Introduction
All empires, no matter how great they are, inevitably have to experience the same cycle of gradual development, the possible rise, and the inevitable downfall. The Ottoman (OE) and Safavid (SE) Empires are no exception to this rule. In addition, despite representing different cultures, the two share a range of similarities, which allows for an insightful analysis of the characteristics that great empires share. However, because of the difference in which European influence that the OE and SE experienced, the two states started evolving in different ways, one shaping its traditions significantly and the other balancing between the promotion of cultural identity and the understanding of Western cultural principles. As a result, the economic, political, and cultural choices made by OE and SE were quite different.
Religion and Culture
Islam played a very significant role in shaping the values and principles guiding OE and SE people’s behavior. However, it should be borne in mind that the SE did not always enforce its religious beliefs or foist them onto its people as the OE did. For instance, during the reign of Shah Abbas II, the principles of religious tolerance were upheld rather highly, thus allowing diversity to bloom. The specified phenomenon stood in sharp contrast to the situation that could be observed in the OE.1 Thus, although being the offspring of the Military Sufi, the SE managed to introduce rather mature principles of cultural and religious tolerance to its society.
Battles and Key Events
Being forced to withstand a range of battles to gain independence and political power, the OE and SE witnessed several political challenges and confrontations. Compared to a rather tolerant and open-minded approach toward a foreign policy that the SE adopted, the OE was forced to fight for the ability to make their own choices regarding the cultural development and political evolution of their state. For instance, Napoleon’s invasion left a noticeable mark on the moods of the OE population, as well as the creation of their national identity. Claiming that SE was devoid entirely of other cultural, economic, and political influences would be a mistake, yet the general military stance that the state took since the reign of Shah Ismail I did not allow it to yield to the military endeavors of the opponents.2
Regress and Downfall
However, like any other empire, both the SE and OE eventually had to face their doom. When considering the factors that made the OE fail as a state, one should mention the presence of a large number of wrong economic and sociocultural choices. Particularly, Mahmud II, the last ruler of the OE, refused to recognize the significance of tolerance and cultural acceptance by promoting the Tanzimat reforms.3 The specified innovations made it nearly impossible for the members of diverse communities in the OE to survive in the state, hence the social and economic problems within the empire. Compared to OE, the more tolerant SE went quite far in accepting diverse members of its community. However, as soon as the Shi’I legalization started taking place, the focus on the active promotion of the identified principles seemed to become superior to the management of the needs of other ethnic groups. After an Afghan group gained political power and started reinforcing the influence of the Muslim religion and the Quran as the foundation for legal principles, the empire started collapsing.4
Conclusion
Despite being quite different in their approaches toward managing economic, political, and sociocultural issues, both the OE and SE followed the cycle of gaining power, reaching the pinnacle of growth, and eventually collapsing. When determining the common trends in the development of both states, one must admit that the focus on cultural growth and the willingness to expand, at the same time keeping the time-honored traditions can be regarded as one of the key similarities between the states.
Bibliography
Howard, Douglas. A History of the Ottoman Empire. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2017.
Mehrdad Kia. The Ottoman Empire: A Historical Encyclopedia. New York, NY: Routledge, 2008
Lévy-Aksu, Noémi. The Young Turk Revolution and the Ottoman Empire: The Aftermath of 1918. London, UK: I.B.Tauris, 2017.
Tucker, Ernest. The Middle East in Modern World History. New York, NY: Routledge, 2012
Footnotes
- Douglas Howard, A History of the Ottoman Empire (Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2017): p. 84
- Ernest Tucker, The Middle East in Modern World History (New York, NY: Routledge): 45.
- Noémi Lévy-Aksu, The Young Turk Revolution and the Ottoman Empire: The Aftermath of 1918 (London, UK: I.B.Tauris, 2017): p. 21.
- Mehrdad Kia, The Ottoman Empire: A Historical Encyclopedia (New York, NY: Routledge): p. 154.