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Line 1: − + + + + + + + + + + + − In the 19th century the Empire was actually aided in its survival by the powers in Europe, who feared its collapse or loss of large amounts of land to Russia would destabilize the balance of power. Its decline in power and prestige led foreign powers to term it as the "sick man of Europe". + + − +
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The '''Ottoman Empire''' was a [[Muslim]] state which ruled much of the [[Middle East]] as well as parts of [[Africa]] and [[Europe]] from 1299 A.D. until 1922 A.D..
The '''Ottoman Empire''' was a [[Muslim]] state which ruled much of the [[Middle East]] as well as parts of North Africa and the Balkans in Europe from 1299 A.D. until 1922 A.D. Its government was called "The Porte" or "The Sublime Porte".
The [[Ottoman Turks|Ottomans]] gained power by overthrowing the [[Byzantine Empire]], a process that took a century and finished in 1453. That year they captured the Byzantine capital of [[Constantinople]] (now [[Istanbul]]).
The [[Ottoman Turks|Ottomans]] gained power by overthrowing the [[Byzantine Empire]], a process that took a century and finished in 1453. That year they captured the Byzantine capital of [[Constantinople]] (now [[Istanbul]]).
The Ottoman Empire continued to militarily force their way into south eastern Europe. Its failure in the [[Siege of Malta]] (1565) and defeat at the [[Battle of Lepanto]] (1572) were the turning points in its expansion in the Mediterranean. During this period, a strengthening Muscovy ([[Russia]]) was winning Muslim territory and pushing at Ottoman borders. As Europe continued to make heavy military strides in the following centuries, the Ottoman Empire began to lag and lose status as a major power. Wars with Russia became frequent in the later part of its existence, with the Russians often getting the better of the engagements.
The Ottoman Empire continued to militarily force their way into south eastern Europe. Its failure in the [[Siege of Malta]] (1565) and defeat at the [[Battle of Lepanto]] (1572) were the turning points in its expansion in the Mediterranean. During this period, a strengthening Muscovy ([[Russia]]) was winning Muslim territory and pushing at Ottoman borders. As Europe continued to make heavy military strides in the following centuries, the Ottoman Empire began to lag and lose status as a major power. Wars with Russia became frequent in the later part of its existence, with the Russians often getting the better of the engagements.
==Wars with Russia==
The peace treaty of Constantinople (1700) confirmed the victory of Russia in the Russo-Turkish war of 1686-1700. As a result, Russia annexed an important section of the steppe north of the Black Sea (including the fortresses and ports of Azov and Taganrog). However, even though a Russian naval fleet was present in the Sea of Azov, the strategic Kerch Strait remained under Ottoman control, blocking Russian access to the Black Sea, which remained an Ottoman domain. Under the circumstances, the entire period of Russian-Ottoman peace between 1700 and 1710 was tense. Turning to good advantage the involvement of Russia in the Northern War of 1700-21, the Porte launched and won the Russian-Ottoman war of 1710-11. Defeated, Russia was obliged to restore to the Porte the territories annexed in 1700. Russia finally gained its much-coveted access to the Black Sea only in 1774, by the Russian-Ottoman peace treaty of Kuchuk Kainarji.
=="Sick Man of Europe"==
After 1800 the steady decline of the Empire was in sharp contrast to the growth in wealth and military power in western Europe. The Empire was called "the sick man of Europe" and steadily lost influence and territory. In the 19th century the Empire was actually aided in its survival by Britain and France, who feared its collapse or loss of large amounts of land to Russia would destabilize the balance of power.
===Holy Places===
In 1852 the Christian holy places in Jerusalem were subjected to a regulatory status known as the "status quo" by Ottoman authorities. The imposition of the status quo regulations were an attempt to put an end to ongoing strife between Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic factions engaged in a nasty dispute over control of the holy places. The status quo reaffirmed the precedence of the Greek Orthodox Church. The 1878 Treaty of Berlin confirmed the decision of the Ottoman rulers of Jerusalem, and this arrangement was passed on to the successive British and Israeli governors of Jerusalem.
===Bulgarian massacres===
The "Bulgarian Horrors" were systematic massacres of thousands of Bulgarian Christians by Ottoman forces in 1876-77. In Britain Liberal leader [[William Ewart Gladstone]] exploited the horror to embarrass the Conservative government of [[Benjamin Disraeli]], who tried to prop up the Ottoman regime as a counter-weight to Russia. Meanwhile the British seized effective control over Egypt, which nominally still belonged to the Ottoman Empire.
===Armenians===
In the 1870s from the point of view of both the Ottoman administrators and the Muslim population, the Christian Armenians were considered 'tebaa-i sadika' (loyal subjects), loyal to the state and on good terms with their Muslim neighbors. Nevertheless, the rise of nationalist ideologies in Europe and, in particular, the success of the Greek and Serbian independence movements made a deep impression on Armenian intellectuals. With the support of Britain, this impression quickly turned into a widespread and organized revolt against the Ottoman state and evolved into a movement for independence. After the 1877-78 Russo-Turkish War, Britain, which supported this revolt, began a campaign against the Ottomans based on several arguments: the Ottoman state and Turks in general were not civilized, the citizens of the empire were not allowed basic freedoms, and the government subjected its citizens to immense cruelty and massacres. Full scale genocide against the Armenians came during World War I.
==20th century==
==20th century==
see [[Turkey]]
see [[Turkey]]
===World War I===
The Ottoman Empire fought alongside the [[Central Powers]] during [[World War I]] and collapsed after its defeat. It was during this time when the [[Armenia#genocide|Armenian genocide]] occurred.
The Ottoman Empire fought alongside the [[Central Powers]] during [[World War I]] and collapsed after its defeat. It was during this time when the [[Armenia#genocide|Armenian genocide]] occurred.
The British expected easy victories, and sent armies into Mesopotamia (Iraq), which were badly defeated, and landed at Gallipoli in order to capture Istanbul, and were even more decisively defeated in 1915. [[Winston Churchill]] and other top British leaders envisioned an operation in which they placed their strength against Ottoman weakness. Instead of engaging a feeble opponent, however, the British faced the best-trained and best-led divisions in the Ottoman army and were up against the most heavily fortified and well-prepared positions in the Ottoman Empire. In command and control the Ottoman army performed well at all levels, and Ottoman soldiers proved to be effective fighters on the defensive. The Germans, furthermore, provided very talented generals and senior staff members to aid and help direct the Ottoman effort. As a result the Ottoman army fought the British to a stalemate, leading the British to abandon the campaign.<ref> Edward J. Erickson, "Strength Against Weakness: Ottoman Military Effectiveness At Gallipoli, 1915." ''Journal Of Military History'' 2001 65(4): 981-1011</ref>
After the war much of the territory of the Ottoman Empire was placed under British and French control, while [[Mustafa Kemal Ataturk]] led a revolution and established the secular nation of [[Turkey]].
After the war much of the territory of the Ottoman Empire was placed under British and French control, while [[Mustafa Kemal Ataturk]] led a revolution and established the secular nation of [[Turkey]].