Absolutist France vs. Absolutist France vs. Ottoman EmpireOttoman Empire

European monarchy European monarchy compared with a land-based compared with a land-based

Asian empireAsian empire

Coming to PowerComing to Power

► Bourbon monarchs Bourbon monarchs come to power in come to power in 1500’s with Henry IV1500’s with Henry IV

► End of civil wars over End of civil wars over religion and absolutismreligion and absolutism

► Nation-stateNation-state► Expansion by Louis XIV Expansion by Louis XIV

to ‘”natural boundaries”to ‘”natural boundaries”► Expansion overseas to Expansion overseas to

Americas and India Americas and India trading poststrading posts

► Turkic tribe from Turkic tribe from steppes of Central Asiasteppes of Central Asia

► Conquest state—took Conquest state—took Constantinople in 1453Constantinople in 1453

► Moved into BalkansMoved into Balkans► Moved into North AfricaMoved into North Africa► United Muslim regionsUnited Muslim regions► Navy almost complete Navy almost complete

superiority in the superiority in the Mediterranean until Mediterranean until end of 1500’send of 1500’s

GovernmentGovernment► Centralized state with absolute Centralized state with absolute

monarch (political, religious monarch (political, religious and military leaderand military leader

► Control over hereditary Control over hereditary monarchs monarchs

► Bureaucracy of middle class Bureaucracy of middle class and nobles of the robeand nobles of the robe

► Powerful and capable chief Powerful and capable chief ministersministers

► Intendent systemIntendent system► Tax farmingTax farming► MercantilismMercantilism► Louis XIV (1600’s to early Louis XIV (1600’s to early

1700’s)1700’s)

► Sultan, absolute monarch Sultan, absolute monarch (political, religious and (political, religious and military leader)military leader)

► Warrior aristocracy-granted Warrior aristocracy-granted land to be used to support land to be used to support themselves and family (land themselves and family (land belonged emperor)belonged emperor)

► Janissaries—”slave” Janissaries—”slave” soldiers and administratorssoldiers and administrators

► Islamic scholars and legal Islamic scholars and legal experts in bureaucracyexperts in bureaucracy

► Vizier—chief minister Vizier—chief minister handled day to day handled day to day administrationadministration

► Divan-imperial councilDivan-imperial council► Suleiman the Magnificent Suleiman the Magnificent

(1500’s)(1500’s)

PalacePalace

► VersaillesVersailles► 1000’s of courtiers 1000’s of courtiers

and their attendantsand their attendants►No problems of No problems of

successionsuccession

► TopkapiTopkapi►Harem (living Harem (living

quarters reserved quarters reserved for wives and for wives and concubines and concubines and female relatives in a female relatives in a Muslim household)Muslim household)

► Problems of Problems of successionsuccession

Topkapi Palace

EconomicsEconomics► FranceFrance► AgricultureAgriculture► Vigorous trade and pro-Vigorous trade and pro-

industrialismindustrialism► Encouraged by state which adopted Encouraged by state which adopted

mercantilismmercantilism► Dependent on overseas coloniesDependent on overseas colonies► Tax farmingTax farming► Goods from Americas like coffee, Goods from Americas like coffee,

tobacco, chocolatetobacco, chocolate

► Ottoman EmpireOttoman Empire► AgricultureAgriculture► Vigorous trade, but held in low Vigorous trade, but held in low

esteem by Ottoman elite so in esteem by Ottoman elite so in hands of Jews, Christians, hands of Jews, Christians, foreignersforeigners

► Capitulations: Capitulations: Special Special agreements between the agreements between the Ottoman Empire and various Ottoman Empire and various foreign governments giving foreign governments giving those governments and their those governments and their citizens and subjects specific citizens and subjects specific exemptions from the laws of exemptions from the laws of the empire. the empire.

► Tax farming Tax farming ► Began to collect taxes on trade—Began to collect taxes on trade—

European merchants went aroundEuropean merchants went around► Goods from America like coffee and Goods from America like coffee and

tobaccotobacco

CultureCulture

► FranceFrance► VersaillesVersailles► Clothing, furniture, Clothing, furniture,

dances, food, etc.dances, food, etc.► BalletBallet► OperaOpera► Plays –Racine and Plays –Racine and

MoliereMoliere► French Academies-French Academies-

science and the artsscience and the arts

► OttomanOttoman► Sultan trained in a craftSultan trained in a craft► Construction of Construction of

monumental monumental architecture- architecture- Suleymaniye mosqueSuleymaniye mosque

► Isnik tiles-synthesis of Isnik tiles-synthesis of Chinese and European Chinese and European motifs—painted floral motifs—painted floral designsdesigns

► Textiles, silver, Textiles, silver, bookbinding,calligraphybookbinding,calligraphy, carpets, carpets

Isnik Tiles

Suleymaniye mosqueSuleymaniye mosque

Dealing with ethnic Dealing with ethnic minoritiesminorities

► France only had to deal with France only had to deal with them in colonies, France at them in colonies, France at home nation statehome nation state

► Appointed governors to Appointed governors to collect tax revenues, collect tax revenues, oversee justice and oversee justice and economic activitieseconomic activities

► Slave laborSlave labor► Prohibited Protestants from Prohibited Protestants from

settling in New Francesettling in New France► Lost Canada and Indian Lost Canada and Indian

outpost to English in 7 years outpost to English in 7 years warwar

► Ottomans have many ethnic Ottomans have many ethnic and religious minoritiesand religious minorities

► Millet system—tolerated Millet system—tolerated them, but special them, but special administration and tax administration and tax systemsystem

► Expansion brought wealth to Expansion brought wealth to empireempire

► Later provinces became Later provinces became autonomous like Egyptautonomous like Egypt

► Problems in the Balkans, Problems in the Balkans, Greek independence in Greek independence in 1820’s1820’s

► Europeans and capitulationsEuropeans and capitulations—let revenue and trade get —let revenue and trade get out of their handsout of their hands

WeaknessesWeaknesses► FranceFrance► Powerful army of 400,000 that Powerful army of 400,000 that

added territory to Strasburgadded territory to Strasburg► Expense and losses in later Expense and losses in later

years—war of Spanish years—war of Spanish successionsuccession

► Policies towards HuguenotsPolicies towards Huguenots► Drain on treasuryDrain on treasury► Losses overseas to BritishLosses overseas to British

► Ottoman—remember over 600 Ottoman—remember over 600 years in empireyears in empire

► At its height, too large to At its height, too large to effectively ruleeffectively rule

► Loses meant not enough Loses meant not enough revenue for army and revenue for army and bureaucracybureaucracy

► Many local officials become Many local officials become autonomousautonomous

► Decline in quality of sultans Decline in quality of sultans (sons are no longer trained in (sons are no longer trained in provinces), growing harem provinces), growing harem intrigueintrigue

► Resistance of Janisaries to Resistance of Janisaries to reformsreforms

► Europeans bypass empire in Europeans bypass empire in favor of overseas tradefavor of overseas trade

► Inflation from influx of American Inflation from influx of American silver, poor balance of trade silver, poor balance of trade