Shahdown: The Ottoman Empire, 1730

The Ottoman Empire, centered in Turkey, but spreading from the Balkans to the Maghreb and Arabian Peninsula, has been a major trans-continental political, military, and economic power for centuries. This multinational empire casts a long shadow over the Middle East; a shadow that has reached the doorstep of the ancient Persian Empire.

Given their territorial overlaps, competition over major trade routes, and attempts to spread political influence, these two formidable foes have been battling one another round after round for hundreds of years, and the damage is starting to show. Persia’s Safavid dynasty, facing internal instability due to corruption and economic crisis, has fallen victim to invaders from Afghanistan and created a massive power vacuum within the country. The Ottomans, seeing an opportunity to eliminate their competitor and keep up with modernizing European states, invaded Persia alongside Russia in 1723 and seized significant amounts of territory in modern-day Iraq and the Caucasus.

The year is now 1730, and the Ottomans are in a precarious situation. Persia has begun organizing a resurgence against their Ottoman invaders. While the Ottomans seemingly retain the upper hand, overexpansion has begun to imperil their empire as their subjects have increasingly clamor for independence. While the Silk Road trade remains lucrative, the relevance of land-based trade seemingly decreases every day in the era of European maritime exploration.

Now, both sides are on a more even playing field than ever before, and face a crossroads in history. Will the Ottomans play it safe and seek a diplomatic solution to this new crisis, or will they seek to cut their way into the modern age with bullets and fire. To accomplish anything, the Ottomans will need to consolidate control of their periphery, modernize their governmental and tax systems, reform their leadership, and blaze a new path into tomorrow. The fate of the Middle East depends on it.