British Hegemony over the Iraq and Persian Gulf in the Late Nineteenth Century: The Case of Müşir Nusret Pasha’s Report

Year 2019, Issue: 9, 223 - 240, 30.12.2019

Erhan Bektaş

https://doi.org/10.32739/uskudarsbd.5.9.64

Abstract

This article examines the Great Britain’s political and economic intervention into the Ottoman Iraqi province and Persian Gulf in the late nineteenth century. It aims to show that how Britain's political and economic hegemony imposed towards the Iraqi region and Persian Gulf by both militarily and politically. There is a large literature of academic study on the British policy towards Iraq and Persian Gulf in the nineteenth century. To contribute to this considerable literature, this article will examine the factors of the growth of British economic and political hegemony in Iraq and Persian Gulf by referring to the report of Müşir Nusret Pasha who had served long years in Iraqi province as the Honorary Inspector of the Sixth Army. The principal point of this article is to investigate various aspects of the Britain’s expanding penetration into Persian Gulf and Iraqi region given the detailed report of Müşir Nusret Pasha. Another focal point of this article is to show how the British penetration into Persian Gulf and Iraqi region was perceived by the Ottoman official Nusret Pasha. Müşir Nusret Pasha pointed out that Britain’s growing influence in these regions is a potential threat and security risk for the Ottoman Empire in the near future. For this reason, Nusret Pasha warned the Ottoman central administration to take immediate action against Britain’s political and economic penetration. However, Ottoman Empire did not take necessary measures due to the lack of Ottoman military and administrative capacity.  

Keywords

Persian Gulf, Iraq, Müşir Nusret Pasha, British Hegemony, LateOttoman Empire

On Dokuzuncu Yüzyıl Sonunda Irak ve Basra Körfezi Üzerinde İngiliz Hegemonyası: Müşir Nusret Paşa’nın Raporu

Abstract

Bu makale, Büyük Britanya’nın on dokuzuncu yüzyılın sonlarında Osmanlı Irak vilayetine ve Basra Körfezi’ne siyasi ve ekonomik müdahalesini incelemektedir. İngiltere’nin siyasi ve ekonomik hegemonyasını Irak bölgesi ve Basra Körfezi’ne askeri ve siyasi olarak nasıl dayattığını göstermeyi amaçlamaktadır. On dokuzuncu yüzyılda Britanya’nın Irak ve Basra Körfezi’ne yönelik politikaları üzerine çok sayıda akademik makale vardır. Bu akademik literatüre katkıda bulunmak için, bu makale, Irak’ta Altıncı Ordu Onursal Müfettişi olarak uzun yıllar görev yapan Müşir Nusret Paşa’nın raporuna bakarak Britanya’nın Basra Körfezi ve Irak’taki artan hegemonyasını inceleyecektir. Bu makalenin temel amacı, Müşir Nusret Paşa’nın ayrıntılı raporuna dayanarak, İngiltere’nin Basra Körfezi ve Irak bölgesine genişlemesinin çeşitli yönlerini incelemektir. Bu makalenin bir diğer odak noktası da İngiltere’nin İran Körfezi ve Irak bölgesine girmesinin Osmanlı yetkilisi Nusret Paşa tarafından nasıl algılandığıdır. Müşir Nusret Paşa, Britanya’nın bu bölgelerde artan nüfuzunun Osmanlı açısından yakın gelecek için potansiyel bir tehdit ve güvenlik riski olduğuna işaret etti. Bu sebeple, Osmanlı merkezi yönetimini İngiliz siyasi ve ekonomik nüfuzuna karşı gerekli tedbirleri almaları için uyardı. Ancak, Osmanlı İmparatorluğu, Osmanlı askeri ve idari kapasitesinin yetersizliğinden dolayı gerekli tedbirleri almadı.

Keywords

Basra Körfezi, Irak, Müşir Nusret Paşa, İngiliz Hegemonyası, Son Dönem Osmanlı İmparatorluğu.

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