“Preliminary Thoughts Upon The Policies of The Ottoman State In the 16th Century Indian Ocean”

Mehmet Özay                                                                                                                   13 Mart 2013

For a new perspective to understand the involvement of the Ottoman State into the political issues in the Indian Ocean in the 16th century. Further the function of the Sultanate of Aceh Darussalam must be revisited to conceive the salient developments in the eastern and western parts of this ocean.

Abstract 

This article aims to sketch concisely about the relationships between the Ottomans and the Portuguese pertaining to the developments in the Indian Ocean in the first half of the 16th century. The purpose of the Portuguese Kingdom to establish hegemony in the eastern seas occurred in an era when Ottoman State’s borders reached nearly the central Europe. After annexing the Mamluk Sultanate, the Ottomans expanded its borders and became adjacent to the Indian Ocean. After having great efforts to be a vigorous power in the Black, Aegean and Mediterranean Seas from the mid of the 15th century onwards, the Ottomans gave prominence on the advancement of the navy which was considered as complementary to the conventional army in the expansion of the state. Nonetheless, there are disputed accounts among the academicians pertaining to assessment of the Ottoman sea-power against its challenge to the Portuguese sea power in terms of the developments in the Indian Ocean.

World Journal of Islamic History and Civilization, History and Civilization, Academy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya, 3 (1): 09-20, 2013, ISSN 2225-0883, IDOSI Publications, 2013, DOI: 10.5829/idosi.wjihc.2013.3.1.3102.

       http://idosi.org/wjihc/wjihc3(1)13.htm