The Wider World Flashcards
How did the Ottomans differ from parts of Asia, the Americas and Northern Africa?
because Europeans did not use large, standing armies or changing tactics to defeat them, but rather adapted to their Guerilla style warfare.
The Ottomans were seen as anticipating the military revolution in several stages.
What Similarities did the Ottomans have with European Warfare?
1.increase in standing armies instead of militia-warfare,
2.role of foreign advisors
3.technology-transfer
4. siege warfare
Names some differences of the Ottomans:
- Conscription appeared to arise later than Europe, around 1790
- it failed to adapt to merchantism fast enough, too focused on agrarian
- Had a decentralised Ottoman system of powder production, helped transportation costs, the logistical burden and was flexible in responding to emergencies.
- Parker argues that their guns were ineffective and far heavier.
Why was the Fall of Constantinople in 1453 significant?
The Ottomans successfully breached the walls of the cities with enormous firepower of huge cannons, showing military innovation.
it meant the end of a city which was the capital of eastern Christendom for a thousand years.
What does Agoston and Askan reply to Parker’s claim that the Ottoman artillery was deeply flawed?
Agoston: janissaries were using two types of guns: lighter and shorter muskets used for volleys in battles, and heavier and longer siege guns.
Askan: the Ottomans were sufficient in the production of copper, iron and Gunpowder, maintaining mines and factories all over the empire.
What was the Ottoman notion of rule?
the perception of the state as the patrimony of the Sultans; the Patrimony was divided up into those who ruled (military) and those who were ruled (taxpayers- mainly peasants).
There was a household hierarchy which determined military thinking.
What were the overall problems for the Ottoman administration?
corruption, rebellions, inflation and financial weakness, agricultural failure and desertion of land. It also failed to adopt a more mercantilism form of finance, focusing too much on agrarianism.
What does Sherman argue about the Ottoman administration?
from the early 1500s, they had a much more advanced and professional system of logistics, administration, and finance than did European polities, sustaining large, permanent armies.
What does Askan argue about the Ottoman Administration?
- The system of paying Janissaries out of the central treasury led to resentment by lower level gentry.
- The Janissaries had a reputation of restlessness and rebellion.
- In 1711, The Ottomans’ had a new administrative tactic, the appointment of overlords from the Greek families of Istanbul which was an unpopular policy among the populace at large.
- The Ottoman Sultans were restricted to a limited choice of agrarian societies for financing, and failed to convert to mercantilism that enabled their European counterparts.
5.Inflation in prices due to shortage of gold and silver and the eastern frontier remained uncontrollable.
what was the quote from Maurice de Saxe?
“neither valour, nor number, nor wealth was lacking to them— but order, discipline”
What did the Ottomans establish from the 1390s onwards?
the Ottomans established a corps of permanent salaried troops who specialised in the manufacturing and handling of fire.
What was the significance of the 1593-1606 war?
the increased recruitment of the peasantry to form regiments of infantrymen and cavalrymen.
Give two reasons why the Janissaries were over emphasized
- it overlooks mounted troops who remained the most dreaded and unpredictable force until the seventeenth century.
2.a supposed standing army of 400 000 members, only had 20 000-50 000 active members in fighting.
