Ottoman Nostalgia | ||
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“Turks are attracted to the heroism and the glory of the Ottoman period because it belongs to them,” Topkapi Palace director Ilber Ortayli, who was the keeper of the sumptuous residence of Ottoman sultans, told The New York Times Saturday, December 5. More Turks are increasingly harking back to the glory days of their Ottoman Empire. This nostalgia is also luring young Turks, with many youth now wearing T-shirts emblazoned with slogans like “The Empire Strikes Back”. “The Ottoman Empire conquered two-thirds of the world but did not force anyone to change their language or religion at a time when minorities elsewhere were being oppressed,” said Egeman Bagis, the minister for European Union affairs. “Turks can be proud of that legacy.” The Ottoman Empire lasted from 1299 to November 1, 1922. At the height of its power (16th–17th century), the Ottoman Empire spanned three continents, controlling much of Southeastern Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. It contained 29 provinces and numerous vassal states, some of which were later absorbed into the empire, while others gained various types of autonomy during the course of centuries. The empire also temporarily gained authority over distant overseas lands through declarations of allegiance to the Ottoman Sultan and Caliph. The Ottoman Empire was succeeded by the Republic of Turkey, which was officially proclaimed on October 29, 1923. Revolt This yearning for the glorious Ottoman days is seen as a revolt against the strict secular culture applied by Turkey’s founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. “Ottomania is a form of Islamic empowerment for a new Muslim religious bourgeoisie who are reacting against Ataturk’s attempt to relegate religion and Islam to the sidelines,” said Pelin Batu, co-host of a popular television history program. After establishing modern Turkey on the rubble of the Ottoman Empire, Ataturk applied a strict code of secularism, throwing religion out of public life. He banned Arabic alphabets and the wearing of hijab in state institutions. But Ataturk’s popularity has seen a steep decline among Turks in recent years. Furthermore, Turkey has seen the rise of conservative Muslim politicians, crowned with the victory of the Justice and Development Party in the 2002 and 2007 election. Turkey also elected in August 2007 Abdullah Gul, the country’s first president whose wife dons hijab. The Ottoman nostalgia is also seen as a reflection of frustration with the EU’s opposition to Turkey’s accession. “We Turks are tired of being treated in Europe like poor, backward peasants,” said Kerim Sarc, 42, the owner of Ottoman Empire T-Shirts shop and the scion of an illustrious Ottoman family. Turkey, a predominantly-Muslim but a secular country, applied for EU's membership in 1959 and became an EU candidate in 1999. But Ankara's half-century quest to join Europe's 27-country club has been dogged by problems since it was made an official candidate in October 2005. The bloc has imposed tough conditions on Turkey, including asking it to compromise on its longstanding dispute over Cyprus. Recent opinion polls showed Turks becoming less enthusiastic about Europe. Though the ruling AK party has repeatedly pledged its intention to persevere with his country's EU bid, recent foreign policy moves by Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan fed perceptions that Turkey could be turning away from the West, to engage more deeply with fellow Muslim neighbors. http://www.islamonline.net |
Saturday, December 5, 2009
The Empire Strikes Back
