Decline of Ottoman Military Power

copy made

Edited by Christscrusader

What's that weirdo's problem? I'll delete his spams if he posts anymore.

The Ottoman empire, also called in the west as the Turkish empire (though it was a multiethnical, multicultural and multiregilious society - organized, among other things, in millets - where non-turks like greek orthodox had an important role, even as viziers), played a major role both in european as in middle-eastern history.

It's common sense that the empire reached its peak in the 16th century, under the rule of S�leyman, the Magnificent. The failure to conquer Vienna for the second time, marked a decrease of the ottoman power in the Balkans, but the territorial losses were not immediate, and often were reconquered, like the cases of Bosnia or Serbia (who happened to defect from the Habsburgs back to the Ottomans).

The european conquest of the New World was also a decisive factor to pull the edge onto the West. The beys of northern african provinces such as Ali Bey in Egypt, led a de facto autonomous rule, and eventually passed from vassalage to independence.

The shattering of the empire continued (from internal corruption, to loss of power of the sultans, to popular uprisings, etc.) and the loss of influence in the balkans (with the independence of Greece in 1829) and the black sea to the Habsburgs and Russia was a continuous fact until WWI.

The emerging states from the dissolved empire promoted an understandable diabolization of the ottoman state (including Turkey), in a way to reassure their distance and independence from it.

Nowadays, however, there's a new, fairer and more effective approach to the history of such an important empire.

I recommend the reading of books such as those of Halil Inalcik and Donald Quataert (both with a comprehensive look on the social, economic, political and religious life of the empire from its foundations to the end) or that of Kemal Cadafar (contesting the gazi theory for the formation of the ottoman state), amogst other to better understand one of the greatest empires of all time.

 

 

 

Edited by Infidel

Nope, I'm portuguese, as it states the flag under my avatar!

But tessekkur ederim for the welcome greetings, Jagatai!

Yes, among other things. I'm really interested in the Ottoman period. And perhaps this summer I'll visit Istanbul and other sites of Turkey.

Originally posted by Christscrusader nice.

 

no comments Christscrusader?

 

 

 

 

unless u want some  comments, i got none,

so your learning greek in school? thats nice, its always good to learn another language and apply it. I myself am not very good with other languages though.

Edited by Christscrusader

I can advice this site for ones who interested in Turkish history:

http://www.theottomans.org

I hope you like it

nice site Jagatai

 Tashakorat

 

I am trying to find info about some battle between Russian and Ottoman army.
I read about it very long time ago and remeber only one detail:

This battle took place sometime in the early 1700, before Ottoman army was modernized. What was interesting is that Ottomans or allied Tartars still used composite bow against russian infantry using muskets. Outcome was unusual because bows turned out to be far superior to the muskets by having a longer effective range.
Am I imagining things or such a battle really occured?
Thanks in advance.