Transformation of the Ottoman Empire (1550-1700)

The term “gunpowder empires” emerged in the 1970s to describe the rise of the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal empires, as each state used their mastery of gunpowder technology to expand. But while gunpowder is tied to the power of all three of these empires (and many others in the early modern period), using this term makes gunpowder seem like the central part of their identities. But what lay at the heart of these empires beyond the gunpowder? Some historians have coined the term Pax Ottomana (a play on Pax Romana and Pax Mongolica) to refer to economic and social stability that contributed to a golden age of the Ottoman Empire in the 16th and 17th centuries. 

The Ottoman Empire certainly underwent important changes in the early modern period, and some historians refer to this period as the Ottoman "Era of Transformation." During this period, the Empire experienced social, political, and economic change that allowed it to transition from a patrimonial state (one in which all power flows from the ruler) to a complex bureaucratic state (one characterized by a hierarchy of authority and functions). This transformation was not unique to the Ottomans: states across Europe and Asia also underwent change as rulers sought to consolidate and maintain power over increasingly diverse societies and economies. 

Using the Ottomans as a case study, you will assess what factors contributed to the Ottoman Empire’s continued success as they adapted to a changing world. To help you remember, we’ll look at the 3 M&Ms: Military & Merit, Millet & Ministry, and Money & Monuments. First you will decide how Ottoman developments in these three areas contributed to their success. Then you will consider how developments in these three areas developed in relation to one another to create a complex bureaucratic structure in response to internal and external change.