The Tanzimat Reforms

= Background =
 * The Battle of Nezib, June 1839, between Egypt and the Ottoman Empire. The morale of the Ottomans was broken, after the Egyptians advanced under Ibrahim's leadership, because they took heavy losses.
 * A continuous need to face challenges =&gt; Strengthen its reforms.
 * The impact of Liberalism.

= The New Reformers-civilian reformers = = Goals = = Reforms =
 * Europeanized Ottoman bureaucrats.
 * Knowledge of European Languages.
 * Service in the ministry of foreign affairs, ambassadors, grand viziriate.
 * To equalize the status of Muslims and non-Muslims.
 * To secure the loyalty of the Christian subjects.
 * To break down the religious and cultural autonomy of the millet.
 * To create one state, one system, the notion of Ottomanism – Ottoman citizenship.
 * Legal:
 * Nationality Law in 1869- all individuals living within Ottoman domains shared a common citizenship regardless of their religion.
 * Ministry of Justice.
 * System of secular courts, nizamiye
 * The Mejelle new civil code in 1876 –the combination of the new and the customary law–.
 * Educational:
 * Creation of the Ministry of Education in 1847.
 * Institutions of higher learning for civilians:
 * The Civil Service School (1859).
 * The Imperial Ottoman Lycée at Galatasaray (1868).
 * Secondary Schools.
 * Social and Cultural:
 * New generation of intellectuals: Ottoman and Arabic speaking.
 * The Young Ottomans –a group of intellectuals and bureaucrats- that:
 * Criticized the Tanzimat.
 * Elaboration of the notion of Ottoman patriotism –devotion to this territorial entity above any religious loyalties–.
 * Promoted the democratization of the government.
 * Believed empire deprived of essential Islamic political and social values, inefficient due to adoption of European institutions
 * Believed the decrees emphasizing religious equality was the beginning of territorial patriotism Ottomans ought to share feelings of devotion to territorial entity above loyalties to religious communities

= The Gülhane Decree (1839-1853) The decree of the Rose Garden – Resid Pasa =
 * Guarantees for the life, dignity and property of all subjects of the Sultan.
 * Reform of the tax system and cancellation of the Iltizam system.
 * Equality of all subjects to the law, regardless of their religion.
 * Change in the system of recruitment to the army and greater equality in recruitment.

= The Ottoman Constitution of 1876 =


 * They understood that Europe's success arrives from its political organizations.
 * In 1876, therefore, an Ottoman Constitution was proclaimed.
 * The Sultan Abdul Hamid II, pledged to uphold:
 * Minimal restrictions on the Sultan's powers.
 * Reaffirmed the equality of all Ottoman subjects, including their right to serve in the new chamber of deputies.
 * Proclamation of Ottomanism and Ottoman patriotism.
 * The Empire was capable of resolving its problems.
 * In 1878, after two sessions the Sultan dissolved the assembly, suspended the constitution and inaugurated 30 years of autocratic rule.

= Political and financial developments =


 * The Empire lost most of its European territories due to national revolts
 * Growing tension between Muslims and Christians: reforms forced from above, backed by European powers
 * Egypt practically became a separate entity
 * Increased Ottoman political and financial dependency on Europe, the empire is on the verge of bankruptcy. Finally in 1876 they declared bankrupt.
 * Decree of Muharram (1881) authorized establishment of Ottoman debt administration surrender of finance to European interests