History of the Ottomans: The Turks and Their Empire
TuesdayS October 13 to December 01 10:00 am to 12 noon
ZOOM Session
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Presenter: Dr Olivier Courteaux
Course Overview: Nomadic peoples from the steppes of Mongolia, the first Turks were fearless (and the most feared) warriors who ended up dominating the Middle East. Migrating to the West, they built, under the Ottomans, one of the most powerful political entities in History. This unique empire, which spread over three continents, lasted some six hundred years.
Following the First World War, defeated and humiliated, the old empire collapsed and made way to a modern nation-state: Turkey. Since its birth in 1923, Turkey has become a regional superpower, oscillating between its alliance with the West (NATO), Central Asia, Russia, and neighboring Arab states. Its current president, Erdogan, who won re-election in 2023, can no longer rely on healthy economic growth. To maintain himself in power, as the ongoing Ukrainian conflict tells us, he never hesitates to play one side against the other.
October 13: The Golden Age of the Ottoman Empire - Under Suleiman the Magnificent (1520–1566), the Ottoman Empire reached the height of its territorial, military, and cultural power. Stretching from Budapest to Baghdad and from Algiers to Mecca, it governed an astonishing mosaic of peoples, languages, and religions. Contrary to the Orientalist clichés of 19th century historiography, the empire developed sophisticated systems of administration, justice, and coexistence — the millet system being the most famous — that allowed diverse communities to live under a shared imperial framework for centuries. This session explores the empire’s political institutions, its military innovations, its cultural achievements, and the foundations of an imperial order that would endure for more than 500 years.
October 20: The Tanzimat: A Century of Reform and Modernization - Beginning in the 1830s, the Ottoman elite launched the Tanzimat reforms — an ambitious attempt to modernize the empire and align it with European political and legal norms. New civil codes, modern schools, a reformed army, and the first Ottoman constitution (1876) signaled a profound transformation. Yet these reforms also revealed deep tensions: between centralization and local autonomy, between Islamic tradition and Western models, and between the sultan’s authority and the rising influence of bureaucratic elites. This session examines how the Tanzimat sought to save the empire — and why it ultimately could not halt the forces of nationalism, European intervention, and internal fragmentation.
October 27: Chronicle of a Decline: From the “Eastern Question” to Sèvres - By the late 19th century, the Ottoman Empire was widely labeled “the sick man of Europe.” But decline was neither linear nor inevitable. The empire fought major wars, attempted further reforms, and even experienced a constitutional revolution in 1908. The First World War, however, proved catastrophic. The Treaty of Sèvres (1920) dismantled the empire, carving up Anatolia and the Arab provinces under Allied mandates. This session revisits the complex causes of decline: nationalist uprisings, European imperial ambitions, economic dependency, and the geopolitical pressures that ultimately made the empire’s survival impossible.
November 3: Mustafa Kemal Atatürk: Inventing Modern Turkey - From the ruins of empire, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk forged a radically new state: secular, republican, and oriented toward Western models of governance. His reforms — the abolition of the caliphate, the adoption of civil law, the Latin alphabet, and sweeping social changes — reshaped Turkish identity. Yet Atatürk’s legacy remains contested in a country now governed by a party with a markedly different vision of Islam’s role in public life. This session explores the contradictions of Turkish secularism, the enduring power of Kemalist nationalism, and the political debates that continue to define Turkey’s identity today.
November 10: Turkey as a Regional Superpower: Between the West, Russia, and Asia - Turkey’s geopolitical position — at the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East, and Eurasia — has made it a pivotal actor in 21st century international politics. Its membership in NATO, its energy dependence on Russia, its economic ties with Europe, and its growing engagement with China place Ankara in a delicate balancing act. The war in Ukraine has intensified these contradictions: Turkey has supplied drones to Kyiv while maintaining dialogue with Moscow, positioning itself as both mediator and power broker. This session analyzes Turkey’s strategic autonomy, its regional ambitions, and its increasingly assertive foreign policy.
November 17: Turkey and the Middle East: Ambitions, Rivalries, and New Realities - Turkey’s role in the Middle East has evolved dramatically in the wake of recent conflicts. The war in Syria reshaped Ankara’s security priorities, particularly regarding Kurdish forces along its border. The shifting regional landscape — including the weakening of the Assad regime, the evolving influence of Iran, and the aftermath of the recent war in the Middle East — has opened new opportunities and risks for Turkish diplomacy. This session examines Turkey’s ambitions in Syria and Iraq, its complex relationship with Iran, its rivalry with Gulf states, and its efforts to position itself as a central actor in the region’s post war order.
November 24: Turkey and Europe: A Long, Difficult Relationship - Relations between Turkey and the European Union have oscillated between cooperation and confrontation for decades. Human rights concerns, democratic backsliding, disputes over Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean, and divergent approaches to regional conflicts have frozen the accession process. Yet economic interdependence remains strong, and Turkey continues to play a crucial role in migration management and European security. This session explores the structural tensions, mutual dependencies, and political misunderstandings that define this “love hate” relationship.
December 1: Turkey in Africa: Influence, Opportunity, and Competition - Over the past two decades, Turkey has dramatically expanded its presence in Africa. Ankara has opened dozens of embassies, signed defense and intelligence agreements, and invested heavily in infrastructure, mining, and energy projects. This expansion reflects both economic ambition and a desire to position Turkey as a global actor capable of competing with traditional powers — and with China. This session examines Turkey’s strategy in Africa, its soft power tools (education, humanitarian aid, religious networks), and the geopolitical implications of its growing influence on the continent.
Committee Contact and Chair: Deb Forsyth-Petrov
Dr Olivier Courteaux An accomplished lecturer, historian and author, Dr. Courteaux received his PhD in History from the University of Paris-Sorbonne and was a faculty member at Royal Military College and at Ryerson University. He is a frequent lecturer for several later life learning programs in Toronto, including those at Glendon College and Ryerson University. He is the author of Canada Between Vichy and Free France, 1940-1945 (2013) and Quatre Journées qui ébranlèrent le Québec on Charles de Gaulle's famous 1967 Vive le Québec Libre (2017). He is currently working on his latest book, Suez, 1869, the last triumph of the Empress Eugenie.
