Abstract:

The Ottoman Empire aimed to adapt to the modern world, which emerged as the result of economic and political developments through Westernization politics adopted as of 18th century, and thus aimed to survive. The fact that administrative, financial and military problems, which became apparent in 17th century, were perceived as state-centred caused Westernization, which was considered as a solution, to be implemented in a state-limited area. Thus, the Ottoman bureaucracy based on three trivets as kalemiye, ilmiye and seyfiye underwent a transformation that is based on the principles of modern state, the new political model produced by the modern world in the West. In the Ottoman bureaucracy, seyfiye was the ruling class where the transformation in concern was experienced first and most profoundly. It was thought that the state would also be strengthened by strengthening the Ottoman army, which took modern armies as a model in education, equipment and organizational matters, within the framework of Western principles. However, the defeats sustained one after the other on the battlefields in a similar fashion to the previous ones showed that they could not reach what was intended. Seyfiye, which was unable to fulfil what was expected from it regarding the principal duties, started to have a movement area different from the Classical Period in the pioneer of the modern establishments that became evident within its body as of Tanzimat period. This differentiation, which started in Tanzimat Period, was further strengthened through developments experienced in the periods of Abdul Hamid and the Committee of Union and Progress. What was emerged was a military structure that was not functionally compatible with modern armies which were obliged to fulfil the modern state's internal and external sovereignty claim in the West.

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