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 Ottoman The “Sick Man of Europe”, as the Ottoman

Empire comes to be known, managed to Empire comes to be known, managed to stave off total decline through a series of stave off total decline through a series of reforms that allowed it to move into the reforms that allowed it to move into the 2020thth century under its own regime. century under its 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 Turkish While Arabs resented Ottoman Turkish rule, they preferred rule by fellow rule, they preferred rule by fellow Muslims to control by Western powers.Muslims to control by Western 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 leads a jihad with the following goals: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.

The Opium War• Summarize the steps

leading to the war and analyze the painting.

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.