Ottoman Age of Exploration

Ottoman Age of Exploration

An author known as Giancarlo Casale wrote the editorial. Notably, Giancarlo Casale was a well-known instructor of the early modern history of the Mediterranean. He also doubles up as the junior professor of Islamic history. In his work, most of the nations were in search of gold and silver though one of the most significant agendas was to explore. Age of exploration is regarded as the age of discovery. In this paper, I will show the expansion into the Indian Ocean by the Ottomans power in the 16^th century. I will also explain the Ottomans actions in terms of planned strategies and not in the older view that showed how the Muslims power responded slowly to the maritime expansion of the European.

Remarkably, it is seen that the authors aim to establish the achievements of the ‘Ottoman Age of Exploration’ not only in military and political terms but also commercially and intellectually. He convincingly does this by making all the sides, the Portuguese and Ottomans, to be lively. They are made exciting in their negotiations and the view of their opponent (Casale 72). This is the first historical account, which is comprehensive in global dominance, which stretched from the Indian Ocean to Central Asia. The author blends this broad narrative in a simple and understandable text. The introduction brings us to the argument that the book brings out four main features with European counterparts. They include relative isolation of the starting point, ideologies of expansion, innovation in military, navigation technology. It also brings out new ideas and interests in the outside world.

The Ottomans age of exploration is divided into seven chapters, and it examines the change in the 16^th century in terms of policies. The book also tries to talk about the origin of Ottoman cartography and their geographic account for competitive (Casale 22). Using documents from the East, the author draws our attention and highlights how the Ottomans were engaged as Portuguese rivals for control of the trade and sea-lanes of the Indian Ocean.

Notably, this book relates to a rising number of studies. It shows that the Islamic societies from the Middle East did not participate in the expansion of the Ottoman Empire. The author’s choice of topics directs him to areas of Indian studies. This has laid a myth that due to the arrival of Portuguese in the Indian Ocean, commercial trafficking between the Mediterranean and the ocean ends. The author goes further to critique that the Empire became actively involved in the military and business activities in the sea. The author proceeds to bring together the intellectual and political story of the Ottoman Empire in the 16^th century. The author focuses on many high officials. They include Grand Viziers, Ibrahim, and Pasha, among others. They were all aware of a sturdy Ottoman and the advantages attached in the Indian Ocean. The author also says that the interests of Ottoman were not only in economic but also in political and religious.

The author challenges the notion that portrays the European Christians as explores in the 16^th century. The author fully shows how the Ottomans got the Arab geographers and the travellers’ knowledge most, especially in cartography. I agree with the author’s argument and view about the fall of the Indian Ocean enterprise. I would though try to insist also on the role played by technology in new ships. He uses words like ‘galleon’ without being bothered about by the meanings and definitions. He also shows how the Ottomans accessed the Arab geographers and European travellers’ knowledge, especially their navigation maps. The publications about navigation became available in the Ottomans Empire, and this inspired them to write their reports about travels in the Indian Ocean. They also wrote about the Portuguese who were new in the area and local Muslim population and the rulers who were there.

The author also argues that the Ottomans became the key actors in the era of exploration. He has also made a considerable contribution to the cultural and intellectual history of the Empire. He also shows that the empire conquest was not to acquire the Arabian territory. The author says that it is through the Arabian lands that the Ottoman has discovered the Indian Ocean and embarked on studying the unknown world of Arab scholarship.

The author also brings out the ‘era of reconnaissance’. This era characterizes the next two decades of the Ottoman policy. This was when the Ottoman overcame a considerable amount of obstacles to build the fleet of the Red Sea, which establishes contacts between East Africa and India.

Notably, this book gives us an original insight into the expansion of the Indian Ocean world by the Ottoman Power in the 16^th century. Remarkably, the author changes the current view of Ottoman’s geography and navigation. Muslim powers responded slowly, and they were infective to the expansion of European maritime. Instead, the author describes the actions of Ottoman in geopolitical deliberation strategy and domestic politics. However, this is a useful contribution to the early Ottoman and ancient world. The work is not targeting the historians of science and technology.

Casale shows how the Ottomans like their competitors the whites had intentions and views, weapons and the technology that was important that would make them acquire a wide area of the Indian ocean. The book seems to be challenging the assumptions that only the Europeans were capable of engaging in anything from a regional level. The Europeans wanted to acquire and possess what the Ottomans had (Casale 124). The author analyses the need for writing such reports and the impact they had in the ruling of the Ottoman and internal disputes in Ottomans policies. Keenly he shows the loyalty of Muslims was due to the Ottoman sultan who was exaggerated by members. Nevertheless, I concur with the author’s arguments on why the Indian Ocean enterprise collapsed. I also want to emphasize the role played by new technology on the ship.

Casale shows that the Ottoman participation in the exploration age focused on sustaining, increasing and protecting the trade in the Indian Ocean against Portuguese expansion. The Ottomans used many tactics in fights, diplomacy, and propaganda to face the Portuguese. By the author telling the story, he brings about the voice of the participants. He as well represents the rulers in Africa as they opposed the Ottomans and the Portuguese. The author gives a new view of the neglected exploration period. While most of the historians divert their attention to what the Europeans accomplished. As from the 16^th century, the author focuses on the age of exploration. The author also looks at the importance of ottoman advancement in the Indian Ocean. This included the military substantiality and the soft power that arises from championing the sultan.

In the last chapters, Casale considers the removal of military and political power because they failed in a siege in Mombasa in 1589. This was also due to the Muslim rival powers in India. The author argues that even though the Ottomans were significantly forced to pave the way in their mega tragedy, the Empire had achieved most of its objectives considerably. This happened when they broke the Portuguese claims and reviving trade in the Indian Ocean. The Ottoman exploration age gives an original and useful insight on how the Ottoman power expanded into the Indian Ocean in the 16^th century. The book can be read, and it is well illustrated by the author and is recommendable to all those individuals who require Ottoman and Indian information and the history of exploration at large

In conclusion, the author exaggerates the origin of these findings; he makes a pleasing and exciting case of the Ottoman Empire as it actively participated in the age of exploration. In my view, this book illustrated well can easily be read and is recommendable to all those people who have interests in an age of exploration. The Europeans and some historians also will get some evidence for a new story of balance. Notably, the readers who will go through this book are likely to get new ideas. For all those who were involved not only the European and the Ottoman but also Indians and the rulers in Africa. However, the lessons acquired in work are worthy of recognition.