Economic History of The Ottoman Empire

Economic history of the Ottoman Empire covers the period 1299-1923. The economic history falls into two distinctive sub periods. The first is the classic era (enlargement), which comprised a closed agricultural economy, showing regional distinctions within the empire. The Second period was the reformation era that comprised state organized reforms, commencing with administrative and political structures through to state and public functions. Change began with military reforms extending to military associated guilds (Ottoman: لنكا) and public craft guilds.

The Ottomans saw military expansion and fiscalism as the main source of wealth, with agriculture seen as more important than manufacture and commerce. Western mercantilists gave more emphasis to manufacture and industry in the wealth-power-wealth equation, moving towards capitalist economics comprising expanding industries and markets whereas the Ottomans continued along the trajectory of territorial expansion, traditional monopolies, conservative land holding and agriculture.