Homework Help is Here – Start Your Trial Now!
Social Science
History
According to the reading by Busbecq (attached), what key aspect of the Ottoman social order made the Ottoman empire stronger than European states? Was it simply military power, or did other social factors play a role in distinguishing the Ottomans from Europeans?

According to the reading by Busbecq (attached), what key aspect of the Ottoman social order made the Ottoman empire stronger than European states? Was it simply military power, or did other social factors play a role in distinguishing the Ottomans from Europeans?

icon
Related questions
Question

According to the reading by Busbecq (attached), what key aspect of the Ottoman social order made the Ottoman empire stronger than European states? Was it simply military power, or did other social factors play a role in distinguishing the Ottomans from Europeans?

SourcesfromthePast Ghislain de Busbecq's Concerns about the Ottoman Empire Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq was a diplomat who traveled to Istanbul in 1555 as a representative of Habsburg King Ferdinand of Hungary and Bohemia to negotiate a border dispute between Ferdinand and Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent. In a series of four letters to a friend, Ghislain commented on Ottoman state, society, customs, and military forces. His observations left him deeply concerned about the prospects of Christian Europe in the event of conflict with the Ottoman realm. be handed down from father to son, but that they are partly the gift of God, and partly the result of good training, great industry, and unwearied zeal; arguing that high qualities do not descend from a father to his son or heir, any more than a talent for music, mathematics or the like...; Among the Turks, therefore, hon- ors, high posts, and judgeships are the rewards of great ability and good service. If a man is dishonest, or lazy, or careless, he remains at the bottom of the ladder, and object of contempt; for such qualities there are no honors in Turkey! This is the reason that they are successful in their under- takings, that they lord it over others, and are daily extending the bounds of their empire. These are not our ideals, with us there is no opening left for merit; birth is the standard for everything; the prestige of birth is the sole key to advancement in public The Sultan [Suleyman “the Lawgiver"] was seated on a very low ottoman, not more than a foot from the ground, which was cov- ered with a quantity of costly rugs and cushions of exquisite workmanship; near him lay his bow and arrows ..; The Sultan then listened to what I had to say; but the language I used was not at all to his taste, for the demands of his Majesty breathed a spirit of independence and dignity, which was by no means acceptable to one who deemed that his wish was law; and so he made no answer beyond saying in an impatient way, "Giusel, giusel," that is, "well, well." After this we were dismissed to our quarters. The Sultan's hall was crowded with people, among whom were several officers of high rank. Besides these, there were all the troopers of the Imperial guard, and a large force of Janissar- ies [the elite infantry corps], but there was not in all that great assembly a single man who owed his position to anything save his valor and his merit. No distinction is attached to birth among the Turks; the respect to be paid to a man is measured by the position he holds in the public service. There is no fighting for precedence; a man's place is marked out by the duties he dis- charge...; It is by merit that men rise in the service, a system service. It makes me shudder to think of what the result of a struggle between such different systems must be; one of us must prevail and the other be destroyed, at any rate we cannot both exist in safety. On their side is the vast wealth of their empire, unimpaired resources, experience and practice in arms, a veteran soldiery, an uninterrupted series of victories, readiness to endure hard- ships, union, order, discipline, thrift, and watchfulness. On ours are found an empty exchequer, luxurious habits, exhausted re- sources, broken spirits, a raw and insubordinate soldiery, and greedy generals; there is no regard for discipline, license runs riot, the men indulge in drunkenness and debauchery, and worst of all, the enemy are accustomed to victory, we, to defeat. Can we doubt what the result must be? For Further Reflection which ensures that posts should only be assigned to the com- petent. Each man in Turkey carries in his own hand his ancestry and his position in life, which he may make or mar as he will. I What key aspect of the Ottoman social order, according to de Busbecq, made the Ottoman empire stronger than European states? Was it simply military power, or did other social factors play a role in distinguishing the Ottomans from Europeans? Those who receive the highest offices from the Sultan are for the most part the sons of shepherds or herdsmen, and so far from being ashamed of their parentage, they actually glory in it, and consider it a matter of boasting that they owe nothing to the accident of birth; for they do not believe that high qualities are either natural or hereditary, nor do they thing that they can Source: Foster, C. T. and F. H. Blackburne Daniell. "Suleyman 'the Lawgiver." in The Life and Letters of Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq. vol. 1. London: Hakluyt Society, 1881. pg. 152-156.
Transcribed Image Text:SourcesfromthePast Ghislain de Busbecq's Concerns about the Ottoman Empire Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq was a diplomat who traveled to Istanbul in 1555 as a representative of Habsburg King Ferdinand of Hungary and Bohemia to negotiate a border dispute between Ferdinand and Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent. In a series of four letters to a friend, Ghislain commented on Ottoman state, society, customs, and military forces. His observations left him deeply concerned about the prospects of Christian Europe in the event of conflict with the Ottoman realm. be handed down from father to son, but that they are partly the gift of God, and partly the result of good training, great industry, and unwearied zeal; arguing that high qualities do not descend from a father to his son or heir, any more than a talent for music, mathematics or the like...; Among the Turks, therefore, hon- ors, high posts, and judgeships are the rewards of great ability and good service. If a man is dishonest, or lazy, or careless, he remains at the bottom of the ladder, and object of contempt; for such qualities there are no honors in Turkey! This is the reason that they are successful in their under- takings, that they lord it over others, and are daily extending the bounds of their empire. These are not our ideals, with us there is no opening left for merit; birth is the standard for everything; the prestige of birth is the sole key to advancement in public The Sultan [Suleyman “the Lawgiver"] was seated on a very low ottoman, not more than a foot from the ground, which was cov- ered with a quantity of costly rugs and cushions of exquisite workmanship; near him lay his bow and arrows ..; The Sultan then listened to what I had to say; but the language I used was not at all to his taste, for the demands of his Majesty breathed a spirit of independence and dignity, which was by no means acceptable to one who deemed that his wish was law; and so he made no answer beyond saying in an impatient way, "Giusel, giusel," that is, "well, well." After this we were dismissed to our quarters. The Sultan's hall was crowded with people, among whom were several officers of high rank. Besides these, there were all the troopers of the Imperial guard, and a large force of Janissar- ies [the elite infantry corps], but there was not in all that great assembly a single man who owed his position to anything save his valor and his merit. No distinction is attached to birth among the Turks; the respect to be paid to a man is measured by the position he holds in the public service. There is no fighting for precedence; a man's place is marked out by the duties he dis- charge...; It is by merit that men rise in the service, a system service. It makes me shudder to think of what the result of a struggle between such different systems must be; one of us must prevail and the other be destroyed, at any rate we cannot both exist in safety. On their side is the vast wealth of their empire, unimpaired resources, experience and practice in arms, a veteran soldiery, an uninterrupted series of victories, readiness to endure hard- ships, union, order, discipline, thrift, and watchfulness. On ours are found an empty exchequer, luxurious habits, exhausted re- sources, broken spirits, a raw and insubordinate soldiery, and greedy generals; there is no regard for discipline, license runs riot, the men indulge in drunkenness and debauchery, and worst of all, the enemy are accustomed to victory, we, to defeat. Can we doubt what the result must be? For Further Reflection which ensures that posts should only be assigned to the com- petent. Each man in Turkey carries in his own hand his ancestry and his position in life, which he may make or mar as he will. I What key aspect of the Ottoman social order, according to de Busbecq, made the Ottoman empire stronger than European states? Was it simply military power, or did other social factors play a role in distinguishing the Ottomans from Europeans? Those who receive the highest offices from the Sultan are for the most part the sons of shepherds or herdsmen, and so far from being ashamed of their parentage, they actually glory in it, and consider it a matter of boasting that they owe nothing to the accident of birth; for they do not believe that high qualities are either natural or hereditary, nor do they thing that they can Source: Foster, C. T. and F. H. Blackburne Daniell. "Suleyman 'the Lawgiver." in The Life and Letters of Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq. vol. 1. London: Hakluyt Society, 1881. pg. 152-156.
Expert Solution
trending now

Trending now

This is a popular solution!

steps

Step by step

Solved in 3 steps

SEE SOLUTIONCheck out a sample Q&A here
Blurred answer