AP+2014+Ottoman;+Ottomites

Aim-Sean The goal of the Ottoman empire was to spread Islam around the world. “The Ottomans attempted to bring as much territory as possible into the Islamic fold. The non-Muslims living in these areas were then absorbed into the Empire as protected subjects" (TheOttomans.org). The Ottoman Empire arose in the early 14th century. United under the banner of Islam, the Ottomans conquered much of the Asian and European world. At its peak, the Ottoman empire included 12 modern day countries located in the Middle East and Asia (BBC). The Ottomans instituted Jihad and Sharia law to govern their subjects. Rather than conquer and kill anyone they encountered, they merely absorbed them into their own culture. This shows that they wished to spread Islam around the world. They assimilated many cultures into their own, and the resulting group of people became the “Ottomans”.

Audience - Blake In the play Othello the Ottomites, or Turks, were warped into savage caricatures bent on conquering. It is their actions that result in the major tragedy of Othello being set in motion. Because the loss of Cyprus to the Turkish had occurred within the lifetimes of many of his audience they were burned into their memory as violent enemies (Philadelphia). With this in mind Shakespeare’s depictions of the Turks were far from accurate, playing to his audiences’ fears to create a plot device for his characters to escape to Cyprus. Realistically the Turks were far from savages, beginning an education in classical musicals and other subjects early on in their lives and being more than willing to forge alliances with the European countries (Digitalbard). However it was necessary to portray the Turks as savages in order to create a source of external conflict in Othello; creating a sense of shock when the true danger comes on a more personal level within Othello’s fellow Venetians.

History - Elijah The Ottoman Empire as it is known today began as a small Turkish tribe in the 13th century. They were a very aggressive group of Turks, and absorbed many other Turkish states in relatively little time. The empire experienced periods of highs and lows, none lower than when the “Ottoman siege of Constantinople was lifted at the appearance of Timur, who defeated and captured [the Ottoman sultan] Beyazid in 1402” (infoplease). However, the Ottomans rallied together after their defeat under the leadership of Muhammad I. The greatest feat for the Ottomites was their capture of Constantinople in 1453. This feat had many historical impacts, such as “[marking] the end of the Byzantine Empire, an empire which had lasted for over 1,100 years…” which was a “massive blow for Christendom…” thus fueling the Renaissance as many intellectuals fled Constantinople for Italy (Princeton). However, the main reason that the Ottoman Empire lasted so long was due to the fact that the Ottomites excelled in combat and military operations. They lacked extremely as a society during times of peace. Eventually, nearly all of Europe turned against the Ottoman Empire in war after war, and it completely dissolved in 1918.

Cultural- Amanda The Ottoman Empire was one of the strongest empires during its reign. The Ottomites were also a very strong, proud, and religiously based community. Many people believed that the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire was the “protector of Islam”, and the people were united by Islamic ideals. The Ottomites were also united due to the fact that a single family ran the empire during its reign.The location of the Ottoman Empire also allowed it to be a area with a very high amount of trade, as it was located at the junction of Africa, Asia, and Europe (“ Ottoman Empire (1301-1922)”). Because the Ottomites were so unified under their beliefs and leadership, they were a very strong, connected, and proud group of people. Even during the Crusades, they stayed rooted and always fought for the freedom to believe what they wished to believe, and to protect their empire and Sultan. The culture of the Ottoman Empire was also very diverse due to the number of people introduced into the empire during its period of expansion. During this period of expansion “The Ottoman Turks began to absorb the other states, and during the reign (1451–81) of Muhammad II they ended all other local Turkish dynasties” (“Ottoman Empire”). By introducing many of the other cultures, and creating this very strongly connected community, the Ottoman Empire was able to remain a powerful force during the time of its reign. The Ottomites were seemingly proud to belong to such a strong culture, and the family ruling the empire allowed it to always keep within a set list of ideals in order to strengthen the empire, and the community.

Sources

“How Does Shakespeare Establish Dignity Nobility?” enotes. N. Pag. Web. April 15, 2013.

Dadabhoy, Ambereen. ""The General Enemy"" Shakespeare: From the Globe to Global. Folger Institute, 2012. Web. 10 Feb. 2014.

"Ottoman Empire." Infoplease. Pearson Education, n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2014.

"Fall of Constantinople." Princeton University. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2014.

“Ottoman Empire” Digital Bard. Geogia Tech School of Literature, Media, and Communication. N. Pag. Web. March 15, 2012

"Discover The Ottomans." TheOttomans.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2014.

“Ottoman Empire” British Broadcasting Corporation. N. Pag. Web. August 4, 2009.

“War Between Turks and Venice” The Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre. 1 Page. Web.