Ottoman Empire: The Tulip Age and Start of Reform of the Ottoman Empire (Winter 2024)

This course shall chart some of the issues known in orientalist works as the Ottoman Decline thesis. We shall see how the children of Sulayman al-Kanuni attempted to safeguard the Empire, mainly how the last form of fratricide was undertaken and the reason for the end of this practice. While the Sultan would usually be trained outside of the Imperial centre, from this moment, Sultans and their siblings were kept inside the palace as a series of young Sultans came to the fore. However, no sooner had the culture of fratricide ended and the Janissary committed the first Ottoman regicide against Osman II. After a series of defeats, the European states would be at war with each other, while the Ottomans would go through a cultural renascence known as the Tulip Age. The reign of Abdulhamid I, would see the loss of Muslim territory in the Khanate of Crimea for the first time, which forced the Ottomans to re-think the need for state transformation and centralization under Selim III.

The course will examine key topics regarding fratricide, regicide, the power of the Janissary and the evolution of the Ottoman Caliphate and legal system. It will then discuss the need for reform of what was the catalyst for the period known as the Tanzimat.

This 8-week course shall be two hours a week online, with reading material and two essays shall be given. This course is part of a three-part course that will chart the whole Ottoman Empire's history.

Course requirements:

Class preparation, attendance, and participation. Participation will be a Q and A section after each lecture.

One end of term essay of 1,500 words

Attendance:

While this is an online course, students are expected to attend all the lectures and complete any set essays for the course. Attendance is required for at least 75% of the classes, and while attendance registers will not be taken at the start of the classes, a note will be made on who is attending.  Absences can disrupt the classes, so please try to attend as much as possible. There is a recording of the class available but it is for a limited time only.