Millet System In The Ottoman Empire

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Doonia Jadallah The Ottoman Empire put into place the millet system to allow Jews and Christians to establish their own system of order that these religious minorities would have to abide by and be accountable for. The millets had considerable power with minimal interference from the Ottoman government. They elected their millets, upheld their own laws, appropriated their own taxes, used their own language, and set up school and churches. The Ottomans showed great respect and acceptance of these non-Muslim communities and all they asked for in return was their allegiance to the Ottoman rulers and willingness to defend the empire in the event of an attack. The millet system worked well both socially and economically and is still used to some extent in various post-Ottoman countries (region now known as the Middle East). However, nationalism (pride in one’s homeland) began to separate people more rather than religious affiliation. The Janissaries were essentially the heart of the Ottoman military, made up of Christian-born, non-Muslim boys taken from conquered regions. The Ottomans ...

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