The Features of the Reign of The Features of the Reign of the First Ten Sultansthe First Ten Sultans

At Süleyman I’s death in 1566 the Ottoman At Süleyman I’s death in 1566 the Ottoman Empire had already lasted for more than 200 Empire had already lasted for more than 200 years. This made the Ottomans almost unique years. This made the Ottomans almost unique among the Muslim empires. Both the Abbasid among the Muslim empires. Both the Abbasid Caliphate and the Anatolian Seldjukides reigned Caliphate and the Anatolian Seldjukides reigned more than two hundred years but it cannot be more than two hundred years but it cannot be said that they really ruled for the length of time.said that they really ruled for the length of time.

Yet the Ottomans in 1566 had ruled for two Yet the Ottomans in 1566 had ruled for two hundred years in full power and were to continue hundred years in full power and were to continue for centuries thereafter. for centuries thereafter.

One reason for that Ottoman success One reason for that Ottoman success was the slow development of the was the slow development of the Empire. They first conquered but later Empire. They first conquered but later surely spent time for the consolidation surely spent time for the consolidation of the enlarging empire. of the enlarging empire.

Another reason was the existince of a Another reason was the existince of a number of neighboring decaying number of neighboring decaying Christian powers and the lack of an Christian powers and the lack of an overlord Muslim empire. Their overlord Muslim empire. Their conquests were for their own expanding conquests were for their own expanding state. What they took, they kept.state. What they took, they kept.

A A third reason was their military ability to third reason was their military ability to adapt to changing circumstances. The adapt to changing circumstances. The Ottoman sultans led a nomad army as long Ottoman sultans led a nomad army as long as it furthered their ambitions, then they as it furthered their ambitions, then they converted it to a combination of a converted it to a combination of a professional army of slave soldiers equipped professional army of slave soldiers equipped largely with firearms and the traditional largely with firearms and the traditional forces of the Turcoman notables. Later forces of the Turcoman notables. Later sultans whose nomadic ancestors had never sultans whose nomadic ancestors had never seen the sea became masters of the eastern seen the sea became masters of the eastern Mediterranean. Mediterranean.

This third reason can be mainly explained This third reason can be mainly explained by two approaches of the Ottoman by two approaches of the Ottoman administration: ecclecticism and administration: ecclecticism and pragmatism. pragmatism.

Through civil war, military defeat, political Through civil war, military defeat, political conflict and even the deposition of sultans, conflict and even the deposition of sultans, the Ottoman system of reule survived. the Ottoman system of reule survived.

The sultans and their administrators were The sultans and their administrators were not great innovators. They were leaders who not great innovators. They were leaders who observed carefully the administrative observed carefully the administrative systems of the earlier or existing states and systems of the earlier or existing states and adopted them to their needs. None of the adopted them to their needs. None of the cornerstones of the new state, whether it be cornerstones of the new state, whether it be the system of slave-soldiers – devşirme the system of slave-soldiers – devşirme army and administrators, the timar system army and administrators, the timar system was unique to them.was unique to them.

The Ottomans owed a lot to the Great The Ottomans owed a lot to the Great Seldjukides and Anatolian Seldjukides. Both Seldjukides and Anatolian Seldjukides. Both of these states had tried to create a state of these states had tried to create a state that synthesized the vigour of Turcoman that synthesized the vigour of Turcoman nomads and trhe administrative culture of nomads and trhe administrative culture of the great tradition of Persian-Islamic the great tradition of Persian-Islamic statecraft. Unlike these earlier Turcoman statecraft. Unlike these earlier Turcoman states, the Ottomans were not forced to states, the Ottomans were not forced to create a system of government. The create a system of government. The Turcoman-Islamic-Persian system of the Turcoman-Islamic-Persian system of the Seldjukides was already there, awaiting Seldjukides was already there, awaiting refinement. The Ottoman did refine it, refinement. The Ottoman did refine it, particularly by incorporating governmental particularly by incorporating governmental traditions of the Byzantine Empire. traditions of the Byzantine Empire.

The other basis of Ottoman success, an The other basis of Ottoman success, an approach closely tied to ecclecticism, was approach closely tied to ecclecticism, was pragmatism. The Ottoman sultans did what had pragmatism. The Ottoman sultans did what had to be done for the welfare and success of the to be done for the welfare and success of the state, even when the rules seemed to stand on state, even when the rules seemed to stand on their way. The Ottoman sultans were supposed their way. The Ottoman sultans were supposed to be the heroes of Islam. They paid attention to to be the heroes of Islam. They paid attention to giving public evidence of being good Muslims. giving public evidence of being good Muslims. Yet they did not hesitate to deviate from Islamic Yet they did not hesitate to deviate from Islamic rules when it seemed necessary. The best rules when it seemed necessary. The best example of this is the child-levy system which example of this is the child-levy system which recruited the slave soldier and administrators, recruited the slave soldier and administrators, devşirme. Enslaving Christians who had not devşirme. Enslaving Christians who had not rebelled against Muslim rule was not allowed by rebelled against Muslim rule was not allowed by the Islamic law, nor was forceful conversion of the Islamic law, nor was forceful conversion of the children. the children.

In much the same manner, the Ottomans In much the same manner, the Ottomans used Christian vassal kings to enlarge their used Christian vassal kings to enlarge their conquering armies and even gave timars to conquering armies and even gave timars to Christian nobles, bring those who might Christian nobles, bring those who might otherwise have rebelled into their camp. otherwise have rebelled into their camp. Bayezid I used Turcoman Muslim fighters to Bayezid I used Turcoman Muslim fighters to attack in Christian Europe and Christian attack in Christian Europe and Christian vassal troops to attack in Muslim Anatolia. vassal troops to attack in Muslim Anatolia.

The Ottoman sultans used also a mixture of The Ottoman sultans used also a mixture of warfare, marriage, fear and diplomacy to warfare, marriage, fear and diplomacy to overwhelm the Turcoman principalities in overwhelm the Turcoman principalities in Anatolia. Anatolia.

They also introduced the millet system They also introduced the millet system allowing the religious communities great allowing the religious communities great autonomous power over their peoples. autonomous power over their peoples.

Ottoman elite household Ottoman elite household (kapıkulu) cavalry with the (kapıkulu) cavalry with the vassal Crimean Tatar vassal Crimean Tatar cavalry (at right flank) at the cavalry (at right flank) at the siege of Szigetvar in 1566 siege of Szigetvar in 1566