Southwest Asia and Indian Ocean (1500-1750)

Ottoman Empire: -Longest post-Mongol Moslem Empire

Osman established Ottoman Empire in Northwest Anatolia (1300) -Consolidated control Fought Christians in Greece and the Balkans Captured Syria Sultan Mehmed II captured Byzantine Capital of Constantinople (1453) Established border with Iran

Took over Egypt and Syria (1516-1517) Port cities of Algeria and Tunis voluntarily joined Ottoman Empire (early 16th Century)

Selim I (1512-1520) Conquered Middle East: Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Arabian Peninsula,

Suleiman the Magnificent (1520-1566) Captured Belgrade (1521) Captured Rhodes (1522) Siege on Vienna (1529) – withdrew in winter

Fought Venice for two centuries Forced Venetians to pay tribute, but did allow them to trade

Moslem merchants in Red Sea and Indian Ocean wanted Ottoman naval support against Portugal -Aggressive support in nearby ports Example: Aden -But felt no reason to commit much effort to defense of non-Ottoman Moslem merchants in Indian Ocean

Central Institutions: Original Ottoman military forces of mounted warriors (ghazis) -Frontier fighters – bows

Captured Balkans Christian men – Janissaries -POW’s Fought on foot guns

Early 15th Century Devshirme – levy on male children -recruited men for Janissaries -Recruited people for bureaucracy Cosmopolitan Society

Sultan Bureaucrats Tax-exempt military

Government. Sultan = head of state -Absolute Power. Grand Vizier. Divan (council). Men of the Pen. Men of the Sword. Men of Negotiation.

Raya – flock of sheep -Common people: Christians, Jews, Moslems

Suleiman the Magnificent (1520-1566) -Defeated Safavid Empire

Battle of Lepanto (1571) – Ottomans defeated by the Christians in Ionian Sea

Turkish Cavalry – paid in land grants Janissaries – paid from Central Treasury

View from Ottoman Empire -Sultan supplied justice and defense for the common people Raya supported Sultan and military through taxes

Common people – little contact with the Ottoman Government Millets: Ruled by local religious leaders -Christians, Jews, Moslems

Military State Crisis: 1585-1650: Janissaries costs Increased – firearms Result: Sultan reduced importance of Turkish Cavalry so he could keep his share of the taxes

New World Silver led to inflation Economy hurt students and professors (fixed stipends) Cavalry – fixed-tax income hurt too

Financial pains Short-term mercenaries – led to rebellions

Janissaries – began to marry and go into business -Enrolled sons in Janissaries #’s increased but military readiness decreased

Growing Weakness: 1650-1750

Sultan now secluded in palace -During the mid-17th Century, Sultan’s male relatives were placed in seclusion in order to keep them from meddling in politics and planning coups

Chief administrator ruled government Devshirme dissolved Janissaries increased power – spent more time in leisure: crafts and trade

Rural areas: tax farming replaced land grants/military service -Provincial governors and wealthy tax farmers

City of Izmir flourished on frontier -On trade routes -Iranian silk and agricultural products Europeans came here Western Anatolia, the Balkans, Mediterranean Coast – network of trade

Mid-1700s: Economic and military decline Europeans dominated Ottomans import and export trade on sea, but did not control strategic ports or form colonies

Tulip Period: 1718-1730 -Peaceful period Ottomans enjoyed European luxury goods Replicated Dutch tulip craze of 16th Century

1730: Patrona Halil Rebellion – showed weakness of Ottoman Empire Provincial elites took advantage of this weakness to gain power and wealth