AHC: Ottoman Empire creating a Jewish State

[Rainbow Sparkle]

A challenge I wish to pose to you all. Find some way for the Ottoman Empire to before 1900 form a Jewish state (not necessarily within Palestine/Judea). It does not have to be completely independent, and can indeed be a puppet state.

[Cuāuhtemōc]

Originally Posted by Rainbow Sparkle

A challenge I wish to pose to you all. Find some way for the Ottoman Empire to before 1900 form a Jewish state (not necessarily within Palestine/Judea). It does not have to be completely independent, and can indeed be a puppet state.

Jonathan Edelstein's timeline completes this through the creation of the Free Port of Salonika - which of course had a Jewish majority, predominately Sephardic and Romaniote, throughout the Ottoman period.

[Ganesha]

Originally Posted by Cuāuhtemōc

Jonathan Edelstein's timeline completes this through the creation of the Free Port of Salonika - which of course had a Jewish majority, predominately Sephardic and Romaniote, throughout the Ottoman period.

Yep. Although the Ottomans probably wouldn't have let go of Salonika unless they were pressured into doing so by the negotiators.

The story of the Jews of Salonika really is sad - an entire culture wiped out by the fuckin' Nazis. The city is so much worse off for it today.

Cheers,
Ganesha

[Iori]

Hm, have the Ottomans decisively win a war against Russia (probably a World War level conflict) leading to the dismantling of parts of it and turning a portion of Belarus into a Jewish state.

And for those confused why Belarus, because up until WWII Belarus had the highest proportion of Jews in Europe, with them making-up a little over 10% of the population.

[Lysandros Aikiedes]

There was a TL over a year ago, where the Sixteenth Century Portuguese-born Josef Mendez-Nasi, who would become a diplomat of the Ottomans as well as the Duke of Naxos in OTL, succeeded in getting some exiled Spanish and Portuguese Jews from Italy to Safed in Palestine, where his aunt, Garcia Mendez, held some land. Leading to Safed and the surrounding countryside in northern Palestine to become a semi-autonomous Jewish province in the Ottoman Empire. The TL was abandoned prematurely, though.

[Hrvatskiwi]

Actually, prior to WWI, when the Germans were courting the Ottomans, one of their representatives (I'll try to find it in a book of mine, after I finish my homework :P ) was pro-Jewish, and he was talking to the Sultan about establishing a Jewish state in Palestine. It would be a protectorate of the Ottomans, though, of course. But it would alienate Muslims that the Germans were trying to play against the British.

[euromellows]

Another POD might be even further back in the dying days of the Byzantine Empire. I remember reading somewhere the Byzantinian Dynasty was offered vassal status within the confines of the Ottoman Empire where they would have limited autonomy and the right to practice christianity based around Constantinople. Of course they refused. If that decision was reversed and the Byzantine component remains a loyal vassal throughout (and the Ottomans continue to honour the deal) then it may provide a template for what you're looking for. Particularly if there is a clear benefit to the Ottoman Empire by adopting such a structure. Of course this would mean a Pre-1900 POD.

[Dathi THorfinnsson]

Why would they hive off ANY territority to any subgroup.

[PoeFacedKilla]

Originally Posted by Dathi THorfinnsson

Why would they hive off ANY territority to any subgroup.

because the whole empire was subgroups;
hell the ottomans weren't arabic but most of their empire was

[Iori]

Originally Posted by PoeFacedKilla

hell the ottomans weren't arabic but most of their empire was

Not really.

At their height when they actually controlled Egypt, yes, Arabs would've been the largest group, however for most of its history the Ottoman Empire European ethnic groups (including Turks) formed the majority of the population.

[Dathi THorfinnsson]

Originally Posted by Iori

Not really.

At their height when they actually controlled Egypt, yes, Arabs would've been the largest group, however for most of its history the Ottoman Empire European ethnic groups (including Turks) formed the majority of the population.

And they never cteated a turkic state or an arab state, so why a jewish one?

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by Dathi THorfinnsson

And they never cteated a turkic state or an arab state, so why a jewish one?

They gave the Kurds some autonomy I think. The Romanians too. They'd never make a "turkic state" because, well, they were turkic. That be like the UK creating an English state. As for not making an Arab state, that's because they'd bee handing over most of their land. Small minorities, like Kurds, Georgians, Armenians, Bulgarians, Alawites, Arabic Christians, Serbians, Greeks, etc. could possibly have gotten something though I suppose.

[The Dude Bro]

Have the Ottoman Sultan create the "Kingdom of Judea" in Palestine, and encourage Jews both in and outside the Empire to settle it as a way of bringing in educated Jews from outside the empire. It's a constituent part of the Empire and the Sultan as a barely-constitutional monarch, but it's technically completing this challenge.