Arming the Sultan German Arms Trade and Diplomacy in the Ottoman Empire Before World War 1

by Yorulmaz, Naci

• ISBN13: 9781780766331
• ISBN10: 1780766335
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2014-10-30
• Publisher: I. B. Tauris

Summary

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the Ottoman armaments trade was entirely self-sufficient. But by the end of the century, it was almost entirely under German control. How did Germany under Chancellor Bismarck manage to conquer what had until then been an extremely competitive military market? Focusing on the reign of Sultan Abdülhamid between 1876 and 1909, Naci Yorulmaz's book explores the determining factors that influenced the development of the Ottoman armaments market. While acknowledging the importance of political and economic factors, Arming the Sultan concentrates on the personal relationships which shaped the development of the arms trade, including the bonds between arms-makers and the government, between German politicians and Ottoman grandees, and even the private relationships between Kaiser Wilhelm I, Otto von Bismarck and the Sultan. Yorulmaz's innovative book suggests that the value of these relationships has been overlooked, and ensured German success over British, French and American competition.

Author Biography

Naci Yorulmaz is Research Scholar at the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies, University of Washington, USA. He holds a PhD from the University of Birmingham.

Table of Contents

List of Tables
List of Figures
List of Maps and Images
List of Abbreviations
Introduction
1. The German Expansionism and the Political and Economic Foundation of the German Style of War Business in the Ottoman Empire (1880-1898)
2. German Military Advisers: Businessmen in Uniform
3. Arms Orders and Contracts: The First Fruits of Personal Diplomacy
4. Kaiser Wilhelm II and The Political Economy of Personal Diplomacy (1898-1914)
5. Sultan Abdülhamid II and His Bureaucrats (1876-1914)
6. The Power Shift and its Consequences (1908-1914)
The Second Episode: The New Regime and The Old Friend (1909-1914)
Conclusion
Endnotes
Bibliography