Ottoman, Russia, and Qing

(Oh my….)

Why couldn’t the Ottomans modernize like Europe?

Stagnant economyLack of financial reservesWeak governing elitesTraditionPowerful political groups with too much to

lose Became too large to rule effectively (Middle

East and N Africa)

Regional power bases emerged in Arabia and Egypt ( ignoring imperial rule from Istanbul)

In Arabia, the Saud family took control of Mecca and Medina (embarrassing for Selim III who could no longer lead his people on traditional pilgrimage to Mecca)

Napoleon’s troops had invaded and controlled Egypt until 1801 (Ottomans unable to restore imperial control rise of Muhammad Ali (not the boxer) who , while still a part of the empire, consistently reminded the Ottomans of their difficulty in controlling distant territories

Why couldn’t the Ottomans modernize like Europe?

Janissaries, who through economic privileges, were very powerful, resisted the adoption of new Western ideasChange viewed as attack on traditional

values and their power

Why couldn’t the Ottomans modernize like Europe?

The Ulama (Muslim scholars who controlled Islamic courts in empire) threatened as well with Western secularization (also seen as an attack on Islam)

MODERNIZATION OF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE

Sultan Selim III (r. 1789-1807) in favor of Westernization/modernizationEuro style militaryStandard taxationReinstitution of Ottoman

control over provincial governors

Excise tax on tobacco and coffee

Much opposition to reforms from Janissaries and Ulama

Serbia: w/Janissary prov gov’s ; vented on Orthodox Christians. Ottomans allied with Bosnia to put down Janissary uprising; Russia came into picture and hindered Ottomans from effectively regaining control Serbian independence from empire

Due to resistance from J and U, Selim abandoned reforms in 1806, but was later imprisoned and killed anyway

Mahmud II (r.1808-1839) Change had to come slowly in order to

solidify power Greece tried to organize against

Ottomans (w/help of Europe who wanted to reclaim the Greco-Roman tradition their continent was based on)Warfare to liberate Greece from

Ottoman controlEven though he turned to

Muhammad Ali’s more modern army for help, defeat came at Battle of Navarino (1829) as Ottoman navy destroyed by Europe

Warfare….. need to modernize army

Sultan created a new military unit (that would layer put down and effectively destroy the Janissaries)

Dissolved Janissary corpsLimited power of Ulama (only for

religious and family law)

Mejid (r. 1839-1861)As Egypt continued

assaults on Ottomans, and headed toward Istanbul the new sultan turned to France and Britain for aid They used economic

threats to force Egypt to w/d Ottoman survival depended upon European aid

Tanzimat Mejid created the Tanzimat (reorganization)

Guaranteed political rights for men (public trials, limited rt to privacy, equitable tax collection)

Education changes: military schools, French language of instruction, European customs and travel,

Tax on non-Muslims abolished; missionaries flocked to the empire

Ended tax farmingSecular legal code decline in power of Ulama

WomenWomen: not given

political participation or education opportunities

Industrial labor/professional occupations not open to women

property/inheritance shifted to Islamic courts fewer rights

CRIMEAN WARRussia wanted to expand

(esp to South)Viewed self as protectors of

Slavic and Eastern Orthodox peoples (Serbian indep)

FR and GB viewed R’s expansion as potential threat

France named protector of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem; an affront to Russia invaded Romania in 1853 (part of Ottoman Empire)

Crimean WarGB and FR (and Italian Sardinia-Piedmont) aided

Ottomans Naval and land battles 3 years; incompetence and

problems Nicholas II (r. 1855-1881) to sue for peaceEnded R expansionBalanced FR and GB territories in OE

War was a battle b/w traditional and modern warfare w/ OE declining in power

SICK MAN OF EUROPE

“Sick Man of Europe” by Nicholas IIBehind in every wayMany Western powers questioned if the

empire should still exist; if not, who should control its lands? (Eastern Question)

Declining agri revenues, large debts to foreign powers, inflation, corruption made reforms difficult

5Decided to continue reforms in manner of W EuropeImperial bank, gold standard,

industrialization ( demo shift to cities) Growth of cities (Damascus, Beirut…)

increased (also aided by Muslim refugees from newly conquered Russian lands in C Asia)

More Europeans to OE

Extraterritoriality Extraterritoriality: exemption from legal

jurisdiction if a country) to all Europeans in OEMany young reformers saw this as unfair

Young TurksLooking to assert Ottoman authority over

Euros living in OEUniversal male suffrage and constitutional

monarchy Sultan Abdul Hamid II (r. 1876-1909) accepted

const’n

Young TurksThe tensions caused by the Tanzimat reforms provoked

criticism those who disliked change, seeing it as un-Islamic, those who thought that the reforms did not go far enough

In the 1860s a group of young men known as the Young Ottomans called for a variety of reforms, including a constitution. In 1876, reforming ministers introduced a constitution Suspended in 1878.

There followed a number of revolutionary conspiracies by groups known generally as the Young Turksmilitary revolt in 1908 overthrew the despotic rule of Sultan Abdulhamid II brought about the reintroduction of the constitution.

NATIONALISM AND DECLINERise of Nationalism: identification of a people

w/a nation centered on language/religionOE made up of many ethnic, religious, and

language groups1902 Macedonia rebelled and achieved

independence1908 Austria-Hungary annexed Muslim BosniaItaly conquered Libya 1912

NATIONALISM AND DECLINEBalkan Wars (1912-1913) OE lost Serbia, Bulgaria,

and RomaniaEverything else independent or under European

controlEuropean interference (loans, tax collections, rr

construction)Increased power of ethnic Turks crack down on

ethnic minorities (Greeks/Armenians) Resentment toward GB and FR alignment w.

Germany (uh oh… WWI is looming)

Czarist Russia

Europeans viewed Russia as an alien, backward, & oppressive but saw its potential power

R similar to Ottomans Socially dominated by noblesMostly agriculturalPoor transportationMany languages

Lands still worked by serfs, little industry1st good roads by 1817, steam navigation

1843, 1st rr 1837

Czar NicholasCzar Nicholas feared spread of

literacy (which would has aided country)Threat to powerRisk of developing middle classKept peasants in serfdomKeep importing industrial goods,

pay for them with grain and timber

Like Egypt and Ottomans, aspired to Western-styled economic development

Fear of political chg caused R to fall further behind Obsolete weapons of Crimean war,

lack of transportationGB and FR viewed R as a threat/rival

for power in Eastern Europe and eastern Med landsAlso didn’t like serfdom (granted

freedom in 1861 by Czar Alexander II)

Russians unclear/hesitant of kinship w/ West

Slavophiles: Orthodox Chr, peasant life, loyal to czar

Pan-Slavism: militant political doctrine advocating unity of Slavic peoples (esp those under Ottoman and Austrian rule)

Relationship w/ Asia1860 Vladovostik (military outpost on

Pacific)Political friction w/ Qing, Japan, Iran,

OttomansNeed for warm water port (esp on

Black Sea)Europe threatened by mv’t east and

south b/c of potential threats against British colonial rule in India

Alexander II new reformsEmancip. Serfs 1861Gave them property rightsJoint stock companiesRr networks to tie country togetherModernize legal and admin arms of govtExpanded but guarded education (anti-

liberal) Encouraged professional and scientific

trainingDostoyevsky and Tolstoy (War and Peace)

reform ideas

Qing Empire

IMPERIALISMDefinition: the control of one people by another (can be

political, economic or cultural)"Old Imperialism": occurred between 16th and 18th centuriesEuropean powers did not usually acquire territory (except for

Spain in Americas and Portugal in Brazil, the British in North America) but rather built a series of trading stations (especially in the Indian Ocean and SE Asia )

Respected and frequently cooperated with local rulers in India, China, Japan, Indonesia, and other areas where trade flourished between locals and European coastal trading centers.

New Imperialism: Mid - Late 19th early 20th

centuriesNatural resources,Raw materials (gold,

diamonds, copper, cotton) New marketsInvade and set up colonial

gov’tsCreate empire to protect

power Anglo-Saxon Superiority /

Social Darwinism and desire to Christianize and Civilize

Opium WarsRebellions among poor and displaced and refusal to

recognize threat from EuropeOpium Wars (1839-1842)Trade imbalance, Canton systemLarge amounts of opium imported by British/AmericansRestriction in 1729, but smuggling continuedBritish saw restriction as threat to their economic successChinese Bannerman, hereditary soldiers (swords/knives -

like OE) no match for British armyNo navy or ability to move troops quickly/efficiently

couldn’t protect ports/inland cities

http://kotaku.com/assets/resources/2008/02/opiumsmoking.gif

Treaty of Nanking (1842)Forced China to cede Hong Kong to Britain foreverPay large indemnity Open up 4 large cities to foreign trade with low tariffs.Extraterritoriality subjected Westerners to their home

country’s laws rather than China’s.GB granted favorite nation status: any privileges the

Qing granted other nations had to be granted to GB (would however prevent colonization of China b/c land given to one power would have to be given to GB as well)

Results…continued1860 importation of opium legalized1900 90= ports open to WestIncreased missionary work and small European

communities w/in ChinaForeigners increasingly resented (Christianity,

privileges)

Taiping Rebellion 1851-1864Causes: economic crisis, rebellion, decline of Qing

powerEmerged in southern province of GuangxiWeak agri harvests, class conflict, ethnic divisions

Taiping Mv’tLed by a Hakka (bottom ethnic minority), Hong

XiuquanBased on Christian missionary teachings: Hong was

brother of Jesus told by God to build a new kingdom of heaven on earth and drive Manchu (Qing) out of China

Taiping Rebellion As mvt spread, captured

cities forced to take part in rebellion

Men and women segregated

Foot binding ended: women expected to farm and fight

1853: took Nanjing as their capital

Taiping RebellionQing began to modernize army and got many

Bannermen to complyManchus defeated rebellion after 14 years with the

help of the British military.As many as 20 - 30 million people perished

(disease, plague, land ruined, declining revenue from land taxes)

Recovery took place at local levels: increased power of provincial governors (levy/collect taxes, raise armies) alliances of provincial governors

Boxer Rebellion1894, Sino-Japanese War (6 months over encroachment

into Korea)China lost and forced to leave Korea, cede Taiwan to Japan ,

pay indemnitiesEmpress Dowager encouraged series of anti-foreign riots

Harmonious Righteous Fists (Boxers) At one time had supported new tech, by turn of century against

spread of Western influencesAttacks of missionaries, westerners in general……

‘foreign devils’European, Japanese, and US forces put down riots and

occupied Beijing Japan and Russia to fight over resource rich Manchuria (Russo-Japanese War)

DECLINE OF THE QINGCorruptionBankrupted treasuryWarfare (Nian, Taiping, Sino-Japanese, Arrow Wars,

Boxer Rebellion) Indemnities paid to other European nationsDestruction of lands by warfare and population

dispersal Increasing population outgrowing food productionGB created the Imperial Maritime Customs Service…

increasing involvement in Chinese economy and politics

Decline of the QingIncreased power of provisional governors (see

above) such as Zeng Guofan who looke d to USA rather than GB or FR increase US interference in China as well

Emperors became more of a figurehead after 1850… increased power of aristocracy (Cixi/Dowager) and military men, as well as foreign advisors

Boxer Rebellion final evidence of need to modernize country and get rid of Qing….

Enter the Republic!Cixi died in 1908 the Revolutionary Alliance led by

Sun Yat Sen (nationalist, socialist, Confucianist) 1911 Puyi abdicates ending the Qing – Revolutionary assembly elects Sun president of new

Chinese republic but steps down (b/c of no military to defend his position) Yuan Shikai becomes president