Ming And Ottoman Empires Essay, Research Paper
Timothy S. Palko
World History II
Dr. Skaff
MWF 2:00-2:50
World power can be seen today in two really different but highly huge imperiums. They are the Ming Empire and the Ottoman Empire. To contrast these imperiums in order to foretell their hereafters, it is necessary that I observe and analyze cardinal factors such as leading, military strengths and failings, and ethical motives among the people. The two imperiums have different types of leading, and from this it is possible to happen the nucleus of any disadvantage. From the leading, it is possible to go on into the military and values that these imperiums embody. The Ming Empire is led by superb philosophical bookmans, ? The adult male who is promoted to the higher grades in this field prides himself on the fact that he has in truth attained to the pinnacle of Chinese felicity? ( Andrea/Overfield 116 ) . The Ottoman Empire has dedicated and knowing leaders every bit good, but they are of a more militant and beastly character. ? These leaders rise in service by virtue entirely? ( Andrea/Overfield p.88 ) . Indulging in the Hagiographas of Matteo Ricci, who observed first manus the workings of the Ming authorities, and the Hagiographas of Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq, who observed the authorities under Suleiman I of the Ottoman Empire, the anticipation of success will be able to be made knowledgably.
The Ottoman Empire began about 1300 as a? bantam province built on the strength of an ground forces of Turkish nomad warriors and a few Christian converts to Islam in northwesterly Anatolia? ( Bulliet 601 ) . It rapidly proved to be a military strength and menace to the environing civilisations. The Turks expanded their imperium through superb military tactics, including utilizing Janissaries on pes, who used the new arm called a gun in conflict, and the same horseback archery that made them so successful in their old military achievements. The choice of Turkish leaders has greatly influenced the success of the Ottoman Empire. ? A Turks magnificence is non defined by his birth, nevertheless ; the regard to be paid to a adult male is measured by the place he holds in the public service? ( Andrea/Overfield 88 ) . The work forces who attain office are non the merchandises of familial fortune, but? partially the gift of God, and partially the consequence of good preparation, great industry, and untired ardor? ( Andrea/Overfield p.88 ) . De Busbecq was greatly impressed by the manner that these Turks found their leading ; he made it a point to depict their feelings towards it in item.
De Busbecq besides wrote extensively about the military strengths of the Ottoman. The soldiers of the Ottoman ground forces are good trained and experienced in the humanistic disciplines of warfare and endurance. The distances they must go are so great, that the soldiers frequently have to transport a battalion Equus caballus? on which they carry many of the necessities of life? ( Andrea/Overfield 89 ) . The arm that was flush and highly effectual among the soldiers is the Turkish bow. ? From the 8th, or even the 7th twelvemonth of age they begin to hit at a grade, and pattern archery ten or twelve old ages. This changeless exercising strengthens the musculuss of their weaponries, and gives them such accomplishment that they can hit the smallest Markss with their pointers? ( Andrea/Overfield p.89 ) . The great wealths and skilled military forces have served this Empire good to this twenty-four hours. The Turks besides showed really small ignorance towards new promotions in engineering originated in other parts of the universe. ? There is no state that has shown greater preparedness than the Turks to avail themselves of the utile innovations of aliens, as is proved by their employment of cannons and howitzers, and many other things invented by Christians? ( Andrea/Overfield p.89 ) . These open-minded and advanced new ways of going a powerful state greatly impressed De Busbecq. It is true that no imperium is without defect, and the Ottoman is no exclusion.
The function of Sultan in the Ottoman Empire was a familial function, the exclusion to their other Torahs about leading. ? The boies of a Turkish Sultans are in the most deplorable place in the universe, for, every bit shortly as one of them succeeds his male parent, the remainder are doomed to certain decease? Andrea/Overfield p.90 ) . The replacement will surely kill all the other boies in order to procure his regulation. Towards the terminal of Suleiman I? s reign as Sultan among the Turks, green-eyed monster and treachery brought great unfavorable judgment against the Sultan. He had a boy by a Crimean courtesan ; the boy? s name was Mustafa. He had other kids as good, but their female parent was a Russian adult female by the name of Roxelana. Mustafa had proved himself a great soldier and a favourite of the Ottoman people to take over the throne. Through prevarications, selfishness, and hocus-pocus, Roxelana had her manner and Mustafa was murdered by a group of deaf-and-dumb persons by the orders of his ain male parent. This would guarantee the thrown for one of her ain kids. Mustafa? s boy was popular besides, although he was a immature male child. As the people hoped for the boy of Mustafa to finally take the thrown and revenge his male parent? s decease, Suleiman
? commissioned Ibrahim Pasha to travel to the Ghemlik with all velocity, and put the guiltless kid to decease? ( Andrea/Overfield 91 ) . Other jobs with the Ottoman that may impact their hereafter success, besides a light moral eventuality, is that they may non be able to maintain up with all of the engineering that other states are following. ? The Turks are much afraid of carbines and handguns? ( Andrea/Overfield 89 ) . These arms are frequently used well by other states on horseback during war. These guns were hard to mend one time damaged, and because they are reasonably new non many Turks have put forth the attempt to calculate out how to mend them. ? Prejudice was increased by the soil which its usage entailed, the Turks being a really cleanly people ; for the dragoons had their custodies and apparels begrimed with gunpowder, and more over presented such a regretful visual aspect, with their ugly boxes and pouches hanging about them, that their companions laughed at them and called them pharmacists? ( Andrea/Overfield 89 ) . It is perceived that these arms called guns are traveling to be a really widely used, and if merely a little per centum of soldiers like the Janissaries will be utilizing them, a failing may be found in the Turkish armed forces.
The Ming Empire besides entrust merely the brightest to take and advocate. Doctrine is the major route to success in the Ming Empire ; hence other facets of cognition may disinterest them. ? In China it is obvious that no 1 will labour to obtain proficiency in mathematics or in medical specialty who has any hope of going prominent in the field of doctrine? ( Andrea/Overfield 116 ) . Heredity is non what makes a leader in China. All leaders, be it a philosopher, or a city manager of a metropolis, addition regard by being educated and knowing, ? even if they may hold arisen from the lowest province in life before achieving their literary grades and entree to the magistrature? ( Andrea/Overfield 119 ) . The Chinese base about all thought from a adult male named Confucius, a philosophical bookman whose thoughts are studied and followed still today, though he lived 100s of old ages ago. Confucius is? great and learned adult male? spurred on his people to the chase of virtuousness non less by his ain illustration than by his Hagiographas? ( Andrea/Overfield 116 ) . No Chinese of all time argues against what he taught. Confucius? is held in such high regard by the learned Chinese that they do non make bold to name into inquiry any dictum of his and are ready to give full acknowledgment to an curse sworn in his name? ? ( Andrea/Overfield 116 ) . Matteo Ricci has studied the system of surveies and proving that the Chinese pattern in close item. It is apparent in his Hagiographas that he felt the Ming people had such a rigorous and strict proving to go a philosopher, merely the best are allowed to advocate. The Philosophers, more officially known as the Order of the Learned, administers over the full Kingdom ( Andrea/Overfield 118 ) .
The trust given to these choice work forces is great ; they are entirely in charge of the imperium. From the authorities to the armed forces, they receive great regard. ? Policies of war are formulated and military inquiries are decided by the Philosophers merely, and their advice and advocate has more weight with the emperor than that of the military leaders? . ( Andrea/Overfield 118 ) . The work forces of the Order of the Learned have such a great duty, and their counsel has proven strong to this point, but failings are really evident throughout the authorities of the Ming
The defects of the Ming are more evident than that of the Ottoman. Not all of the work forces were given chance to go philosophers ; merely the rich could afford the tutoring that one needs to analyze the books of Confucius. The manner that the philosophical work forces looked down upon war may do them more peaceable, but it might give them a disadvantage when war is upon them. ? Those who aspire to be cultured frown upon war and would prefer the lowest rank in the philosophical order to the highest in the armed forces? ( Andrea/Bulliet 118 ) . Not as much clip or attempt may be put into strategic planning or organisation. Though the Order of the Learned may be the best and brightest, they are still human, and can be influenced by new thoughts that would pull off from their true intent. It is hard to see an full advocate to go on to be so purely bound to the Hagiographas of one adult male and that they would non organize their ain ideas and sentiments.
The Ming Empire is a more peaceable and organized society than the Ottoman, but after analyzing the two imperiums, it is a anticipation that they will fall before the Turks. However less moral and warlike, the Ottoman Empire? s openness to new thoughts and innovations could be the difference in their hereafter, come the following century. More advanced in mathematics and scientific disciplines, every bit good as their promotions in war overshadow their failings, such as the refusal to turn to guns, and the anarchic manner their leaders are able to run. The Ming have non shown to be as savvy in war, and their polite but close-minded imperium is one that gives a critic easiness in believing that this type of imperium will finally demise.
