The Tanzimat Reforms: The Rise And Fall Of The Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman Empire was one of the most powerful empires in history, spanning from the 13th century in Northwestern Anatolia, to the late 19th century having reached Europe, Africa, and Asia respectively. As the rest of the world advanced and modernized, though, the Ottoman Empire struggled to maintain power and territory, and it began to implement a series of reforms to try to keep up with the likes of Europe. This is where we eventually see the once-prosperous empire struggle against the rest of the modern world, which eventually led to its downfall.

Up until the 19th century, the Ottoman Empire had a pre-modern style of ruling, and its government was characterized by its diversity, flexibility and minimalism. Therefore, most people living under the empire enjoyed a sense autonomy. But by the end of the 19th century, though, their fortunes began to change. This was due to internal factors such as weakening central government and rise of autonomous warlords attempting to overthrow the government. Also, Europe began to go through a process of economic, military and political expansion, becoming a competitor with the Ottomans. This caused them to try to save their government by implementing different reforms.

The Tanzimat greatly extended the scope of types of reforms that were implemented, which included expansion and overhaul of administration, promotion of new civil and commercial codes, new state courts, and development of a public education system. Mahmud II also implemented a new militia which followed a European format, which he named “The Triumphant Soldiers of Muhammad”. The European influence did not stop with the military, though, as Mahmud II forced Europeanization on multiple branches of government, which created a high demand for those educated in European languages and western