Adel Alotaibi Aalotai7@gmu.

edu

Results of the Fall of the Ottoman Empire In the nineteenth century, the Ottoman Empire, which had strongly and effectively ruled a large area of the Islamic world, began to collapse. It gradually began to lose its territories in North Africa as well as the Balkans to other powerful European powers and nationalist movements. The lost of its territories is also attributed to a growth in the culture and economy of many parts in the Middle East. European imperialism further weakened the already declining Ottoman Empire. By the beginning of the First World War, the once large and powerful Ottoman Empire had been reduced to a small and less powerful empire made up of Turkey, Syria, Palestine and the Arabian Peninsula. Eventually, the Ottoman Empire collapsed completely. For a better understanding of the results of the fall of the Ottoman Empire, it is important to have an overview of the reason that contributed to the collapse of this empire. In this regard, there is a wide range of factors that led to the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. These factors range from administrative, military and religious causes. In regard to economic factors, the fall of the Ottoman Empire is largely attributed to the empires failed economic structure. The economy of the empire was based on agriculture. In the wake of industrial revolution, the Ottoman Empire failed to embrace industrialization and technological advancement. Consequently, it became economically isolated. Due to its lack of industrialization, the dependence on agriculture became unreliable. The collapsing economy ignited widespread unrests among the people in the empire. Eventually, it lost its control, especially after the Greek revolution. The Ottoman Empire also failed to withstand stiff competition from other European powers. It was

Adel Alotaibi Aalotai7@gmu.edu

marred by other economic hardships including high unemployment rates and increased inflation. The development of alternative trade routes also hurt the economy of the empire. With this staggering economic structure, the Ottoman Empire could not withstand pressure and it eventful collapsed. In addition, the empire was also marred by administrative challenges. It became more and more decentralized and therefore lost its central control. In addition, the rules became complacent in regard to maintaining integrity and effectiveness in the administration of the empire. The leaders were also corrupt and perpetrated other unethical practices. Finally, the collapse of the Ottoman Empire has largely been attributed to the rise of European imperialism. At this juncture, it is important to analyze the results of the ultimate fall of the Ottoman Empire. First and foremost, thus significantly altered the organization and governance of the Middle East. For many centuries, the Ottoman Empire had unified many counties in the Islamic world, especially in the Middle East and North Africa. Under the Ottoman control, Turkey had become more of a power base for the Ottoman Empire. It acted as central point through which the larger Islamic world was governed. The collapse of the Ottoman Empire implied an end to the unification of the Islamic world. In the aftermath of the fall of the empires, the Ottomans were replaced by foreign powers. As a result, the once unified Islamic world under the Ottoman became fragmented. Another effect of the fall of Ottoman Empire is that European powers began to exert their power over the region directly. For instance, the British began to exert its power over some of the countries previously under by the Ottoman Empire. It began to

Adel Alotaibi Aalotai7@gmu.edu

directly colonize Egypt. The British also took control of Gulf and the Suez Canal. Its inexorable interest in the Suez Canal was because of its link to Iran and India. Other European powers that took control of the Ottoman Empire include France and Germany. For instance, France took over Lebanon. Thirdly, the collapse of the Ottoman Empire led to the emergence and spread of nationalism in the Middle East. During the Ottoman reign, the Islamic world was unified. However, following its collapse, there was a rise in nationalists movement in various countries in the Middle East. Many scholars contend that the fall of the Ottomans Empire ignited the widespread nationalist sentiments that characterized the Middle East and North African regions. Some counties such as Turkey and Yemen gained their independence. The formation of many countries in the Middle East occurred in the aftermath of the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Thus, historians contend that besides instigating nationalism, the collapse of the Ottoman Empire led to the formation of many counties in the Middle East. These include Lebanon, Turkey, Syria, and Yemen. The fall of the Ottoman Empire negatively affected the economy of the region. When the empire was on the verge of collapse, it was characterized by a very weak economy. There was a drastic decrease in trading activities. Many European opted to trade directly with Asia leaving the Middle East. The silver-based monetary system that had been established by the Ottoman Empire also affected the economy. By the time of its collapse, there was the discovery other metals. As a result, there was a sudden supply of cheap silver. This posed a major threat to the economy of the regions in the Ottoman Empire. In addition, raw materials from the countries in the Middle East became cheaper.

Adel Alotaibi Aalotai7@gmu.edu

This also presented grave economic consequences to the region in the Middle East in the aftermath of the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. On the positive front, the collapse of the Ottoman Empire had long-lasting effects in the military of the counties in the Middle East and North Africa. Throughout its reign, the Ottoman Empire used top-notch military techniques. This significantly contributed to its expansion. Stearns (351) contends that the Ottoman military was one of the greatest and most dormant in the world especially between 1300 and 1700s. The success of this empire has often been linked to its excellent military. For instance, the Ottoman military was the first in the world to use canons and muskets. Indeed, the Ottoman military was more of a professional institution. The Sultan paid the soldiers. After the collapse of this empire, the countries in the region inherited the old Ottoman army. The legacy of the Ottoman army is still evident in the Turkish and Egyptian army. They have been rated as one of the largest and competent armies in the world. In conclusion, the collapse of the Ottoman Empire is a attributed to a wide range of factors. These include the collapse of the economy, military conquests, spread of European imperialism and poor administration among others. Evidently, the fall of this empire had many impacts. It led to the disintegration of the Middle East and North African regions. In addition, it led to the growth of nationalism and establishment of new counties. Also, the fall was detrimental to the economy of the region. Finally, the collapse of the Ottoman Empire left a long lasting effect on the military of the counties in the Middle East region.

Adel Alotaibi Aalotai7@gmu.edu

Works Cited Stearns, Peter N. World in Brief: Major Patterns of Change and Continuity since 1450.