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As we know, the last bumpy era of Ottoman Empire started around late 18th century - early 19th century. It was when the whole Europe was reaching the later phase of Enlightenment Era, during which a rapid scale of regional modernization and reform happened. Europe was changing, and it was the true start of European domination era over the globe. And it wasn't unnoticed by the adjacent trans-Eurasian empires, that were Russian and Ottoman Empires.

Yes, few people only aware that Ottomans were aware that Europe was changing and progressing. Instead, it has been known all this time as has been totally stagnating Chinese-style and somehow misjudged as isolationist and ignorant about changes in her surroundings. Now more people are aware that that is in fact a misconception, and propositions for reform and modernization of the empire were advocated by several people in the empire during that time. One of them was no less than the Padishah of the Empire himself, Selim III, the last Ottoman Emperor of the 18th century.

There were, of course, obstacles and oppositions against the reform. The main kind of them being political in nature. The Janissaries, once a special force of Imperial elite slave soldiers, came to dominate the empire. At one point of the empire's history, the body transformed from a meritocratic-based elite force into a hereditary privileged class. And by this point, the Jannisary institution had been dominant within the empire for more than a century. With their comfortable position they had been enjoying for long, they were the most hostile element against the reform, especially military reform, since they by this time formed the core of Ottoman military.

Struggle between Selim III and the Janissaries IOTL was won by the latter. It was a dangerous game for Selim indeed. Knowing how large the power of the Janissaries himself, he decided to be careful in dealing with him. Still however, he wasn't lucky enough, and the Janissaries managed to politically out-maneuvering him while tried to carry out military reform, helped greatly by Napoleon's invasion of Egypt which gave a good beating to the empire's face.


It was however, seemed to be overall a fairly close case, since Selim III did have some success in pushing the reform and modernization of the military. He basically had a chance. Nizam e-jedid, which was formed by Selim with the help of foreign instructors, were able to hold their own against rebellious Janissaries in the European provinces.


Say, for whatever reason Selim III was luckier or even brighter of a person. Maybe Napoleon's invasion of Egypt never happened, or a chance to out-maneuvering the Janissaries came to him. Whatever. Hence he was able to carry out his reforms, and the trend for modernization in the empire followed immediately(while IOTL the trend only took out in 1830/40s). What will become of the empire, and its effect on the balance of power, both in short and long terms ? How will it effect the empire's surroundings ? How will it effect the patterns of European colonial expansions, especially in Africa ? Will anything like the Scramble for Africa still happen ?

How will the empire develop with a much earlier take off to modernization ? And how this stronger Ottoman empire will influence the world ?
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