Ottoman activism in 1848?

raharris1973

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Suppose the Sultan of the day believes he can be a power factor in these events. Whether he is actually right or wrong is another story.

Three options come to mind:

a) Minimalist: The Ottomans use their own forces to preemptively suppress the Moldavian and Wallachian uprisings before the Russians can get involved.

b) Adventurist: The Ottomans aid Kossuth's Hungary to gain an ally and weaken a neighbor.

c) Legitimist: The Ottomans offer to aid Vienna even faster than the Russians do, trying to avoid the separatist precedent, and in the feeling that Austria has become less of a threat (hadn't fought them for about 50 years, which was a lot in those days), Austria's Metternich advocated against intervention in the Greek Revolt, and further separatist precedents were bad.

While obviously it would be fun if they tried an initiative and it were successful, it could be equally fun to see them bite off more than they could chew.

One thing suggesting that a, b or c might not be a disaster a priori is that the Ottomans were decent enough combatants on land during the Crimean War, even if they got massacred at sea.
 
I think it's probable that any attempt at initiative might be more than they could chew. The first description of the Ottomans as the sick man of Europe was 1853 so by 1848 the rot had probably set in fairly well. On the other hand a clear demonstration of Ottoman inadequacy that early may be a clear and unignorable call within the Empire for desperately needed reform while also giving them enough time to actually implement those reforms.
 
I think it's probable that any attempt at initiative might be more than they could chew. The first description of the Ottomans as the sick man of Europe was 1853 so by 1848 the rot had probably set in fairly well. On the other hand a clear demonstration of Ottoman inadequacy that early may be a clear and unignorable call within the Empire for desperately needed reform while also giving them enough time to actually implement those reforms.

Wow, have you changed you mind on thinking that the OE would inevitably collapse after 1683?
 

kernals12

Banned
The experience of France had taught the monarchies of Europe why you shouldn't support liberal revolutionaries in your enemies' nations.
 
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