The Great Middle East - Essay Example

The Great Middle East The Great Middle East Ottoman- Turkish Empire spanned for 600 years from c. 1300 to 1918 and as a result it emerged as the largest empire to ever exist in the world’s history. In addition, Turkish tribes established the Ottoman-Turkish Empire in Anatolia. In the fifteenth and sixteenth century, Ottoman-Turkish Empire emerged as the most powerful empire in the world and came into an end in 1922. The leaders of the empire used a traditional system of government that involved the use of dynasty and traditional order. However, due to its strong political system and influence of Islamic religion, it was harsh to the ethnic groups. Most of these groups were Christians and they included Armenians, Balkan, Persians among others (Howland, 1940). Thesis statement: Because of Osman, Orhan, Murad I, and Bayezid I the Ottoman-Turkish Empire emerged as the most powerful Empire in the world. These leaders originated from the Turkish tribe and formed a dynasty of professional officers that led the empire in conquering Christians, Europe and other states in the Middle East. Origin of Ottoman-Turkish Empire Howland (1940) argues that Ottoman-Turkish Empire was created by Turkish tribe. In addition, it was led by Osman I from r. 1290 to 1326. During that time Osman I converted many soldiers from other religions to Islam and made them Turkish warriors. These warriors were the custodian of Islamic faith and held the title ‘ghazi’. The warriors fought against the Christian Byzantine state and their success meant the spread of Islamic religion in lands that they conquered. However, Langer and Blake (1932) claim that, since Osman’s ancestors were from the Kayi tribe Ottoman-Turkish Empire was, therefore, founded by that tribe. In my opinion, Langer and Blake’s arguments are based on false assumptions. If Osman belonged in the line of his ancestors, it does not make Kayi tribe the founder of Ottoman-Turkish Empire. Instead, it is the people who physically volunteered in forming the Empire that would be identified as the founders. However, Langer and Blake would have argued that Kayi tribe was one of the contributors to the formation of Ottoman-Turkish tribe. This is because Osman’s ancestors were the founders of the dynasty. On the other hand, Howland assumptions are true. Indeed, the Turkish tribe established Ottoman-Turkish Empire under the influence of Osman I. The empire was a combination of Osman’s people, known as the Ottoman, and the Turks. Furthermore, the two groups happened to be in a similar geographical location called the Anatolia where they settled in 1071. Turks came into the Anatolia as Turkmen Oguz nomads after fleeing from the Mongols. Conversely, Osman’s people entered Anatolia as members of Kayi tribe (Langer & Blake, 1932). The Turks and Ottoman established a good relationship and combined to form the Turkish tribe. Osman I saw the potential of the tribe in producing a strong Empire due to its large population. He therefore, influenced the tribe to embrace Islamic religion and formed Turkish warriors to protect the religion. In addition, he gathered slave boys from Christian religion and converted them to Muslims (Goldschmidt & Davidson, 2013). Osman I attracted a vast group of unemployed urban and nomads. It was easy to convince them to join Turkish warriors because they were roaming through the Great Middle East looking for means to acquire livelihood. Furthermore, the group was seeking to fulfil and expand their Islamic religion and they could achieve that by becoming part of Turkish warriors. With time Osman’s troop was large enough to become an empire and he named it as the Ottoman-Turkish Empire. Furthermore, the Empire was called the ghazi due to its strong Islamic influence. In its earliest form, Ottoman-Turkish Empire used Asian nomadic control and command systems. This is because the Turkish were much familiar with the systems right from their places of origin. However, as a result of their conversion to Muslims and contacts with other states, the systems changed. Ottoman-Turkish Empire embraces the Byzantine and Islamic military systems. Osman I used these systems to introduce ideas such as heavy infantry, frontier forces, and slave-based armies based on guards from nomadic border. However, the impacts of these systems together with the Osman’s strong leadership led to a powerful cavalry force (Goldschmidt & Davidson, 2013). Rise of Ottoman-Turkish Empire Hall (2000) argues that as Ottoman-Turkish Empire entered the 1300s, it introduced a new group of infantry-based army. The effectiveness of the army was determined by the council of professional officers under Osman I dynasty. Furthermore, the officers were characterized by standardization and as a result they managed to establish a multi-capable Empire with up to date weaponry and tactics. This enabled the empire to expand into Europe state during the following century. In addition, Langer and Blake (1932) argue that the Ottoman-Turkish Empire expanded its territories in the north-western side of Anatolia during the 13th century. This was after conquering the Byzantines state. Furthermore, the Empire took advantage of the weak frontier defence system of Byzantine. To support the arguments from Hall, Langer and Blake, conquering both Western Europe and the Byzantine meant an initial expansion of Ottoman-Turkish Empire. Indeed, the Empire ruled in areas that stretched from the plains of Iznik to Eskisehir after defeating the Byzantine. We find that even when the Byzantine tried to secure support from II-Khanid against the Ottoman-Turkish Empire, they still failed. In addition, the use of mercenary troops from Europe by the Byzantine emperor leads to more damage of his territory compared to that of the Turks. This implies that Ottoman-Turkish was rising at a higher rate than the other Empires in the Middle East. According to Goldschmidt and Davidson (2013), Osman I dynasty continued to control the Ottoman-Turkish Empire between 1324 and 1400. The authors claim that the initial period of the Empire’s history was characterized by a continuous territorial expansion. During this time, Ottoman-Turkish Empire dominion spread out from the north western part of Anatolian to cover a vast area on the south eastern Anatolia and Europe. Furthermore, there was an amalgamation of the Empire’s economic, social, and political institutions with those inherited from the state of Byzantium. These institutions were re-established into new forms that characterized the modern times. Goldschmidt and Davidson arguments are based on true assumptions. It is possible that Osman I dynasty expanded the power of the Ottoman-Turkish Empire in ruling over its subjects. For instance, Osman’s son called Orhan led the Ottoman-Turkish Empire, as a successor of his father, between 1324 and 1360. He took over Byzantine towns and led the Empire against the Dardanelles into the south of Europe. Using his skills, Orhan took advantage of Karasi’s internal conflict, and annexed them in 1345. As a result Orhan ruled over the Kapidagi and Gulf of Edremit and extended his reign toward the Sea of Marmara. Furthermore, he ended the lucrative enjoyed by Aydin city. However, the conquering of Europe by the Ottoman-Turkish Empire made Orhan see the possibility of defeating the Byzantine decadence. He was therefore motivated to lead his empire against the Aydin. Eventually, Aydin collapsed leaving the Ottoman-Turkish Empire as the superiors (Binkley, 1932). The dynasty proceeded to Orhan’s son called the Murad I. He took over from 1360 to 1289 and expanded Anatolia’s territories to the west then took over in the south eastern part of Europe. Murad I was the first emperor to use Gallipoli in conquering Europe. He used the Ottoman-Turkish Empire to conquer the Thrace and capture the Adrianople in 1361. However, Adrianople city became Ottoman’s new capital. It provided the Ottoman-Turkish Empire with a centre for military and administrative control of Thrace (Binkley, 1932). After Murad I’s death his son Bayezid I controlled the Ottoman-Turkish Empire from 1389 to 1402. During this time the Empire gained more power and wealth and used it to assimilate the Anatolian to the east. Hall (2000) also claims that Ottoman-Turkish Empire was able to rise due to their innovative use of strategy and tactics integrating infantry and cavalry. The Empire’s Cavalry, also known as Sipahi, were obtained from the free-born Muslim noble class. However, the infantry, also called the Janissaries, were sultan’s slave trained from children that belonged to the defeated Europeans people. These children were converted to Islam and recruited as fierce fighters. The Ottoman-Turkish Empire did not also hesitate to use Jewish or Christian commanders as well as mercenaries and allies from the Christian religion. Indeed, the use of innovative strategies and tactics made the Ottoman-Turkish Empire more powerful than their subject. To support Juma’s arguments, Muslims were among the first Empires to use gunpowder and cannon. As a result they successfully conquered the Christian powers of the Muslim states and Europe. During their early centuries Ottoman-Turkish Empire used siege artillery and weapons such as catapults, large cannons, and mortars. This equipment fired both stone and iron shot. In addition, Mehmed II ordered the Hungarian gunsmith to create modern weapons such as the cannons. These weapons would fire 1,200 pound cannonballs. However, Janissaries used knives, stabbing swords, harquesbuses, and scimitars. In the Ottoman-Turkish Empire, the Turks were skilled marks- men that used the muskets. All these innovative strategies and tactics enabled the Empire to continuously conquer the defenders of the cities that they attacked (Hall, 2000). Decline According to Binkley (1932) the Ottoman- Turkish Empire started to decline from 1861 to 1918. At this period, the empire was referred to as “the sick man of Europe”. It was subjected to machinations and interventions of other powerful forces that started to emerge. The peasant state was targeted by the ethic nationalism forces and destroyed the markets established by the Ottoman-Turkish Empire. In addition, the western entrepreneurs took control over the Empire’s economy for their private gain. The Trans generational German forces greatly overthrew the Ottoman-Turkish Empire. Furthermore, the Balkan wars that occurred between 1912 and 1913 led to Ottoman-Turkish Empire being defeated completely. It was driven out of the European provinces that it held since 1400s. During the following years, Ottoman-Turkish Empire suffered a lot of defeat. This is because it was unprepared for the multi-front wars of the heavily industrialized powers (Binkley, 1932). In conclusion, Ottoman-Turkish Empire reigned from c. 1300 to 1918. It had a span of 600 years and as a result it is seen as the powerful Empire that ever existed in the world. Ottoman-Turkish Empire originated from Turkish tribe. During 1290 to 1326, the Empire was led by Osman I who strengthened it by creating more Turkish warriors under Islamic religion. Being the name ghazi, the Empire occupied the Anatolia state and fought against the Christian religion and other state in the Middle East. However, the raise of Ottoman-Turkish Empire was facilitated by the Osman I dynasty. The dynasty consisted of professional leaders such as the Orhan, Murad I, and Bayezid I. These leaders expanded the territories of the Anatolian to the east, west and north. Unfortunately, the Ottoman-Turkish Empire declined between 1861 and 1918. This was after being subjected to machinations and interventions of other powerful forces; these forces had industrialized powers that were more advanced than that of the Ottoman-Turkish Empire. References Langer, L.W. & Blake, R.P. (1932). The Rise of the Ottoman Turks and Its Historical Background. The American Historical Review, 37, 468-505. Binkley, R.C. (1932). A History of Europe from 1815 to 1923. The American History Review, 37, 550-551. Howland, F. (1940). Turkish Tribes in North and Central Afghanistan. Geographical Review,30, 171-172. Hall, R.C. (2000). The Balkan Wars 1912-1913: Prelude to the First World War. New York, NY: Routledge. Goldschmidt, A., & Davidson, L. (2013). A Concise Histrory of the Middle East. 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