diplomacy and warfare
Osman Gazi, the first Ottoman Sultan
Origins of
the Ottoman Empire
After Hz. Muhammad’s death in 632 A.D.,
Muslim faith & power spread throughout
Middle East
Islam Map
By 1215, foreign invaders (Mongols from eastern Asia) took over the lands of the
Muslim empire
Islam’s power in the Middle East started to decline
Mongol Map
Key Factors in Rise of The Ottomans
• control of link between Europe and Asia on the Dardanelles strait
• military power -Janissaries
• growth primarily by land conquest
THEN . . .
A new empire arose out of the leftovers of the old sultanates (kingdoms) of Anatolia (Turkey).
1299 A.D.- one of these sultans (Osman) began to expand his kingdom
Osman started the Ottoman Empire, named after him
ORIGINS of the Ottoman Empire
It was one of the largest & longest lasting empires in history
It was an empire supported &
inspired by Islam
It replaced the Byzantine Empire (former Roman Empire) as the
major power in the Eastern Mediterranean.
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 theJanissaries
Believed these reforms would threaten their power and that they conflicted with Islam
Selim III = overthrown and murdered in 1807
The Ottoman Empire!
Osman –
Osman – Founder Founder of the Ottoman of the Ottoman State
State
Religion
Founded on the principles of Islam
United by Islamic beliefs
Churches were converted into mosques
Tolerant of other religions, especially Christians and Jews
Encouraged loyalty from other religious faith groups
Mosque in Istanbul
The Janissaries
Group of soldiers loyal to the sultan (king)
Army of slaves &
Christian converts to Islam
Helped to expand the empire
Became so powerful that the sultans feared them
Janissaries Pic
Janissaries Photo
Origins cont.
1352 A.D. sultans able to cross over into Europe
1453 A.D.-Ottoman soldiers known as Janissaries conquered Constantinople
(Istanbul) from the Byzantine empire, thus ending the Roman Empire.
1517 A.D. Ottomans had control of Egypt
& extended control to most of North African coast.
1520-1566: peak of power during rule of Suleiman (“The Magnificent”)
Ottoman Map 2
Ottoman Map 1
Period of Growth
Succeeded Seljuk Turks as great Muslim power in Middle East.
Greatest Emperor was Suleyman (1494- 1566).
Military conquests—Captured Belgrade in 1521; turned away from Vienna in 1529.
Ordered construction of Suleiman Mosque
Relied on Janissaries, soldiers who eventually displace Ottoman nobility.
Ottoman counterweight—France and
Ottomans allied versus Austrian Habsburgs.
The Capture of Constantinople The Capture of Constantinople
C. Mehmet II C. Mehmet II
Captures Constantinople in Captures Constantinople in 14531453
Opens it to all groups of Opens it to all groups of people
people
Uses canonsUses canons
( Canons that would fire ( Canons that would fire 1200 pound boulders to destroy walls) 1200 pound boulders to destroy walls)
The importance of Constantinople
It was the heart of the Byzantine empire for 1100 years
1453 A.D.-conquered by the Sultan Mehmet II & became the Ottoman capital
The effect on Christian Europe was enormous
Renamed Istanbul which means the “city of Islam”
Istanbul became a political and military capital
Positioned at the junction of Europe, Africa, and Asia
Located on both sides of the Bosporus, a narrow strait separating Europe from Asia
The only major city located on two continents
Hagia Sophia ( was a Christian Hagia Sophia ( was a Christian Church turned into a mosque) Church turned into a mosque)
Suleiman
Ruled from 1520- 1566
Made Ottoman
Empire the richest
& most powerful empire in Europe
and Southwest Asia at the time
Suleiman
Greatest Ottoman leader of all time
Brought justice & harmony by
publishing a code of laws (“The Lawgiver”)
Feared & respected by Europeans
Turned Constantinople into a great center of art, music, writing, and philosophy
Wrote some of the most beautiful poetry of his time
Suleiman’s Mosque Suleiman’s Mosque
Suleiman’s Army
Expansion
Suleiman believed that the entire
world was his possession as a gift of God.
Vast amounts of Islamic territories were annexed or invaded.
Very strong military
Expert in developing gunpowder as a military tool
The Muslim Ottoman Empire eventually controlled what is now:
Turkey
Egypt
Greece
Bulgaria
Romania
Macedonia
Hungary
Palestine
Jordan
Lebanon
Syria
Much of the coastal strip of North Africa
Parts of Arabia
Trade
Located on major trade routes between Europe & Asia
Some goods traded were:
Silk & other cloth
Rhubarb
Porcelain from China
Spices such as pepper
Dyes such as indigo
Selim the Grim Selim the Grim
Excellent SultanExcellent Sultan
Harsh personHarsh person
Executes all brothers, father, Executes all brothers, father, and all sons but one
and all sons but one
Captures Mecca and Medina in Captures Mecca and Medina in 15191519
Ottoman Empire had one of the Ottoman Empire had one of the
greatest navies in the world greatest navies in the world
Trade map
THE DECLINE OF THE DECLINE OF
THE OTTOMAN THE OTTOMAN
EMPIRE EMPIRE
SS7H2 SS7H2
The student will analyze continuity and The student will analyze continuity and change in Southwest Asia (the Middle change in Southwest Asia (the Middle
East) leading to the 21st century.
East) leading to the 21st century.
Essential Questions Essential Questions
After the breakup of the Ottoman Empire, After the breakup of the Ottoman Empire,
Europe partitioned (divided) lands in the Europe partitioned (divided) lands in the
Middle East.
Middle East.
1.How did this European partitioning lead to 1.How did this European partitioning lead to
regional conflict?
regional conflict?
2. Land and religion are reasons for 2. Land and religion are reasons for
continuing conflicts in the Middle East.
continuing conflicts in the Middle East.
Describe
Describe howhow and and whywhy this is true. this is true.
THE BREAKUP OF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE
1571 A.D. – decline began after several military defeats
1683 A.D.-failed invasion of Vienna, Austria
Economic problems
1. trade competition from Americas 2. cheap products from India & Far East
3. development of other trade routes 4. rising unemployment & near
bankruptcy
The Ottoman Bureaucracy The Ottoman Bureaucracy
SULTAN SULTAN
Divans Divans
Social / Military Divans
Social / Military Divans
Heads of Individual Religious Millets
Heads of Individual Religious Millets
Local Administrators
& Military
Local Administrators
& Military
Landowners / Tax Collectors Landowners / Tax Collectors
Muslims
Muslims JewsJews
Christians Christians
Decline
• Military Defeat—Lepanto in 1571; Vienna
—1683
• Russian expansion to Black Sea and Austrian expansion in Balkans
• Weak Rulers: Selim (1566-1574) “The Glutton”; Ibrahim (1640-1648) drowned 280 concubines in the Bosphorus.
• Internal disruptions—Janissaries revolt
Continued Decline
• Revolts in the Balkans (Serbia in 1804;
Greece in 1821
• Failed Reforms—Selim III (1789-1807)—
attempts to introduce European style
military opposed by clerics and Janissaries.
• 1850s—Tanzimat reforms of bureaucracy fail due to military losses (Crimea) and
continued Balkan revolts.
Why the Decline
• Doctrine of Closed Revelation
• European incursions (British Land Bridge to India; Russian and Habsburg
expansionism; European devotion to Holy Land)
Decline Map
Pre-WWI Reform Movements
• Prime Minister Midhat Pasha and the Constitution of 1876—unitary state, free press, freedom of
conscience, equality before the law; and equitable taxation.
• Sultan fired Midhat in 1877.
• Russia defeats Ottomans in 1876-1877 war.
• Young Turks emerge calling for Constitution of 1876.
• Struggle between Young Turks and Sultan over constitution interrupted by WWI.
Ottoman Dismemberment
• Ottomans support Central Powers in WWI.
• Treaty of Sevres/Lausanne break up Ottoman Empire.
• France and Britain get Syria and Palestine;
Truncated country of Turkey is created.
• Turkey under Mustafa Kemal [1881-1938]
(Ataturk) becomes secular Muslim State.
Breakup continued
Economic weakness caused military weakness
After losing WWI, the empire lost control of Arab lands
By 1924, the Ottoman Empire no longer existed
Turkey
The Ottoman Empire officially ended on
Nov. 1, 1922.
Turkey was declared a republic.
Turkey Today
