The Ottoman Empire of the 1700s and 1800s failed to embrace progress, understand nationalism, or modernize. This led to their inability to compete with European powers. The Ottoman Empire was incredibly conservative and attempts at progress (the Tanzimat Reforms) were crushed by the Islamic Establishment like the Caliphs and Mullahs.
The Young Turks, a secular movement in the Ottoman Empire proposing reforms, was only able to take control when Mustafa Kemal Atatürk overthrew the Ottoman Imperial Government through coup d'état.
There are numerous reasons for the decline and fall of the Ottoman Empire. The five most important reasons (all of which took place during the 1800s) are the following:
Failure to Modernize: The leaders of the Ottoman Empire did not invest in modern technologies and did not take advantage of the Scientific Revolution in Europe and Enlightenment. Religious Authorities in the Ottoman Empire prevented modernization reforms. The Tanzimat Reforms that did come were too little too late. Additionally, Sunni Muslims had distinct privileges that non-Muslims (Jews and Christians) were not entitled to, leading to inequality and resentment. This led to stagnation in Ottoman development whereas the rest of Europe was advancing rapidly. Some individuals wanted to push for greater technological and social advancement, calling themselves the Jön Türkler (Young Turks). These people would ultimately lead the overthrow of the government and the establishment of the Turkish Republic.
Ethnic Nationalism: Especially in the Balkans, but also to a limited degree elsewhere in the empire, people were swept up in the cause of nationalism. This happened especially among the Christian minorities of Southeastern Europe because of the inequalities they faced. The Greeks, Serbs, Bulgarians, and Romanians all declared independence and fought the Ottoman Armies to gain that independence. This led to a large decrease in Ottoman territory and a drain on the Ottoman Army and Janissary Recruitment. There were also bitter fights between these newly independent states, especially between Greece and Bulgaria over who would get to claim regions still under Ottoman control like Thrace and Macedonia.
Economic and Military Pressures: This period was also notable for Austrian and Russian Imperialism which led to numerous wars between those two empires and the Ottoman Empire. These were incredibly draining on the Ottoman treasury and exhausting for the Ottoman Army. The Ottoman Empire racked up incredible debts to continue arming themselves with hand-me-down weapons from Western countries. The over-expansion of the Ottoman Empire in World War I ended up destroying the country.
Religious Opposition to Changes: Many political reforms that the Ottomans tried to implement were done to increase the secularization of the Turkish States, as a result, the Muslim clergy, which had historically had a large role in governance had their political roles threatened. They rose to defend their interests in maintaining political power. Additionally, the clergy lamented that the focus of education would now be to learn secular knowledge and sciences as opposed to religious education. These clerics feared that a whole new generation of Muslims would grow up without their religion or with a minimal understanding of it. They saw what modernization had done to religiosity in Europe and wished to prevent this.
Foreign Imperialism: Britain, France, Italy, and Russia greatly desired to control lands that had historically been Ottoman Territories. As a result, they fought numerous wars against the Ottomans to acquire these choice territories. In addition to causing the massive expenditures on military development as mentioned above, they also caused the Ottoman Empire to lose some of its most profitable and populous areas, like Egypt, Libya, and Crimea.
The nationalist ideology of revolutionary France inspired the Greeks, Serbs, and Bulgarians.
They lost their power because of European evolution in war tactics and internal conflicts throughout their empire.
ottoman empire
The Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire took place from 1915-1917.
From 1517 until 1917, the land that is now Israel was part of the Ottoman Empire. After that, it was part of the Mandate of Palestine, until it was partitioned into Israel in 1948.
This depends on the time period. Today, Asia Minor is under Turkish control and the Holy Sites of the Monotheistic faiths are under Israeli and Palestinian control. The most recent empire to control both areas was the Ottoman Empire, which lost control of the Levant region in 1917.
The empire was governed from Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul, Turkey); its ruler was the sultan, the heir to a powerful royal family. In 1914 the Ottoman Empire was a monarchy but separated into groups. Muslim Ottomans ruled big parts of eastern Europe, northern Africa and the Middle East. Ottoman sultans ruled almost the entire north coast of Africa and west to Egypt and the Holy Lands (modern-day Israel and Palestine).
The Ottoman Empire controlled most of the Middle East except in the years 1516 to 1917. During World War 1 they lost control of the area to the French.
ottoman empire
The Ottoman Empire whose capital was Constantinople, the present day Istanbul in Turkey
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The Ottoman Empire was responsible for the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1917.
Austria-Hungaria/ Austro-Hungarian Empire 1804-1867 as Austrian Emipire/1867-1918Russian Empire/Russia 1721-1917Prussia/German Empire 1871-1918Ottoman Empire 1299-1923
The Ottoman Empire was responsible for the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1917. It was the Armenians who were targeted by Ottoman Turks and Kurdish allies.
The OTTOMAN EMPIRE controlled the lion's share of the Middle East from 1517 to 1919, when it was carved up by Britain, France and the Saudi Royal Family. The British and French division of the Levant and Mesopotamia has been termed the "Sykes-Picot Agreement".
The Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire took place from 1915-1917.
From 1517 until 1917, the land that is now Israel was part of the Ottoman Empire. After that, it was part of the Mandate of Palestine, until it was partitioned into Israel in 1948.
This depends on the time period. Today, Asia Minor is under Turkish control and the Holy Sites of the Monotheistic faiths are under Israeli and Palestinian control. The most recent empire to control both areas was the Ottoman Empire, which lost control of the Levant region in 1917.
During World War I, the famous Middle Eastern city captured by the Allies in March of 1917 was Baghdad. This victory followed a significant reorganization of Allied leadership in the Middle Eastern Theater; it was itself followed by a variety of victories leading up to an armistice with the Ottoman Empire in October of 1918.