101 Writing Prompts and Ideas: Fiction & Non-Fiction. By Christin Sander
Writing Prompts and Ideas to spark creativity Source: self
Writing Prompts for Creative and Non-fiction Writers Christin Sander I love to write and have found an appreciation for the benefits that come from challenging myself to engage in different writing styles.Writing is cathartic in many ways from personal !ournals to !ust having a place to allow your mind to e"plore.#he best writers are well$rounded and always open to e"ploring new ideas and writing techni%ues. I believe all writers thrive when they challenge themselves to do something different.&or those of us who primarily write non$fiction or informational articles we should challenge ourselves to write more creatively developing characters and plots etc.It helps us to develop creative thinking and makes our writing more meaningful because we learn to use powerful descriptions and ideas in our more informational writing.Informational writing is better for us when our readers read ers 'connect( with it and it engages them by invoking feeling.When is the last time an encyclopedia really got your blood pumping) *+ When readers value what we write they come back for more. Creative writing gives that edge to standard informational writing.
,n the other hand those who primarily do creative writing can truly benefit b enefit by trying writing that is more structured like 'how$to( articles are.Structured writing allows creative ideas to flow more cohesively.Structure cohesively. Structure is an important component to all writing and an d can help creative writers develop story lines that flow nicely are easy to follow and understand.I know I %uickly get frustrated with stories that '!ump around( or are carelessly worded and arranged.I appreciate the effort it takes for a writer to really make their prose flow well. Both writing styles work to enhance each other and we should avoid being only 'one type of writer(.-mpower yourself to be the strongest writer possible by engaging in writing that makes you uncomfortable on a regular basis.#his opens your mind to new possibilities and enhances your writing skills in the process. ere I would like to share /0/ random writing prompts or ideas.Some are creative and others are for non$fiction work. #he idea is to pick one that seems challenging and !ust start writing.&ree writing is a great way to get your ideas out on paper.1o back to it later and develop the good parts into other works. Who knows) 2aybe there will be some good hub ideas born here *+. 3ou 3ou may also find that you learn some things about yourself in the process and that4s always wonderful too5 I really believe b elieve that writing has the power to change our lives.
a digital collage highlighting my love of !ournals and writing :+ Source: Christin6s Portfolio
Writing Sparks and Prompts /+ If I were a superhero my special power would be77 8+ If I were an animal ani mal I would choose to be a 77. because777.. 9+ escribe a random inanimate ob!ect near to you right now ; without saying what it is.Paint a word picture that makes people understand what you are writing about. <+ Pick an inanimate ob!ect and tell a story through its eyes as though it were a living being. =+ What 9 words best describe you and why
>+ If you could interview one person alive or dead who would it be and what 9 %uestions would you ask them) What do you think their answers would be) ?+ What have you always wanted to try that you have never done) @+ Aame the top five best vacation spots according to your e"perience and 'sell( people on the idea. + Who do you think you are) /0+ ow to win at . Dpick a game you are good at+ //+ #he best free activities to en!oy in your area /8+ 3ou are a talk show host ; how do you run your show and what is it about) /9+ #he best way to deal with a difficult relative /<+ Is honesty always the best policy) Why or why not) /=+ E day in the life of your catFdog through hisFher eyes. />+ What is the best season of the year and why) /?+ ow do you save money on groceries) /@+ What is your favorite color and how does it make you feel) /+ Coffee or #ea) 80+ ow do you handle a cold) 8/+ escribe yourself as your favorite mythical creature Dunicorn fairy dragon etc.+ 88+ #oday is your last day on -arth ; what do you do with it) 89+ What is your e"tended definition of maturity) 8<+ Create an e"tended definition for the first word that pops into your head. 8=+ What do you hate about writing) 8>+ #his morning I sat up %uickly and looked out the window and there it was a 777. 8?+ Suddenly it moved startling her and she777.. 8@+ What does it mean to be a 2anFWoman) Define both if you really want a challenge *+ + 8+ #he craGiest thing I ever believed was7.. 90+ #op /0 ways to spend a laGy day 9/+ #op /0 favorite DmoviesFsongsFwhatever+ and why
98+ #he best thing that ever happened to me was7. 99+ #he most wonderful thing about today so far is 77.. 9<+ Persuade ; Is te"ting a good thing) Why or why not 9=+ Persuade ; any sub!ect you are passionate about that is not religion or politics ; think outside the bo" 9>+ Persuade ; why do you deserve a raise) 9?+ #he best way to prepare oatmeal 9@+ #ips for making awesome cookies or whatever dessert comes to mind 9+ Is all soda bad for you ; why or why not) Duse sources to back your claim+ <0+ What is the best way to eat healthy) + evelop the scene of a great ghost story
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=/+ Would a monkey make a good pet) =8+ What would life be like if you were only one foot tall) =9+ What would life be like if you were /0 feet tall) =<+ What foreign country would you most like to visit and why) ==+ If there was a planet of alien life forms what do you suppose they would be like) =>+ ow do you take a great picture) =?+ If you could do anything you wanted to right now with no limitations what would it be) =@+ 3ou4re driving down the road when suddenly7. =+ It was a lovely day to go for a walk so she took a different route and what she discovered was7 >0+ escribe what it4s like to sit by the ocean >/+ What are the benefits of spending time alone) o you do it often enough or too much) >8+ Which of your relatives do you like the least and why) >9+ What is your greatest accomplishment) ><+ What do you want to be remembered for) >=+ Write your own eulogy Dtough one5+ >>+ What historic figure do you admire the most) >?+ Which historic person do you feel you are most like and why) >@+ #he biggest lie I ever told was7. >+ ow do you write a great short story) ?0+ What steps do you take as a writer to really polish your writing
?/+ What are your best writing tips ?8+ Pick a hobby and describe how to do it in /0 simple steps ?9+ Who is the most interesting person you have met) ?<+ #he most unusual thing happened to me today 7. ?=+ She opened up the door and 77 ?>+ When I was a child my favorite thing to do was 7 ??+ ow do you grow a plant) DPick one ; whatever you like to grow an herb veggie flower etc.+ ?@+ ow to be a great Dwhatever your career or hobby is here+ ?+ = simple ways to make more money @0+ = simple ways to add more !oy to your life @/+ Why credit is goodFbad @8+ evelop a plan to build something and share it @9+ Complicate something simple *+ the opposite of what we normally do.#ake something simple and really break it down in very basic parts. ; getting out of bed starting the day eating breakfast or anything else you can think of @<+ escribe a uni%ue ritual or habit you have and how it came to be @=+ o you love yourself the same way you love others) Why or why not) @>+ Choose a random photograph from your collection.ook at it for a few minutes and then write about how it made you feel and the thoughts that came up @?+ 'Silence is golden( ; why) @@+ What were you like /0 years ago) What will you be like /0 years from now) @+ What do you want to do right now) 0+ What are you afraid of) Create a character with the same fear or phobia and describe them in detail. /+ Create a single character based on a composite of your mother and father. 8+ escribe the perfect place for a pair of soul mates to meet. 9+ escribe the scent of freshly brewed coffee or bread baking
<+ escribe various colors to a person who has always been blind to help them conceptualiGe them. =+ 3ou find yourself alone in a spooky old house so you 7. >+ 3ou look in the mirror and your face is missing ; instead you see 7. ?+ 3our top ten cooking tips @+ ow do you ride a bike) + What is the best national park in your area and why) /00+ escribe your favorite local restaurant and convince someone why they should go there. /0/+ What is the best piece you have ever written and what makes it so)
Osmanlı İmparatorluğu Devlet-i Aliye-i Osmaniye
,ttoman -mpire Previous D,ttoman$absburg wars+
Ae"t D,ttoman 1reece+
#he $ttoman )mpire represents one of the largest imperial pro!ects in human history ruling vast territories in Aorth Efrica the Balkans and the 2iddle -ast over a period of some five centuries. uring its
Map of the Ottoman Empire
history it did much to sustain Islamic civiliGation. The Ottoman Empire at the height of its power
,utsiders and insiders have had different perceptions of the ,ttoman -mpire. ,utsiders often viewed it as a threat* for insiders including for much of the time
Imperial motto
Devlet-i Ebed-müddet' (Ottoman Turkish for "the Eternal State"
Ofcial language
Ottoman Turkish
Capital
Constantinople (İstanbul )
Imperial anthem
Ottoman imperial anthem
non$2uslims it represented stability and security. #owards the end of its e"istence outsiders saw it as decadent and corrupt. -ven though it had embarked on a process of democratiGation that process had been sabotaged by the 3oung #urks Dsee below+. -ntangled by debt the empire tried to minimiGe its involvement in the web of -uropean politics by aligning itself with 1ermany with whom trade had increased. 1ermany had not played the British game
Monarch/Sovereign Padishah of the Osmanli Dynasty s
of on$off hot and cold diplomacy by supporting the ,ttomans in one war but not in another. #owards the
opulation
c !" million
Area
#$m km% (&'") ma*imum e*tent lar+er (&,',)
!ise o" the Ottoman #mpire/#sta$lishm ent
&''
end treatment of non$#urkish sub!ects had deteriorated and the series of incidents known as the Ermenian 1enocide though disputed by #urks remains for many a blot on the ,ttoman record. In the end it was the desire to retain the empire and to deny non$#urks and non$2uslims a say in its affairs that brought about the empire6s collapse. #urkish and 1erman ambitions coalesced but both states were defeated in World War I. #hose who believe that history teaches lessons or that a non$human
%all o" the Ottoman October '- &'$ #mpire/Dissolution Currency
%lag
.kce- /urus- 0ira
supreme reality acts within history will view the decline and fall of the ,ttoman -mpire in terms of wrong choices pride and lack of respect for the dignity of all people. ,n the other hand historically the ,ttomans had treated minorities well and many people in the empire knew security so aspects of the historical legacy of the empire should not be undervalued.
Contents 2hide3
& O4er4ie5 6istory
o
& Ori+ins
o
E*pansion
o
$ 7a4al Po5er
o
! The Pa* Ottomanica
o
, Decline and 8eform
o
# The Tan9imat 8eforms
o
: 8e4ersal of 8eform
o
; The End of the Ottoman Empire $
o
!& =e5s in the Ottoman Empire
o
! Christians in the Ottoman Empire
o
!$ The Millet
Contemporary 0e+acy
, Military # Pro4inces :
,verview #he $ttoman )mpire D,ttoman #urkish language: Devlet-i Aliye-i Osmaniye * #urkish language D2odern #urkish+: Osmanlı İmparatorluğu + was an imperial power centered on the borders of the 2editerranean Sea that e"isted from /8@/ Dor /8+ to /89. Et the height of power it included Enatolia the 2iddle -ast parts of Aorth Efrica and much of southeastern -urope. #he empire was established by a tribe of ,ghuG #urks in western Enatolia and ruled by the ,smanli dynasty the descendants of those #urks. In diplomatic circles the empire was often referred to as the Sublime Porte or the Porte, from the &rench language translation of the ,ttoman #urkish language Bâb-i-âlî DHgreat gateH+ the grand Palace 1ate of the Imperial #opkapL Palace where the sultan greeted foreign ambassadors. It has also been interpreted as referring to the empire6s Dand especially the capital Istanbul6s+ position as gateway between -urope and Esia. In its day the ,ttoman -mpire was commonly referred to as the Turish !mpireor Turey by Westerners though it should not be confused with the modern nation$state of #urkey. #he empire was founded by ,sman I Din Erabic "thm#n MNO QR hence the name Ottoman -mpire+. In the ʿ
si"teenth and seventeenth centuries the ,ttoman -mpire was among the world6s most powerful political entities and the countries of -urope felt threatened by the steady ,ttoman advance through the Balkans. Et its height the ,ttoman -mpire comprised an area of about =.= million kmT though much of this was under indirect control of the central government. In /<=9 after the ,ttomans captured Constantinople Dmodern Istanbul+ Dsee &all of Constantinople+ the last remnant of the ByGantine -mpire it became the ,ttoman capital. &rom /=/? onwards the ,ttoman Sultan was also for Sunni 2uslims the Caliph of Islam and was synonymous with the Islamic Caliphate until /88 Dwhen the Sultanate was
abolished+ or /8< Dwhen the Caliphate was abolished+ although it never en!oyed universal recognition. #his was due to the non$Erab origin of the ,ttomans based on a saying Dha$ith+ of the Prophet 2uhammad that as long as a Juraishi remained the Caliph would be a member of the Juraishi clan Dhis own Erab clan+ DBukhari Book @ adith 8=9$8=<+. Selim I who con%uered the -gyptian 2amluks is said to have been ceded the title Caliph by 2utawakkil III the last of the Ebbasids though the title had been used earlier by 2ehmed II. #he ,ttomans thus became the third dynastic Caliphate in succession to the Ebbasids and theUmayyads. owever the ,ttomans may not have used the title Caliph until /??< when the #sar of Kussia ac%uired some responsibility for ,rthodo" Christians living in ,ttoman territory in return for the Sultan gaining similar status with Kussia6s 2uslims. Certainly it was in /=/? that Selim took back to Istanbul sacred relics associated with 2uhammad including his mantle a traditional symbol of Caliphal authority. &ollowing World War I during which most of the empire6s territories were captured by the Ellies the ,ttoman state was in complete disarray. #urkish nationalists many of whom were former ,ttoman officials and high$ ranking military distinction established modern #urkey as an outcome of the #urkish War of Independence. #he war was a continuation of the struggle between 1reeks and #urks fought mainly on what was to become #urkish soil by the #reaty of ausanne in /89.
istory $rigins #he ,ttoman State originated as a Beyli within the Sel!uk -mpire in the thirteenth century. In /8 ,sman I declared independence of the Ottoman Prin%ipality& 2urad I was the first ,ttoman to claim the title of sultan DkingFdeputy+. With the capture of Constantinople in /<=9 the state was on its way to becoming a mighty empire with 2ehmed II as its emperor or pa$ishah& #he empire reached its ape" under Suleiman I in the si"teenth century when it stretched from the Persian 1ulf in the east to ungary in the northwest and from -gypt in the south to the Caucasus in the north. #he empire was situated in the middle of east and west and interacted throughout its si"$century history with both -astern culture and Western culture. It was in /9=9 that by capturing 1allipoli the ,ttomans gained their first foothold in -urope blockading the Strait of the ardanelles.
Suleiman 2os%ue Istanbul. Built between /==0 and /==? and considered an architectural masterpiece
),pansion #hroughout the si"teenth century the ,ttoman -mpire continued to grow in siGe and e"tent e"panding into Aorth Efrica and battling with the Safavid -mpire to the east. Et the Battle of Chaldiran in eastern Enatolia in /=/< ,ttoman forces under Sultan Selim I won a decisive victory against the Safavids ensuring ,ttoman security on the eastern front. #hereafter attention reverted to the west and Suleiman I upon ascending the throne in /=/@ led a series of campaigns into the Balkans. Under Suleiman6s often brilliant strategies the ,ttomans advanced steadily northward taking Belgrade in /=8/ defeating ungary in /=8> at the Battle of 2ohVcs and besieging ienna in /=8. #here is little doubt that rivalry with -urope was a dominant motive in ,ttoman e"pansion but a religious element was also present. #hat element was the desire to e"tend Islamic rule throughout the world. Indeed it was not altogether inappropriate that the word 6#urk6 and 62uslim6 then became synonymous in -urope. #he ,ttomans saw themselves first and foremost as 2uslims not as members of a particular ethnic group. #he Shaih-al-'slam Dchief !urist+ was the third$highest state official. #he Sultans believed that they had been raised to the Caliphate by 1od arguing that they were best %ualified to lead the 2uslim world. Es the 'best of ga"is Xholy warriorsY and of fighters in the oly War Xagainst un$belief and to e"tend Islamic ruleY or a($al al-)hu*at +al-muahi$in they were the rightful successors to Zthe Prophet and the Patriarchal Caliphs4( DInalcik /?0: 980 citing #urkish sources+. #he ,ttomans believed that the )ha*a Dwar against infidels+ 'had to be fought against the infidel6s dominions $ar-al-harb Dthe abode of war+ ceaselessly and relentlessly until they submitted( DInalcik: 8@9+. #he )ha*a had been described as the 'foundation stone of the ,ttoman state.( Eccording to Inalcik the )ha*a 'dominated ,ttoman history.( It 'constituted the fundamental principle( of ,ttoman 'policies and administration.( ,ttoman e"pansion through the /=00s and later was aided by their considerable knowledge of firearms and tactics and by an overall fairly$advanced military and administrative system. ,ttoman forces also had much e"pertise at laying sieges which was used to great e"tent. En e"ample of this was the siege of Constantinople in /<=9 where a massive cannon had been used to breach the triple walls firing shells e"ceeding one ton in weight. En Eustriangeneral was known to have said that the ,ttomans were Halmost invincibleH during the summer supported by their many successful campaigns.
Naval Power In addition to gaining considerable territory the empire e"tended its influence at sea. Selim I con%uered the Safavid -mpire only to lose it soon after* the Safavids later defeated and con%uered the ,ttomans and
capturedBaghdad. It established a navy in the Ked Sea that succeeded at least for a time in countering Portuguese influence on the spice trade. uring this period the empire vied with the emerging -uropean colonial powers in the Indian ,cean. &leets with soldiers and arms were sent to support 2uslim rulers in [enya and Eceh and to defend the ,ttoman spice and slave trade. In Eceh the ,ttomans built a fortress and supplied huge cannons. #he utchProtestants were helped by the ,ttomans against Catholic Spain. #he ,ttoman navy also had much influence in the 2editerranean Sea and trade flourished because of the stability afforded to shipping lanes.
e Pa, $ttomanica #he period of Suleiman the 2agnificent is known as the HPa" ,ttomanica.H Suleiman the 2agnificent is regarded by many 2uslims as the near$perfect ruler. Aamed after [ing Solomon whose rule the Jur6an e"tols he is reputed to have ruled !ustly and humanely. e was also a renowned poet and patron of the arts. is architect Sinan built some of the most significant mos%ues famously the Suleymaniye 2os%ue as well as public buildings in Islamic history. Suleiman also rebuilt the walls of \erusalem which survive to this day. e codified ,ttoman law which based on the anafi view where Shariah has no e"plicit ruling the Sultan can use .iyas or analogy to e"tend the law and virtually replaced Islamic law with anum& #hese rules covered ta"ation and regulation of the military. Both 2ongol and #urk tradition understood the rulers6 law as sacred. owever the law was far from arbitrary]it was impersonal and was generally administered impartially regardless of gender religion ethnicity or social status Dsee 1erber /<+. \ews and Christians often preferred to take their cases to the .a$is D2uslim !udges+ even though they did not have to because of the .a$is reputation for fairness. #echnically the Caliph is sub!ect to Shariah and during ,ttoman history several were removed for allegedly violating Shariah]Ibrahim I D/><@+ who was probably mad 2ehmed I D/>@?+ Selim III D/@0?+ and Ehmed III D/?9/+.
Decline and .eform In the seventeenth century the ,ttomans were weakened both internally and e"ternally by costly wars especially against Persia the Polish$ithuanian Commonwealth Kussia and Eustria$ungary. #here was a long succession of sultans who did not possess the skills or dedication of their predecessors. Several sultans had been imprisoned by their predecessors so had little training in governance and left this to their viGiers. Suleiman6s son Selim II was known as 'the runkard( neglecting governance. ,ne sultan 2ehmed III left governance to his mother. 2ahmud I spent most of his time writing poetry. Conse%uently a large and corrupt bureaucracy e"ercised power. ,n the other hand strict measures were put in place to punish corrupt officials especially those found guilty of overta"ing the people or of mistreating the peasants. #he scientific advantage the ,ttomans had over the other -uropean countries also diminished. While the ,ttomans were
stagnating in a stalemate with their -uropean and Esian neighbor countries the -uropean development went into overdrive. -ventually after a defeat at the Battle of ienna in />@9 it was clear the ,ttoman -mpire was no longer a superpower in -urope. In /> for the first time in its history the ,ttomans acknowledged that the Eustrian empire could sign a treaty with the ,ttomans on e%ual terms and actually lost a large territory which had been in ,ttoman possession for two centuries. 3et for many in -urope the term '#urk( which was regarded as synonymous with '2uslim( struck terror in their hearts. #he ,ttomans seemed a threat to -uropean security. It is from this historical encounter that -uropean Islamophobia partly stems the idea that Islam is incompatible with the -uropean ethos and therefore a danger to the -uropean way of life.
e an"imat .eforms Eware that reform was needed what were known as the Tan*imat reforms took place between /@9 and /@?>. #hey were designed to make the civil service more accountable and efficient. #hese reforms included the establishing of consultative bodies and the codification of law such as the ,ttoman Commercial Code D/@=0+ and the ,ttoman Penal Code D/@=@+. In the Chamber of eputies that was formed both national and religious minorities were well represented. #he sultans tried to impose these reforms to revitaliGe the empire but many were resisted by conservative forces within the empire either by the religious cadre or by the now corrupt \anissaries. -ven after the \anissaries were disbanded in /@8> reforms came slowly. -ventually a fairly modern conscripted army was formed. #he banking system was also reformed and the guilds were replaced with modern factories. owever adoption of new technologies and industrial techni%ues may have been slow due to pride that nothing much could be learned from non$believers. E comparison here has been made with China. -"ternally the empire stopped entering further conflicts alone and started entering alliances with other -uropean countries. #o aid her flagging economy too loans were borrowed from -uropean states and banks. #here was a series of alliances with &rance AetherlandsBritain and Kussia. E prime e"ample of this was the Crimean War in /@=8 in which the -nglish &rench ,ttomans and others united against Kussia. owever the -uropean powers changed their policies when it suited them to do so Britain stood by in /@?? when Kussia defeated #urkey at San Stefano whereas !ust a few years earlier she had aided #urkey against Kussia. #he 3oung #urks of the Union DIttihad+ and Progress D#erakki+ Party wanted to e"tricate the empire from foreign entanglements and saw an alliance with 1ermany as a way of minimiGing this. #rade and commerce with 1ermany was increasing and the 3oung #urks did not think that Britain could be trusted. ,riginally the Party had attracted the support of non$2uslims and non$#urks since it had appeared to stand for e%uality and democracy. #he party6s rise to power had even been welcomed in -urope. owever '#urkism( took over and the party6s aim was to restore #urkish prestige and pride. #his matched the 1erman pro!ect* 1ermany felt left out of the -uropean scramble for empire Dcontrolling only Aubia #anganyika 1erman Aew 1uinea and a few Pacific islands+ and some thought that without more overseas possessions 1ermany would not be able to
compete economically with Britain and &rance which had large empires. In this view Britain and &rance were only able to maintain healthy domestic economies by e"ploiting their overseas colonies.
.eversal of .eform By the end of the nineteenth century the empire was weakened to a great e"tent. -conomically it had trouble paying back loans to the -uropean banks. 2ilitarily it had trouble defending itself from foreign occupation. &or e"ample-gypt was occupied by the &rench in /?@ and Cyprus by the British in /@?> to name two instances. Socially the advent of nationalism and the yearning for democracy were making the ,ttoman population restless. Aon$#urks were either revolting against the empire or agitating for independence. #he 1reeks revolted in /@8/ the Bulgarians in /@?> 2oldavia and Walachia gained autonomy in /@>/ and nationalism was growing in the Erab provinces Dwhere a pan$Erab movement was also developing+ and in Ermenia. #he 3oung #urks Din power from /0@ to //@+ were nationalists too but their policies led to harsh treatment of non$#urks especially of non$2uslims. #hey believed that the empire was too dependent on non$2uslims and that #urks were losing control of their own empire. 2any of the earlier reforms were reversed. #he 3oung #urks were involved in a series of military coups and counter coups that resulted in a constitutional monarchy under which the sultan now had little to no power. #he 3oung #urk6s nationalistic policies led to the secession of the Balkans and the Balkan War of //0$//8. Between //= and //? Ermenian unrest resulted in a ferocious policy of deportation and imprisonment during which thousands of Ermenians died. #his was also in retaliation against Ermenians for aiding Kussia against the empire. #he series of events is referred to by non$#urkish historians as the Ermenian genocide or holocaust and remains the cause of controversy. #he 3oung #urks6 rule was increasingly oppressive. -uropean powers were !ealous of the ,ttoman -mpire on the one hand and on the other saw it as feudal and backward compared with themselves. While -uropean nations had developed parliamentary systems of government they ruled their empires overseas with little or no reference to the will of the people. Aonetheless they felt a moral superiority over the ,ttomans e"pressed by CGar Aicholas I of Kussia who called #urkey the 'sick man of -urope.( #hey wanted to divide the empire up among themselves much as they divided Efrica but with no single power gaining too much territory to the others6 disadvantage. #he bureaucracy of the ,ttomans had become inefficient but the empire had some strengths]loyalty to the service of the empire was well$ rewarded Dseveral former slaves rose to become viGier+ race and ethnicity was generally no barrier to progress and law was uniformly administered. #he ,ttomans saw themselves as '2uslims( and understood Islam as a transnational reality. #hey reversed the earlier tendency within the 2uslim world that saw non$Erab 2uslims as less authentically 2uslim. &rom the #anGimat reforms on #urkey increasingly looked to -urope for its models and ideas and what has been called an ,ccidental ,rientalism developed],rientalism refers to the Western depiction of the ,rient as backward decadent and static in contrast to the West which is depicted as
oriented towards the future moral and dynamic. #he ,ttomans started to share this analysis and saw little of merit in their own civiliGation. -ventually however it was the 3oung #urks6 desire to retain the empire and to do so in a way that privileged #urks that resulted in its destruction.
e )nd of te $ttoman )mpire In a final effort to keep power in their hands by regaining at least some of the lost territories the triumvirate led by -nver Pasha !oined the Central Powers in World War I. #he ,ttoman -mpire had some successes in the beginning years of the war. #he Ellies including the newly$formed Eustralian and Aew ^ealand Ermy Corps DEA^EC+ were defeated in 1allipoli Ira% and the Balkans and some territories were regained. owever the ,ttomans were eventually defeated by the Ellies in the Balkans #hrace Syria Palestine and Ira% and its territories were anne"ed by the victors. Palestine went to Britain Dwho established the ashemite [ingdom of \ordan to the east of the \ordan Kiver + as did Ira% Dwhere they also established a monarchy+* Syria and ebanon went to &rance* and ibya went to Italy. Some Erabs led by the ashemite family had supported the British in a bid for their own independence from the ,ttomans and their reward was the thrones of \ordan and Ira%. In the Caucasus there was a stalemate between the ,ttomans and the Kussians. #he Kussians used their advanced guns and cannons and as most #urkish historians claim outmaneuvered the ,ttomans using their Ermenian allies within the empire. 2ilitarily the ,ttomans made use of the mountainous terrain and the cold climate launching a series of surprise attacks. #he Kussian forces retreated after the Communist revolution in Kussia resulting in ,ttoman victory on this front. 2ustafa [emal Pasha Etaturk who had made his reputation earlier during the 1allipoli and Palestine campaigns was officially sent from occupied Istanbul to take control of the victorious Caucasus army and to disband it. #his army was instrumental in winning the #urkish War of Independence D//@;/89+ and the Kepublic of #urkey was founded on ,ctober 8 /89 from the remnants of the fallen empire. #he last sultan was taken into e"ile on a British warship the /alaya.
State organiGation ,ttoman state organiGation was based on a hierarchy with the sultan who was usually the Caliph at the top and below him his viGiers other court officials and military commanders. #he primary responsibility of the sultan was to ensure that !ustice was served. E body called the Di+an advised the sultan. Public opinion was regarded as important and the ,ttomans made some use of polls to ascertain the popular will. Ell laws and ta"es were posted in public so that the people knew their content. Provinces were originally governed by designated local military leaders who often ac%uired large landholdings and passed the position on to their offspring. ater administrators called Pashaswere appointed. Provinces were subdivided into smaller units and
supervised by beys& #he leaders of the millets Dlegally protected religious minorities+ collected ta"es and oversaw their community4s legal systems. Et times the millet leaders and the sultan6s representatives worked closely together but sometimes clashed.
Culture uring the medieval age the ,ttoman #urks had a high tolerance of alien cultures and religions especially compared to the Christian West. -arly on the #urks drove the ByGantines from Enatolia and later pursued them into -urope. But as the ,ttomans moved further west the #urkish leaders themselves absorbed some of the culture of the con%uered people. #he alien culture was gradually added to the #urks6 own creating the characteristic ,ttoman culture. Efter the capture of Constantinople Dlater dubbed Istanbul+ in /<=9 most churches were left intact* however the agia Sophia was turned into a mos%ue. #he ,ttoman court life in many aspects resembled ancient traditions of the Persian Shahs but had many ByGantine and -uropean influences. It was under the regime of the 3oung #urks D/0@$//@+ when the sultan had been sidelined that treatment of non$2uslims Dand of non$#urks+ deteriorated resulting in atrocities. Elthough Western writers have typically depicted the ,ttoman -mpire as decadent and corrupt life for many people in the vast empire was secure and peaceful. ,ver$ta"ation was not common and as noted earlier law was uniformly and fairly administered. People could move freely throughout the empire. -thnicity and race were not barriers to progress. #he compulsory recruitment of non$Christian boys into the military though was problematic for the families concerned. ,n the other hand many such children rose to prominence. #he Sufi form of Islam renowned for its tolerance flourished in ,ttoman #urkey where Kumi D/80?$/8?9+ founded his order of 'whirling dervishes( and taught the unity of all beings goodness charity and love.
/ews in te $ttoman )mpire &or centuries the ,ttoman -mpire was the refuge of the \ews of -urope who did not have the freedom of religion in -urope that the citiGens of the ,ttoman -mpire did. \ews e"pelled from Spain in /<8 found refuge in the Balkans and elsewhere in ,ttoman territory where the sultan decreed they should be welcomed. &amously Sultan Ebdulmecid re!ected the Christian 'blood libel( against the \ews. \ews and Christians held significant posts such as ambassadors and court physicians. Christians and \ews could become viGiers as several did at various times. ewis D/@<+ cites a fifteenth$century \ew writing to \ews in -urope and urging them to migrate to #urkey: 'Is it not better for you to live under 2uslims than Christians) ere every man may dwell at peace under his own vine and fig tree. ere you are allowed to wear the most precious garments. In Christendom on the contrary
you dare not even venture to clothe your children red or blue]without e"posing them to the insult of being beaten black and blue7Xin 1ermany \ewsY are pursued even unto death( D/9=$>+. ewis comments that \ewish reports on #urkish behavior and attitudes 'are almost uniformly favorable.( ,n the other hand Ivan oGov6s classic novel "n$er the 0oeD/@@@+ about the struggle for Bulgarian independence depicts centuries of rape and pillage against 'the defenseless Bulgarians( D<=9+.
Cristians in te $ttoman )mpire In the late seventeenth century some 1reek Christians who had served in diplomatic posts were rewarded with the designation hospo$ar Dprince+ and governed the provinces of 2oldavia and Walachia on behalf of the sultan. 2illet is an ,ttoman #urkish term for a legally protected religious minority. It comes from the Erabic word milla for confessional community. #he Erabic term is a very general one* the \ewish neighborhoods in 2orocco and #unisiawere named mellah& #he millet was an alternative to autonomous territories that had long been the -uropean norm for dealing with minority groups. #he millet system has a long history in the 2iddle -ast and is closely linked to Islamic rules on the treatment of non$2uslim minorities. #he ,ttoman term specifically refers to the separate legal courts pertaining to personal law under which minorities were allowed to rule themselves with fairly little interference from the ,ttoman government. #he main millets were the \ewish 1reek and Ermenian ones Dwhich included gypsies 1eorgian ,rthodo" and several other communities+. By the nineteenth century there were /< millets. E wide array of other groups such asCatholics DCatholics and Protestants were under a +ail or representative who was not officially head of a millet+ [araites and Samaritans were also represented but not the non$Sunni 2uslim communities DShi6as ruGes Elawis Elevis 3eGidis etc.+ which had no official e"istence in this Sunni 2uslim Caliphate even if the ruGes of the !ebel ruGe and 2ount ebanon en!oyed a rather feudal$type autonomy like the DChristian+ Essyrian villages under 2ar Shimun in the akkiari mountains. #hese groups were spread across the empire with significant minorities in most of the ma!or cities. Eutonomy for these groups was thus impossible to base on a territorial region. 2illets were therefore dealt with as dispersed communities. ,ften there was relatively little contact between different millets. owever according to Courbage and &ar%ues D/@+ Christianity and \udaism were 'revived and flourished under( the ,ttomans. #echnically the i*ya ta" Dthe ta" paid by non$ Christians in return for the protection of the state and the right to practice their religion+ remained in force but the main ta" was on capital and all ta"es were collected by non$2uslim intermediaries D"i+.
-ach millet was under the supervision of a leader most often a religious patriarch who reported directly to the ,ttoman Sultan. #he millets had a great deal of power]they set their own laws and collected and distributed their own ta"es. Ell that was insisted was loyalty to the -mpire. When a member of one millet committed a crime against a member of another the law of the damaged person applied. #he 2uslim ma!ority was seen as paramount and any dispute involving a 2uslim fell under their law. Under the #anGimat reforms the i*ya was abolished but it was actually replaced by a very similar military e"emption ta".
e (illet Systems0 Contemporary 1egacy #he millet system was altered by the increasing influence of -uropean powers in the 2iddle -ast. #he various -uropean powers declared themselves protectors of their religious cohorts in the empire. #hus the Kussians became guardians of the -astern ,rthodo" groups the &rench of the Catholics and the British of the \ews and other groups. Aew millets were created in the nineteenth century for several Uniate and Protestant Christian communities then for the separate national -astern ,rthodo" Bulgarian Church recogniGed as a millet by an ,ttoman firman Ddecree+ in /@?0 and e"communicated two years later by the -cumenical Patriarchate. In /@=> as part of the #anGimat reforms all ,ttoman sub!ects became e%ual under the law.
2ilitary #he ,ttoman military was a comple" system of recruiting and fief$holding. In the ,ttoman army light cavalry long formed the core and they were given fiefs called timars& Cavalry used bows and short swords and made use of nomad tactics similar to those of the 2ongol -mpire. #he ,ttoman army was once among the most advanced fighting forces in the world being one of the first to employ muskets. #he famous \anissary corps provided elite troops and bodyguards for the sultan. -stablished in about /900 the \anissary consisted originally of slaves but later of non$2uslims boys conscripted between the ages of = and /<. ighly trained and disciplined their conversion to Islam was encouraged. #he soldiers led almost Spartan lives and until /=>> were celibate. owever they were well paid and after retirement many became scholars and senior administrators. Elbanians Serbs and Bulgarian boys were especially favored. KealiGing their own power the \anissaries became increasingly wealthy and demanding and at times were able to control the sultan e"ercising power through him. Efter the seventeenth century however the ,ttomans could no longer produce a modern fighting force because of a lack of reforms mainly because of the corrupted \anissaries. #he abolition of the \anissary corps in /@8> was not enough and in the war against Kussia the ,ttoman -mpire severely lacked modern weapons and technologies. #he moderniGation of the ,ttoman -mpire in the nineteenth century started with the military. #his was the first institution to hire foreign e"perts and which sent their officer core for training to western -uropean countries.
#echnology and new weapons were transferred to the empire such as 1erman and British guns. #he empire was successful in moderniGing its army. owever it was still no match against the ma!or western powers.
Provinces Et the height of its power the ,ttoman -mpire had 8 provinces plus three tributary principalities and #ransylvania a kingdom which swore allegiance to the empire.
Sultans #he sultan also known as the Pa$ishah in -urope sometimes the 1rand #urk was the sole regent and governor of the empire at least officially. #he dynasty is most often called the ,smanli or the ouse of ,sman. #he sultan en!oyed many titles such as Sovereign of the ouse of ,sman Sultan of Sultans [han of [hans and from /=/? onwards Commander of the &aithful and Successor of the Prophet of the ord of the Universe i.e. Caliph which theoretically also gave him lordship over other 2uslim rulers around the world. &or e"ample among the 2ughal -mperors only EurangGeb had the [hutba D&riday 'sermon(+ read in his own name. Aote that the first rulers never called themselves 'sultan( but rather bey thereby acknowledging the sovereignty of the Sel!uk sultanate and its successor the Ilkhanid sultanate. #he sultan title was established by 2urad I in /9@9. &rom /0@ Dthe 3oung #urks6 revolt+ until /88 the Sultan was a constitutional monarch.
Osman I (&;&?&$# be! )
Ibrahim I (&#!"?&#!;)
Orhan I (&$#?&$,' be! )
Mehmed IB (&#!;?&#;:)
Murad I (&$,'?&$;' sultan from &$;$?
.hmed II (&#'&?&#',)
Mustafa II (&#',?&:"$)
.hmed III (&:"$?&:$")
Mahmud I (&:$"?&:,!)
Osman III (&:,!?&:,:)
&$;')
@eya9id I (&$;'?&!") Ottoman nterregnum (&!"?&!&$)
Mehmed I (&!&$?&!&) Murad II (&!&?&!!!) (&!!,?&!,&) Mehmed II (the ConAueror) (&!!!?&!!,-
&!,&?&!;&)
Mustafa III (&:,:?&::!)
@eya9id II (&!;&?&,&)
.bdul6amid I (&::!?&:;')
Mustafa IB (&;":?&;";)
Mahmud II (&;";?&;$')
.bdulMeid I (&;$'?&;#&)
.bdul.9i9 (&;#&?&;:#)
Murad B (&;:#)
.bdul6amid II (&;:#?&'"')
Mehmed B (8eFad) (&'"'?
&,")
Osman II (&#&;?&#)
Mustafa I (&#?&#$)
&'&;)
Mehmed BI (Bahideddin) (&'&;?&')
Murad IB (&#$?&#!")
1ote2 Elthough Ebdul 2e!id II was chosen as Caliph in /88 he was not a sultan as the Aational Essembly had abolished the sultanate. #he Caliphate was abolished in turn in /8<. e was in theory the /0/st Caliph in succession from Ebu Bakr and the 9?th ,ttoman Caliph.
2irGa 1halib Poetry Mirza Ghalib Poetry
Mirza Galib Poetry is loved by urdu poetry lovers around the world. Mirza Ghalib is one of the most popular poets from pakistan. Galib’s primary topic was romance, love and sadness. We have got lots of Galib
Shayari collection for our users. Ghalib was born in 1797. e was undoubtedly the most popular urdu poet the world has ever seen. is shayari on love and his shayari on life are known to be the best poetries one can ever find on internet.
Qataa kijiye na taluq hum se..
!ataa ki"iye na talu# hum se, $uch nahi hai to adaavat hi sahi..
Rahi na taaqat-e-guftaar aur agar ho bhi..
%ahi na taa#at&e&guftaar aur agar ho bhi, 'o kis umeed pe kahiye ke ar(uu kya hai..
Baad marne ke mere ghar se yeh samaan niklaa….
)hand tasaveer&e&butaan, chand haseenon ke khatoot*. +aad marne ke mere ghar se yeh samaan niklaa.. (khatoor;letters)
Meri kismat mein gham gar itna tha..
eri kismat mein gham gar itna tha, -il bhi yaa rab kayi diye hotay..
a tha ku!h to khuda tha" ku!h na hota to khuda hota..
a tha kuch to khuda tha, kuch na hota to khuda hota, -iboyaa mu"he ko hone ne, na hota mein to kya hota..
Ronay se aur ishq mein be-baak ho gaye..
%onay se aur ish# mein be&baak ho gaye, -hoye gaye hum itney ke bass paak ho gaye..
Rahiye ab aesi jagha !hal kar jahan koi na ho..
%ahiye ab aesi "agha chal kar "ahan koi na ho, um&sukhan koi na ho, aur hum&(ubaan koi na ho, /arriye gar beemar to koi na ho teemar’daaar*, 0ur agar mar "aayiye to noha&khuwaa’n* koi na ho.. (teemar’daaar;caretaker, noha-khuwaa’n;noha reciter)
#e na thi hamari kismat ke $isaal-e-yaar hota..
e na thi hamari kismat ke visaal&e&yaar hota, 0gar aur "eetey rehtey, yehi inte(aar hota..
%shq &er zor nahin" yeh 'oh aatish..
2sh# per (or nahin, yeh woh aatish Ghalib, $e lagaaye na lage aur bu"haaye na bu"hayy..
Be-(hudi Be-)abab ahi*n +Ghalib*..
+e&$hudi +e&3abab ahi’n 4Ghalib’, $uchh 'o ai 5is $i /arda&-aari ai6
(hulta kisi &ay kya mery dil ka muamla..
$hulta kisi pay kya mery dil ka muamla, 3hairon k intekhab nay ruswa kia mu"hy..
,oote hain sheesha dil haaye dil itne
'oote hain sheesha dil haaye dil itne ke ehl&e&dard, %akhte hain paaon khaak par sau baar dekh kar..
ahid sharab &eene de masjid mein beth kar..
8ahid sharab peene de mas"id mein beth kar, aa woh "agha bata "ahan $huda nahin.. (Mirza Ghalib) as"id khuda ka ghar hai, peeney ki "agha nahin, $aafir ke dil mein "a, Wahan khudaa nahin.. (Allama Ibal) $aafir ke dil se aya hon mein yeh dekh kar, $huda mau"ood hai wahan, /ar usey pata nahin.. (Ahmad !araz)
aina kyu na doon ke tamasha kahe jise
0aina kyu na doon ke tamasha kahe "ise 0isa kaha se laau ke tu"hasa kahe "ise asrat ne la rakha teri ba(m&e&khayal me Guldasta&e&nigaah suveda kahe "ise /hoonka hai kisne goshe mohabbat mein aye khuda 0fasuun&e&inta(ar tamanna kahe "ise 3ar par ha"um&e&dard&e&garibi se daliye Wo ek musht&e&khak ke sahara kahe "ise ai chashm&e&tar me hasarat&e&diidar se niha 3hau#&e&ina gusekhta dariya kahe "ise -arakar hai shiguftan&e&gul haye aish ko 3ubh&e&bahar paba&e&miina kahe "ise :ghalib; bura na man "o vai( bura kahe 0isa bhii koii hai ke sab achchha kahe "ise
/sey khuda bana daala
