The Perception of Africa in Ottoman Magazines of the 2nd Constitutional Period

Abstract

The Ottoman Empire resided in the African continent for nearly 400 years. The Ottoman Empire, which extended its borders to the southern shores of the Mediterranean and made its influence felt from there to the interior of Africa, did not encounter any significant difficulties because this geography was largely Muslim. Africans also respected the Ottoman sultans, who were representatives of the caliphate. However, with the geographical discoveries that started in Western Europe, the previously unknown African geography became known to Westerners. Within the scope of Western Europe's economic activities which would lead to imperialism, the African continent constituted a source of human and underground wealth to be exploited. The imperial rise of the West progressed in parallel with the exploitation of the continent of Africa. The power that could resist the imperial states in Africa was the Ottoman Empire. Therefore, these states fought against the Ottoman Empire to conquer Africa. By 1911, Tripoli, which was the last Ottoman territory in Africa, was attacked by Italy and the Ottoman Empire was forced to retreat from Africa. During such a period, magazines published in the Ottoman Empire drew attention to the developments in Africa. Islamic motifs were used as much as possible to increase the motivation of the people in the ongoing Tripoli War. These magazines focused on how imperialism could be resisted by emphasizing the political, economic and religious goals of the imperialist Western states on the continent. Issues requiring self-criticism about the Ottoman Empire and the Islamic world in general were also mentioned. This study examines the interest of the Ottoman Empire in Africa between 1908 and 1914 through the magazines of the period.