Ottoman Empire Research Paper

The Ottoman Empire was one of the largest and longest lasting empires of history. Rising from the fall of the Byzantine Empire, the flourished, experiencing a long period of peace and prosperity under the sultanate. Yet as WW1 came, the Ottoman Empire was in chaos and near destruction. The internal challenges the Ottomans faced both politically and socially contributed to the ultimate demise of the Ottoman Empire to a large extent, though external economic and social pressures also played an essential role.

Through the demise of the Ottomans, many internal challenges arose. The political instability of the Ottomans played a crucial part in the demise of the Ottomans. After the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent, a string of “inept and inactive

This feuding in the government cause the Ottoman Empire to become decentralized and weakened its control over its population and resources. The Janissaries were a key part to the empires protection from internal and external threats.. The Janissaries were an elite group of soldiers made up of boys taken from their home to be raised and trained to be loyal to the sultan. They “had long been the dominant force of the Ottoman military” and amassed significant wealth and power, given to them by the sultan. But, when the internal feuding began in the Ottoman government, the sultanate felt threatened by their growing power. In 1826, the ruling sultan ordered “the slaughter of the Janissaries, their families, and the Janissaries religious allies”. The loss of such an essential part of the Ottoman Empire substantially decreased the Ottomans military prowess, leaving them vulnerable to invaders or riots. This proved to be a problem when the many different ethnic and religious groups nationalism started to grow. EArly on, the Ottomans absorbed many different cultural groups as they expanded their empire and had allowed them to keep their cultural values. Yet toward the decline of the empire, this

The Ottoman Empire was situated on the Silk Road., a significant trade route between China and Europe, and with their chapita, istanbul being a crucial junction between Europe, africa, and asia, the Ottoman Empire was the center of international trade. This was the reason for their outstanding economic and political power. However, towards the 18th and 19th centuries, that power began to be threatened. New trade routes were emerging and competitions in trade and products from the american and india respectively caused the Ottoman Empire to lose their global significance in trade. And as European powers began to colonize some started looking towards the Ottoman Empire. “In the early 18th century… the Ottomans were pushed out of hungary and the Northern Balkans” by the Austrians. The Russians as well “were taking “poorly