Answer to Question #194381 in History for Sara

Question

Provide an insight into the contacts between Christian Europe and the Ottoman Empire during the 17th and 18th centuries. The war encounters are given, but the relationships were more complex than that.

Answer 1

The relationship between the Ottoman empire and the European Christians between the 14th and 17th centuries was a strained one (Atlas of the World's Religions, 2nd ed).

It is argued that the Ottomans were placed strategically and that made it easier for them to wage war on the European Christians. This position attracted the Muslims who were determined to fight holy war against Christians to the Christian Byzantine Empire.

During the 17th century, the decline of the Ottoman empire began owing to defeats in wars due to differences from within (Atlas of the World'sReligions, 2nd ed). Most of the empire's territories spread out to other continents including Europe became autonomous, started governing themselves and later became completely independent.

During the 18th century, Europe started to apply pressure and increased influence on Ottomans following their fall (Atlas of World's Religions, 2nd ed). They did this on behalf of the many Christians who were subjects of the harsh empire rule and who were persecuted during the reign.

In the same century, some ambassadors from Ottoman went to Europe to deliberate and sign treaties (Britannica, 2021). Businessmen and other travellers from Europe entered the empire.

As it can be seen, before the 17th century, the empire persecuted the European Christians, but after its fall and in the 18th century, the relations between the declined empire and Europe improved.

References.

1."Christianity and the Ottoman Empire." In Atlas of the World’s Religions, Second Edition. Ed. Ninian Smart, Frederick Denny. Oxford Islamic Studies Online. Accessed 17-May-2021. <http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com/article/opr/t253/e2>.

2. "Ottoman Empire." Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. (2021). Accessed 17-May-2021.