Decline of the Ottoman Empire

1
Decline of the Ottoman Empire

• The Sick Man of Europe
• Chapter 26

2
Essential Questions

• How did the military defeats of the 1700s signal
  the decay of the Ottoman Empire?
• What were some of the reasons for internal decay?
• How did Sultans attempt to reform?
• How did revolts and rebellions lead to further
  disintegration
• What was the significance of the Eastern
  question?
• What was the Balkan Crisis of 1876-1878?
• How did World War I lead to the empires fall?

3
Ottoman Empire in early 1700s
4
Military Defeats of the 1700s

• 1683 defeat after the siege of Vienna shows
  Ottoman weakness
• Christian forces carve away at Ottoman lands
• Treaties of Karlowitz (1699) and Passarowitz
  (1718) strip Ottoman of Hungary and Transylvania
• Lose land in 1710s to Peter the Great
• Lose Crimea (Balkan Peninsula) to Catherine the
  Great in late 1700s

5
Signs of Internal Decay

• Poor rulers and weak corrupt government
• Sultans want to modernize face opposition from
  influential old groups and clerics
• Janissary army becomes outdated and refuse to
  change
• Sultan Selim III assassinated by Janissaries in
  1807 after attempting to modernize army and navy

6

• General lack of interest in industrialization
• Minority groups such as Christians and Jews carry
  out trade with the west
• Competition with West ? decline of local artisans

7
Attempts at Reform

• Sultans modernize and secularize government
  bureaucracy
• Boost western ideas, science and technology
• Sometimes meet resistance from the clergy

8
Mahmud II (1808-1839)

• Built a small professional army
• Tricks Janissaries into revolting
• Crushes rebellion and disbands Janissary corps
• Gets control over Ayan
• Begins policy of westernization

9
Mehmed III

• 1820s assists Mahumd II
• Creates professional army
• Subdues Janissaries
• Builds modern navy

10
Tanzimat Reforms 1839-1876

• 1839-1876
• Westernization of education
• Introduces western communication systems
• Western style laws and constitution
• Some increased rights for women, some women enter
  public life

11
Revolts and Rebellions

• Further weaken and cut away at the Ottoman Empire

12
Revolts and Rebellions

• 1820 Greek Revolution Greece gains independence
  from the Ottoman Empire
• 1867 Serbs gain independence
• Dynasty begins to feel increasingly threatened
  by westernized bureaucrats, professionals and
  military officers

13
Abdul Hamid (1878-1908) last sultan

• Attempts return to despotic absolutism, nullifies
  constitution and decreases civil rights
• Continues to adopt western tech and military
• Forced out with bloodless coup

14
The Eastern Question

• How should Western European rulers deal with the
  Ottoman Empire?
• No longer a threat
• Held together volatile parts of Asia and Europe
• Held important place geographically between
  Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean

15

• Worry that collapse will destroy Europes
  delicate Balance of Power
• Western nations especially nervous about
  increasing Austrian and Russian power
• Britain and France support Turks against Russia
  and Austria even as they take over parts of the
  empire

16
Eastern Question in Cartoons

• Attendant. "How do you feel after your bath, my
  Lord?"LORD B. "Pretty comfortable, thank
  you!(Aside. Lost some weight, I fancy.) You
  made it so confoundedly HOT  for me!!!"
• lt The Turkish bath / John Tenniel.  In Punch (7
  Oct 1876)
• Gladstone tried to influence Government policy on
  the Eastern Question by appealing directly to the
  public, both on the platform and through the
  press, on behalf of  the Bulgarian victims of
  Turkish persecution.   

17
Eastern Question in Cartoons

• The Status Quo
• Turkey Will you still
• Befriend me?
• Britannia Befriend You?-
• Not with your hands
• That colour!

18
The Crimean War

• 1854-1856
• Britain and France support Ottmans in war against
  Russian expansion into Black sea
• Costly war with over 250,000 casualties
• Defeat Russias forces but shows weakness of
  Ottoman Empire

19
British Attitude of the Crimean War

• How Jack Made the Turk Usefula at Balaclaya
  (1856, John Leech in Punch)

20
As is that werent bad enough

• Construction of Suez Canal in 1869 increases
  geographic importance of Egypt
• Unification of Italy in 1860s adds another power
  into the Mediterranean
• Montenegro, Romania, and Bulgaria struggle for
  greater autonomy

21
Balkan Crisis of 1876-1878

• Montenegro, Romania, Bulgaria, and Serbia rise up
• Turks suppress rebellion ruthlessly
• Russia attacks in 1877, and defeats in 1878
• Congress of Berlin of 1878 presided over by
  Bismarck gives Montenegro, Romania, Bulgaria, and
  Serbia independence

22
The Rise of the Young Turks

• Ottoman Society for Union and Progress a.k.a.
  Young Turks formed in Paris 1889
• Goal restore the constitution of 1876
• Successful in 1908

23
Problems 1908-1914

• Division between military leaders ? fighting
• Young Turks struggle to keep empire together
• Increasing Arab nationalism ? more loss of land

24
Balkan Wars World War I

• 1911-1912Italy attacks Ottoman and takes control
  of remaining land in North Africa
• First Balkan War of 1912 Greece, Serbia, and
  Bulgaria defeat Ottoman forces
• During WWI join the Central powers and are
  defeated in 1918
• Empire collapses, remaining middle eastern
  possessions rebel and are taken over by Britain
  and France
• Modern State of Turkey formed in 1920s

25
Ottoman Empire during WWI
26
Change Over Time

• Discuss in detail the internal and external
  forces that led to the decline of the Ottoman
  Empire between 1689 and 1918
• Be sure to include (see rubric!)
• A strong thesis statement
• Historical evidence of change
• Analysis of both internal and external causes of
  decline