Ottomans encourage conversion to Islam post-Greek war of independence

Could the Ottomans decide to encourage large scale conversions in the Balkans to Islam following the Greek war of independence

Would kind of persuasion would be best

How much of the Balkans could they convert to Islam post 1831
 
Could? Yes. Assuming the Greek rebellion is crushed before Mahmud II turned against Ali Pasha. But the success is... not much. Especially not in Greece. Among Albanians maybe, to keep them from the Greeks away... the Bektashis had large influence in Albania.

What kind of persuasion... I guess offering land from former rebels to converts...

Post-1831? Not much. Too much focus on the Ottoman Christians and the existence of the Patriarchy makes it hard. Maybe if they play the Bulgarians against the Greek dominated Church. But again, success is hard.
 
At this points it's too late for this. There isn't the overwhelming power of the Ottoman Empire to inspire conversion and they've been surpassed by Europe as any possible cultural model. And at this point the process of national revival among the Christian nations is already strengthening national identities. Such effort is more likely to backfire and increase resistance against Ottoman rule.
 
The Ottoman state encouraged conversion throughout its history. If those efforts are stepped up in the European part of the Empire after Greek independence, there'll be diplomatic and/or military consequences in all likelihood.
 
Could the Ottomans decide to encourage large scale conversions in the Balkans to Islam following the Greek war of independence

Would kind of persuasion would be best

How much of the Balkans could they convert to Islam post 1831
They did
 
Of course, conversion to Islam is no guarantee that the population will continue to identify with the Ottoman state. Just as an example, Albania was majority muslim, and had provided a disproportionate number of soldiers and officials to Istanbul over the centuries, and yet, when the Balkan Wars came, they chose to jump ship and declare independence. A common religion cannot substitute for a lack of other common interests.
 
Of course, conversion to Islam is no guarantee that the population will continue to identify with the Ottoman state. Just as an example, Albania was majority muslim, and had provided a disproportionate number of soldiers and officials to Istanbul over the centuries, and yet, when the Balkan Wars came, they chose to jump ship and declare independence. A common religion cannot substitute for a lack of other common interests.

Albanians held the view after 1878, that the Ottoman Empire is no longer in state protecting them. For example, Albanian majority/populated regions were given to Christian States as Montenegro, Serbia and Greece. The result were ethnic cleansing. Why remaining in an Empire that is no longer in state protecting them?

Being Muslim is no guarantee of loyalty but more loyal than Christians.
 
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