History Week 10

The Developing Civilisations and Powers of the Middle Ages: The Islamic Golden Age & The Ottoman Empire

How significant is the role of the Ottoman Empire in world history?

(Almanach de Saxe Gotha 2012, 'Map of Ottoman Empire')

 

The Ottoman Empire was ‘the last of a series of Turkish Muslim empires,’ becoming one of the largest and longest lasting empires the world has ever seen (MidEastWeb 2008, ¶1). The empire was ‘inspired and sustained by Islam, and Islamic institutions,’ and during its domination, attempted to bring as ‘much territory as possible into the Islamic fold’ (BBC 2004, ¶3; The Ottomans 2002, ¶1). Surprisingly, unlike other empires throughout history where the invaded inhabitants are either killed, expelled or ostracised, the ‘non-Muslims living in these areas were then absorbed into the Empire as protected subjects’ (The Ottomans 2002, ¶1). Under the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent who was arguably the greatest Ottoman ruler, the empire ‘became the most powerful state in the world’ (Almanach de Saxe Gotha 2012, ¶1). The control of the Ottoman Empire remained with the Imperial Ottoman family ‘from 1299 until the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1922,’ a dynasty maintaining 600 years of total dominion (Almanach de Saxe Gotha 2012, ¶3). The first sign of a chink in their armour occurred in 1571 with ‘Ottoman forces…defeated at the battle of Lepanto,’ which had significant damaging effects on its navy (MidEastWeb 2008, ¶4; BBC 2004, ¶5). The Ottoman Empire ‘declined further during the next centuries,’ culminating in its final hurrah during World War I (BBC 2004, ¶5). Although its origins stem back hundreds of years, the Ottoman Empire played an integral part in world history, particularly during WWI. The Ottoman army was not prepared for WWI after suffering ‘substantial casualties in the Balkan Wars’ in 1911 (Historical Boys’ Clothing 2012, ¶8). Nevertheless, the empire aligned themselves with Germany and the Triple Alliance, ‘leading to the disastrous Allied offensive at Gallipoli,’ in which after a series of offensives made by the British Army, the Ottomans ‘agreed to an armistice’ (Historical Boys’ Clothing 2012, ¶8). After 600 years of world domination, the once great Ottoman Empire had collapsed.

 

References

Almanach de Saxe Gotha 2012, Ottoman Empire: House Of Osman, http://www.almanachdegotha.org/id127.html, [Accessed 8 November 2012]

BBC 2004, Introduction: The Ottoman Empire, http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/history/ottomanempire_1.shtml, [Accessed 8 November 2012]

Historical Boys’ Clothing 2012, World War I: Ottoman Empire, http://histclo.com/essay/war/ww1/cou/w1c-tur.html, [Accessed 8 November 2012]

MidEastWeb 2008, Ottoman Empire, http://www.mideastweb.org/Middle-East-Encyclopedia/ottoman.htm, [Accessed 8 November 2012]

The Ottomans 2002, History, http://www.theottomans.org/english/history/index.asp, [Accessed 8 November 2012]

Images

Almanach de Saxe Gotha 2012, ‘Map Of Ottoman Empire’, http://www.almanachdegotha.org/id127.html, [Accessed 8 November 2012]