The Ottoman Empire, the The Ottoman Empire, the Islamic Heartlands and Islamic Heartlands and Qing China Qing China
Dec 16, 2015
Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Civilizations in Crisis: The Ottoman Civilizations in Crisis: The Ottoman
Empire, the Islamic Heartlands and Empire, the Islamic Heartlands and
Qing China Qing China
Eastern Responses to Western Eastern Responses to Western PressurePressure
Responses ranged across a broad spectrum
Radical Reforms
(Taiping & Mahdist
Rebellions) designed to bring down the existing social order
Western educated dissidents
who attempted
to build new states
along Western
lines
From Empire (Ottoman) to From Empire (Ottoman) to Nation (Turkey)Nation (Turkey)
Ottomans weakened by internal strifeOttomans weakened by internal strife Succession of weak rulers (sultans)Succession of weak rulers (sultans) Power struggles (Janissaries, officials, elite Power struggles (Janissaries, officials, elite
factions)factions) Corrupt provincial officials and ayan Corrupt provincial officials and ayan Position of artisans declines as a western Position of artisans declines as a western
goods flood the markets (wide scale urban goods flood the markets (wide scale urban riots)riots)
Armies lack important resourcesArmies lack important resources Foreign empires (ex—Russian) make grabs at Foreign empires (ex—Russian) make grabs at
outlying territoryoutlying territory
Reform and SurvivalReform and Survival The “Sick Man of Europe”, as the The “Sick Man of Europe”, as the
Ottoman Empire comes to be known, Ottoman Empire comes to be known, managed to stave off total decline managed to stave off total decline through a series of reforms that allowed through a series of reforms that allowed it to move into the 20it to move into the 20thth century under its century under its own regime.own regime.
European nations are concerned about European nations are concerned about how the potential collapse of the how the potential collapse of the Ottomans could impact the Ottomans could impact the balance of balance of powerpower in Europe. in Europe. Ex. Great Britain props up Ottomans to keep Ex. Great Britain props up Ottomans to keep
Russia from controlling the strategic port city Russia from controlling the strategic port city of Istanbul (Constantinople)of Istanbul (Constantinople)
Reform Comes From WithinReform Comes From Within (in stages) (in stages)
Stage 1: Modest Reform (18Stage 1: Modest Reform (18thth century) century) Sultan Selim III Sultan Selim III introduces new tech. (printing introduces new tech. (printing
press) & seeks greater bureaucratic efficiencypress) & seeks greater bureaucratic efficiency Result:Result: Angers Janissaries & factions within the Angers Janissaries & factions within the
bureaucracybureaucracy Stage 2: Reforms Continue (1826)Stage 2: Reforms Continue (1826)
Sultan Mahmud II Sultan Mahmud II creates a rival army to break creates a rival army to break Janissary power and also breaks ayan powerJanissary power and also breaks ayan power
Farther-reaching reforms are based on Farther-reaching reforms are based on western western precedentsprecedents
Stage 3: The Tanzimat Reforms (1839-Stage 3: The Tanzimat Reforms (1839-1876)1876) Reorganizes large sections of society on along Reorganizes large sections of society on along
western lineswestern lines
Repression and RevoltRepression and Revolt New reforms don’t appease New reforms don’t appease
westerners and their westerners and their supporters while also supporters while also upsetting conservative upsetting conservative ulamas and ayans.ulamas and ayans.
SO….SO….Sultan Abdul HamidSultan Abdul Hamid (1878-1908) attempts to (1878-1908) attempts to create order through create order through absolute ruleabsolute rule His rule ends in a bloodless His rule ends in a bloodless
coup supported by the coup supported by the Ottoman Society for Union Ottoman Society for Union & Progress (Young Turks) & Progress (Young Turks) whose goal was to restore whose goal was to restore the 1876 constitutionthe 1876 constitution
The “Sick Man” DiesThe “Sick Man” Dies
1908 coup is supported by the 1908 coup is supported by the military, who introduce many reforms military, who introduce many reforms (education, status of women, etc.) (education, status of women, etc.) but there are immediate problems:but there are immediate problems: Factional fightingFactional fighting Outbreak of WWIOutbreak of WWI Continued subjugation of Arab portions Continued subjugation of Arab portions
of the empireof the empire Ottoman Empire ends in 1914Ottoman Empire ends in 1914
Crisis in Arab Islamic Crisis in Arab Islamic HeartlandsHeartlands
Crisis in Arab portions of the empire Crisis in Arab portions of the empire was the same: rejection or adoption was the same: rejection or adoption of western ways?of western ways?
While Arabs resented Ottoman While Arabs resented Ottoman Turkish rule, they preferred rule by Turkish rule, they preferred rule by fellow Muslims to control by Western fellow Muslims to control by Western powers.powers.
Ottoman crisis creates fears about Ottoman crisis creates fears about staving off the Weststaving off the West
Muhammad Ali/Fail of Muhammad Ali/Fail of Westernization in EgyptWesternization in Egypt
Ignorance of the European world causes the Ignorance of the European world causes the Mamluks (Murad) to underestimate the Mamluks (Murad) to underestimate the power of Napoleonpower of Napoleon Resounding defeat of Mamluks reveals that Resounding defeat of Mamluks reveals that
Muslim armies are seriously overmatchedMuslim armies are seriously overmatched After French withdrawal, After French withdrawal, Muhammad AliMuhammad Ali ( (not not
the one you’re thinking of!)the one you’re thinking of!) emerges as a ruler emerges as a ruler Westernizes the military and attempts to Westernizes the military and attempts to
industrialize Egyptindustrialize Egypt Reforms are blocked by European powers who Reforms are blocked by European powers who
want to remain dominant in the Egyptian marketwant to remain dominant in the Egyptian market Descendants of Ali (khedives) rule until 1956Descendants of Ali (khedives) rule until 1956
Bankruptcy, Intervention & Bankruptcy, Intervention & ResistanceResistance
Khedives prove to be terrible rulers (wasteful, Khedives prove to be terrible rulers (wasteful, inept and elitist)inept and elitist)
One important exception: Suez CanalOne important exception: Suez Canal Makes Egypt an important strategic area to competitive Makes Egypt an important strategic area to competitive
European countriesEuropean countries Weak Muslim rulers prompt Muslim Weak Muslim rulers prompt Muslim
intellectuals/religious leaders to debate the best intellectuals/religious leaders to debate the best way of staving off European controlway of staving off European control One side: One side: al-Afghani & Muhammad Abduhal-Afghani & Muhammad Abduh stressed stressed
borrowing from the West to innovate borrowing from the West to innovate Other side: religious scholars said the Qu’ran was the Other side: religious scholars said the Qu’ran was the
source of all truth; no answers could be found in the Westsource of all truth; no answers could be found in the West
Jihad: Mahdist RevoltJihad: Mahdist Revolt
Sudan’s Arabs resent Egyptian control Sudan’s Arabs resent Egyptian control (centered in Khartoum) and later, British (centered in Khartoum) and later, British controlcontrol
Muhammhad Achmad (“The Mahdi”)Muhammhad Achmad (“The Mahdi”) leads a jihad with the following goals:leads a jihad with the following goals: Purging Islam of its “corrupt” beliefs carried Purging Islam of its “corrupt” beliefs carried
on by the Egyptianson by the Egyptians Fending off western pressure in the areaFending off western pressure in the area
Mahdi army wins control of SudanMahdi army wins control of Sudan Khalifa Abdallahi continues the fightKhalifa Abdallahi continues the fight British defeat the mahdi in1896British defeat the mahdi in1896
The Last Dynasty: Qing • Qing dynasty is actually the
Manchu, a nomadic group who seized control after Ming declined• Adopted Chinese ways while attacking
Ming’s borders• Maintained the same system once in
power• Differed from previous foreign rulers
(Yuan/Mongols) in that they included native Chinese in the bureaucracy
Economy & Society
• Conservative approach to both eco. & soc.• Socially….
• Stressed hierarchy• Extended family still the central social unit• Women confined to the household
• Economically….• Lowered taxes, labor demands and improved public
works• Attempted to control the landlord class to alleviate
peasant burdens• Did NOT exercise much control over the commercial
sector (and the # of incoming Europeans)
Rot From Within
• False assumption that the following problems were part of another dynastic cycle
• In Government• Cheating, bribery on state exams
• In the Economy• Diversion of revenue from state
projects• Food shortages, famine & disease
The Opium War & After
• To the Chinese, Europeans were: barbarians, animals, nomads….They did not recognize the complexity & sophistication of an equally advanced society.
• Conflicts like the Opium War revealed that the Europeans had stronger, better organized militaries and were not willing to live with an unequal trade balance.
Rebellion & Failed Reforms
• 1850s & 1860s—wave of rebellions• Taiping rebellion (Hong Xiuquan)
• Sought to overthrow Qing dynasty and Confucianism• Boxer Rebellion
• Effort to expel foreigners
• China rallies temporarily• Dowager Empress Cixi
• Crushed reforms and played rival factions off each other to maintain power
• Self-strengthening movement• Preserve existing order (not transform it) by
modernizing military & encouraging foreign investment in railways and factories
Fall of the Qing• 1905—Confucian exam system ends• Resistance continues until 1911
• In the form of secret societies, sons of scholar-gentry or compradors
• Fiercely anti-Western• 1912—last Manchu
emperor (Puyi) abdicates (he is 6 yrs old)
Global ConnectionGlobal Connection
Ottomans & Qing represent two civilizations thrown into Ottomans & Qing represent two civilizations thrown into crisis by Western challengecrisis by Western challenge
Islam survives; China does not—WHY?Islam survives; China does not—WHY? Muslims had faced Western challenges since the Middle Ages Muslims had faced Western challenges since the Middle Ages
while challenge to China was more suddenwhile challenge to China was more sudden Muslims share many Judeo-Christian cultural aspects while Muslims share many Judeo-Christian cultural aspects while
Chinese regarded western culture as ‘barbaric’Chinese regarded western culture as ‘barbaric’ Muslims has many centers to defend (fall of one did not mean Muslims has many centers to defend (fall of one did not mean
fall of all) whereas fall of China meant the whole empirefall of all) whereas fall of China meant the whole empire Muslims could fall back on Islam, Chinese did not have a Muslims could fall back on Islam, Chinese did not have a
religious tradition to stabilize them.religious tradition to stabilize them.