The_Ottoman_Empire

==The Ottoman Empire   (1861 - 1918) ==



Legislature: Parliament
 * Head of Government:** Grand Vizier
 * Head of State:** Sultan

1. Sultan Abdulaziz (1861 - 1876) Sultan Abdulaziz organized a better administration for the empire's providences, and reorganized education, transportation, and finacial concerns. He also modernized the navy. He was latter dethroned by the military because he never acted on his promises to create a constitutional government. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~royalty/files/pix_turkey.html

2. Sultan Murad V (1876) Sultan Murad was actually insane and was soon replaced by his brother Abdul Hamid II. http://www.info-regenten.de/regent/regent-d/turkey.htm

3. Sultan Abdul Hamid II (1876 - 1909) He started his reign by granting a parlimentry constitution in 1876, but reverted to a dictatorship mode of ruling for the next 30 years. He made some progress in the providences of Syria and Palestine, but little else was done in the Empire. He was latter forced into exile for countering a revolution in 1909. http://www.zionpress.org/the_israelites.html

4. Mehmed V Resad (1909 - 1918) His rule was marked by the absolute rule of the Committee of Union and Progress, as well as the Ottoman Empire's defeat in WWI. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/index.html?curid=7519870


 * Timeline:

1875 -** Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Wallachia, and Moldova declare independence.


 * August 1876 -** The Young Turks movement resulted with Sultan Abdulaziz being replaced by Sultan Murad V. Murad V had mental illness and an alcohol problem, and so he was replaced with his younger brother, Sultan Abdul Hamid II.


 * 1877 to 1878 -** The Russo-Turkish War resulted in the Congress of Berlin. Serbia, Romania, and Montenegro were granted independence and Armenians were allowed to have a more independent government.


 * 1890 -** Sultan Abdul Hamid created a fighting force made up of Kurds who were loyal to him. They were called the Hamidiye.

The Dashnaktsutiun Party was founded in Tiflis and was dedicated to the freedom of the Americans. Sultan Abdul Hamid wanted to do something about the Armenians.


 * 1894 -** Massacres against Armenian Christians began. This is known as the Armenian genocide.


 * Aug. 1914 -** Joins Tripple Alliance


 * Oct. 1914 -** Formally enters war by bombing Russian Black Sea Ports

The Ottoman Empire's main alliance was the Tripple Alliance with the Central Powers (Austria and Germany), which was signed August 1914. The Ottoman Empire joined mainly for oppurtunistic reasons and also because of pressure from Germany.

The Ottoman Empire first contributed to hostilities of WWI by bombing the Russian Black Sea Ports on Oct. 14, 1914.

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/ottoww1.html http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FWWhamid.htmhttp://www.osmanli700.gen.tr/english/sultans/32reforms.html http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/373194/Mehmed-V#tab=active~checked%2Citems~checked&title=Mehmed%20V%20--%20Britannica%20Online%20Encyclopedia
 * Sources:**