In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

The Ruler of Khwarezm Requests Protection from Sultan Salim II:

The ruler of Khwarazm complained to Sultan Salim II regarding the Shah of Persia, who was seizing pilgrims from Turkistan as they entered his territory. He also pointed out that after Moscow’s conquest of Astrakhan, the flow of pilgrims and trade had been hindered. In light of these challenges, the Khwarazm ruler, along with the leaders of Bukhara and Samarkand, urged Sultan Salim II to reopen Astrakhan to facilitate the pilgrimage route. The Ottoman Empire responded. Grand Vizier Sokullu Muhammad Pasha prepared a significant military campaign during the years 976-977 AH (1568-1569) aimed at capturing Astrakhan and establishing it as an Ottoman stronghold in the region. Plans were made to construct a canal linking the Volga and Don rivers to enable the passage of ships. This was to help the Ottoman fleet enter the Caspian Sea via the Black Sea, enabling them to stop Russian expansion to the south and push the Persians out of the Caucasus and Azerbaijan. It was also facilitate an invasion of Persia from the north, instead of having to navigate the difficult terrain of Azerbaijan and deal with the enemies of the Safavids and the Crimean Tatars, in order to revive the ancient trade routes that connect Central Asia from east to west. The Ottomans began a project to connect the Don River with the Volga. By the month of Jumada al-Awwal in 977 AH (October 1569), one-third of the canal was completed. However, winter halted the work. At that time, the campaign leader suggested using small ships loaded with cannons and ammunition to attack Astrakhan. Unfortunately, the campaign failed due to natural conditions. Despite this, Sokollu Mehmed Pasha managed to strengthen the Sultan’s control over the princes of Moldavia, Wallachia, and Poland, temporarily blocking Russia’s expansion to the north and west of the Black Sea.

Cyprus:

Italy and Spain recognised the importance of Cyprus, and there were rumours in Europe about forming an alliance against the Sultan. However, nothing was done at the time to save Cyprus from the Ottomans, who invaded the island with overwhelming force. They entered the island easily, and the strong city of Famagusta stood against the Ottomans, led by Pasha and Bragadin, who faced an Ottoman army of one hundred thousand soldiers. The Ottomans used all known siege tactics, including attacks and mining, but these had no effect on the garrison. If a Christian force had arrived to help, the Ottomans would have been in danger. Unfortunately, famine took its toll, and the city surrendered in the spring of 979 AH, August 1571. The Ottoman Empire, after conquering Cyprus, brought many people from Anatolia, whose descendants still live on the island. Although the Orthodox Cypriots welcomed Ottoman rule for saving them from Catholic persecution by Venice for centuries, the Ottoman occupation upset the Catholic state. The Ottoman fleet returned after completing its mission in Abanjani, and most of the soldiers left as winter arrived, marking the end of the battle season and preparing for the next year. [An Excerpt from “Ad-Dawla Al-Uthmaniyyah Awamil An-Nuhood Wa Asbaab As-Sukqoot 6/308-309]

What sparked the continuation of this series? Read here: https://salafidawahmanchester.com/2024/11/22/a-century-after-the-end-of-the-ottoman-empire/

Furthermore, it is essential to ensure that the contributions of those who supported the religion are accurately represented. A thorough examination of Ottoman history and their impact on Europe reveals why certain European historians may attempt to misrepresent their legacy, focusing solely on their shortcomings while downplaying their accomplishments. It is evident that the early Ottomans exhibited a higher moral standard compared to their later counterparts. Therefore, we will not passively accept any distortion of the image of any Muslim, and it is equally unacceptable to misrepresent non-Muslims. Al-Allamah Salih Aala Ash-Shaikh, may Allah preserve him, highlighted the significant contributions of many non-Arabs to the service of Islam, including the Ottomans. He stated:

“When Muslims conquered different regions of the earth and Islam spread, it appeared as though it began with non-Arabs, until Persians and other non-Arabs became scholars and Imams of mosques, and people learned from them. Many non-Arabs are mentioned in Islamic history as leading the Muslims in knowledge, pronouncing religious verdicts, and other matters. Consider Abu Haneefah (may Allah have mercy on him), who was not Arab, and Imam Al-Bukhaari (may Allah have mercy on him), whose book became an upright example. There is no Muslim who is not familiar with Imam Abu Abdillah Muhammad Bin Isma’eel Al-Bukhaari. And take into account other Imams of Islam other than Al-Bukhari and Abu Haneefah. So, when Islam was implemented, it erased the differences that the people had created; and why did those non-Arabs become the leaders and Imams of the Arabs? That is because they carried the religion, raised the banner of true Islamic monotheism – there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and Muhammad is Allah’s Messenger – and because there is no difference in virtue between a non-Arab and an Arab except through fear of Allah. When Muslims disciplined themselves with Islam, there was no dispute between them regarding social class by way of that pre-Islamic dispute and distinction, because they did not accept leadership or give precedence to anyone based on this; rather, they accepted everyone because people are equal in this matter. The Quraish rulership, the Umayyad rulership, and the Abbasid rulership ended; then the Mamluk rulership arose, followed by the rulership of Banee Uthman – meaning in the beginning when it was upright, thus, so the Muslims obeyed them and they became the leaders and rulers because the Muslims saw that there was welfare for the people in doing so. As a result, class distinction and its practise were eradicated from the start, and no one had any reservations about implementing Islam. Islamic history attests to the application of this magnificent principle“.

In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower if Mercy.

Sultan Salim II

He ascended to the throne on the 9th of Rabi’ al-Awwal in the year 974 AH, yet he was not adequately prepared to safeguard the conquests of his father, Sultan Suleiman. Had it not been for the exceptional minister, the great warrior, and the capable politician, Muhammad Pasha Sokollu, the state would have collapsed. He restored its dignity, instilled fear in the hearts of its enemies, negotiated a peace treaty with Austria, and finalized an agreement in the year 975 AH, corresponding to 1567, which allowed Austria to retain its possessions in Hungary. Additionally, the annual tribute previously established was paid to the state, and the princes of Transylvania, Wallachia, and Moldavia acknowledged his authority.

A renewed truce was established with the King of Poland and Charles IX, King of France, in 1569. This period also saw an increase in French consular privileges. Henry, the brother of the King of France, was appointed as the King of Poland in agreement with France, which had begun to emerge as the dominant trading power in the Mediterranean. In accordance with previous treaties, France dispatched Christian missionary missions throughout the regions inhabited by Christians, particularly in the Levant, fostering a sense of affection for France among the Christians of the region, which notably contributed to the weakening of the state.

As French influence spread among the Christian populations, there was a corresponding increase in rebellion and encouragement for revolutions. One of the significant outcomes of this intervention was the preservation of the nationality and language of the Christian minorities. Consequently, when the Ottoman Empire weakened, these groups rose in revolt, demanding independence with the support and backing of Christian European nations.

The conviction of European nations regarding the foreign privileges system, which they considered a legitimate right, prompted France to dispatch troops to assist Venice during its conflict with Sultan Murad IV (1624). Additionally, France sent an ambassador along with a naval fleet to pressure the Ottoman Empire into defining these privileges. However, the Grand Vizier, who still held political authority, informed the ambassador that these treaties were not a significant threat, as they were merely a royal grant. This response led France to withdraw its threats.

The situation was manipulated in an attempt to persuade the Sultan to agree once again to renew the system of privileges in 1673, which exacerbated the issues at hand. Instead of learning from the events that transpired, the Ottoman Empire, under the orders of Sultan Mehmed IV (1648-1687), granted France the right to protect Jerusalem.

The privileges continued to be renewed, with each instance introducing a new restriction on the Sultanate. In the year 1740, the Sultanate granted new commercial privileges to France. However, these privileges faced a significant threat when Napoleon Bonaparte occupied Egypt, leading the Sultanate to suspend their implementation. Nevertheless, Napoleon retreated at a crucial moment to preserve the Sultanate, proposing France’s withdrawal from Egypt in exchange for the renewal of privileges. This agreement was successfully reached on October 9, 1801, when the Sultanate granted a new privilege allowing France freedom of trade and navigation in the Black Sea

The consequences of these privileges were extremely detrimental to the empire. The Greek historian Dimitri Kitsikis noted that these privileges undermined the empire’s economy by dismantling the Ottoman tax system, which was designed to protect local trade from foreign competition. Furthermore, these privileges prevented the empire from implementing reform projects and generating new financial resources to address administrative and governance expenses. As a result, the foreign privilege treaties became humiliating charters for the Ottomans, as Europeans were not subject to Ottoman authority, effectively positioning them as a government within the Ottoman government.

An Excerpt from Ad-Dawla Al-Uthmaniyyah Awamil An-Nuhood Wa Asbaab As-Suqoot 6/306-308