You will find me talking little about politics in my Happy Saturday posts, nor should you expect it in the future. Nevertheless, I came across an article discussing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan making Turkiye's politics based on their strategic position worldwide and willingly shifting foreign policy priorities. Unsurprisingly, Sultan Erdogan holds so much power, but it reminded me of my time in Turkiye in 2014. Therefore, this piece is a reflection and current interpretation of its place today. The next three posts will cover Ottoman history, Ataturk, and Democracy and Islam. I am hardly an expert on such matters, but my experience in Turkiye deepened my appreciation for American history.
The Ottomans come from a lineage linked to the Mongols during their incursions into Asia Minor. In fact, many boys in Turkiye today are named "Ghengis." There were many Mongolian tribes living in Anatolia around the 14th century, just as the Eastern Roman Empire was on the decline. They took advantage of their victory against the Byzantines at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071, but the Sack of Constantinople in 1203 encouraged expansion west for the Ottomans. The Ottoman Empire did not officially begin until 1299 under the leadership of Osman I, but by 1453, they had control of Constantinople and part of the Balkans. Their empire was at its largest extent in the 16th century but rapidly declined in the 19th century with the disbandment of the Janissaries and the economic dependence of the British. The Ottoman Empire disintegrated upon the introduction of the Turkish Republic in 1923. Some people today still possess birth certificates from the Ottoman Empire (this was the case when I visited back in 2015).
A professor of mine explained how liberal and free the Ottoman Empire was in Medieval Europe as it was a safe haven for the Jewish population. You could practice any religion within the empire's borders but had to pay a higher tax than Muslims living in the empire. At times, it was certainly more peaceful and tolerant, but to gain economic prominence in society, one had to convert to Islam. Furthermore, the slave trade within the empire was atrocious. It expanded as far north as Crimea and south into sub-Saharan Africa. Nevertheless, in the 15th and 16th centuries, Ottoman sultans built mighty armies, bringing fear to Europe, only to be stopped at the gates of Vienna. Sultans like the Khans of the Mongolian Empire cared deeply about culture, education, and expansion. Istanbul certainly shows the various layers of culture. The Hagia Sophia, converted to a mosque after the Fall of Constantinople, is a good representation of how the history of its cities was hidden but preserved under the Ottomans. Many places across the Anatolian peninsula survive mainly because of their philosophies.
Historical Would You Rather: Would you rather be a soldier in the Austrian army at the Battle of Austerlitz or a French soldier during the Battle of Verdun.
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