Introduction Flashcards
Is there agreement among historians about the meaning of start date of the Eastern Crises?
There is no agreement over exact meaning of Eastern Question and its chronology. Even when expression appeared is mystery, even if some trace it to period of Greek War of
Independence.
What do many Historians agree that The Eastern Question refers to?
Many historians would agree that Eastern Question refers to progressive dislocation o the Ottoman Empire from late 18th century and how it shaped relations between European
powers.
Is the Eastern Question just about diplomacy?
Since 1970s, some historians, prefer to speak of “Eastern Questions”. For them, Eastern Question is not just about diplomacy but also about economic issues, racial and
religious ones; and therefore, it involves more actors than just policy makers in capital cities of countries concerned. It encompassed myriad interrelated elements: Ottoman military defeats, Ottoman institutional insolvency, the ongoing Ottoman political and economic modernization programme, the rise of ethno-religious nationalism in its provinces and Great Power rivalries.
Was the Ottoman Empire mainly passive in the process?
No, that is the old view. Even though the Ottoman Empire was losing territories to external forces, and faced whole
series of internal challenges, it remained remarkably stable throughout period.
◦ Ottoman Empire was not passive. It tried to adapt to changing world and to defend itself. Even if other powers imposed measures upon it (in Macedonia for example),
Sublime Porte implemented series of reforms to try to preserve empire.
◦ Its decline was relative and it was not “Sick Man of Europe”. It was still powerful force, as Allies experienced at their expense during Great War.
Is the Eastern Question mainly in the region of the Balkans
No, this is too limited a view. developments in region of Black Sea, Caucasus, but also Levant, Egypt, and Maghreb must be taken into account.
Where is the Caucasus?
The Caucasus or Caucasia, is a transcontinental region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range, have historically been considered as a natural barrier between Eastern Europe and West Asia.
Where is Levant?
The Levant is an approximate historical geographical term referring to a large area in the Eastern Mediterranean region of West Asia and core territory of the political term Middle East. In its narrowest sense, which is in use today in archaeology and other cultural contexts, it is equivalent to Cyprus and a stretch of land bordering the Mediterranean Sea in western Asia: i.e. the historical region of Syria, which includes present-day Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the Palestinian territories and most of Turkey southwest of the middle Euphrates.
Where is the Maghreb?
The Maghreb, also known as the Arab Maghreb and Northwest Africa, is the western part of the Arab world. The region comprises western and central North Africa, including Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia. The Maghreb also includes the disputed territory of Western Sahara.
Why was the weakening of the Ottoman Empire important?
Because it threatened to undermine the fragile balance of the power system largely shaped by the concert of Europe. The European powers engaged in a power struggle to safeguard their military, strategic and commercial interests in the Ottoman domains.
What was the concert of Europe?
The Concert of Europe was a general agreement among the great powers of 19th-century Europe to maintain the European balance of power, political boundaries, and spheres of influence1. It was established after the Congress of Vienna in 1815
