Compare And Contrast Qu And Ottoman Empires

The Qing, Mughal and Ottoman empires all had effective administration and victories that allowed them to advance. The Manchu, who ruled the Qing Dynasty, had to assert dominance to control the Chinese people living in the empire, who vastly outnumbered them. They successfully reoriented China after the rocky transfer of power following the previous empire, the Ming. The Manchu had “knowledge of Chinese administration” and a “well organized army” (Bingham, 134), which helped them effectively rule. They made Chinese men shave the front of their heads and wear their hair in long queues, or pony tails (Bingham, 136)” to show control. They made sure Manchu warriors didn’t lose their fighting edge in battle, which was a large part of their identity.

The Manchu minimized Chinese resentment towards them by keeping Manchu troops north, while loyal Chinese troops were more centered in the empire. The Ottoman Empire also had military strength that made them a powerful force. The Ottoman army was led by Muslim Turkish warriors, and “former Christians... comprised the most elite corps of the army and many occupied top government posts (Bingham, 73)”. An Ottoman sultan, Beyazit I, was renowned for the “speed with which he could move his army (Bingham, 73)”, and fought in some of the most significant battles known to the Ottomans: 1387 at Kosovo, the Battle of Nicopolis in 1396, and at the Battle of Ankara in 1402. In the Battle of Ankara, Beyazit’s opponent allied with the Tartars, prompting the Ottomans to create a “new, more trustworthy army (Bingham, 77)” called the Janissaries. They were very elite fighters who played a key part in Ottoman victories. Christian boys were recruited by force every seven years by force by a system called the devshirme system to form it. In 1453, the Ottomans defeated the Byzantines and captured Constantinople, allowing for control of Black Sea trade, and expansion of naval control over the