The Influence of Some Ottoman Ideals on French Enlightenment Thought

The Ottoman Empire, during the 15th to 18th centuries, emerged not only as a significant political power but also as an influential benchmark for socio-religious progress in the eyes of many French groups. This dynamic and its implications for French Enlightenment thinkers serve as the focus of our exploration.

French Critics and Ottoman Tolerance:

Various French factions, including Huguenots, Politiques, religious reformers, overseas merchants, Orientalists, Philosophes, and Enlightenment figures, looked towards the Ottoman Empire as an epitome of religious diversity and tolerance. In contrast to the French backdrop of religious homogeneity, wars over faith, persecution of heretics, and stifling of dissent, the Ottoman model offered a promising alternative. The Ottoman Empire was perceived as an emblem of religious freedom and coexistence, providing a stark critique of the religious rigidities that characterized France.

Sociopolitical Observations:

Beyond the realm of faith, the Ottoman Empire represented socio-political ideals that seemed far removed from the troubles plaguing France. Visitors from France were struck by the Ottoman achievements in governance and society. The empire’s military prowess, social harmony, meritocratic aristocracy, justice, equality, and public welfare were all starkly juxtaposed against France’s military vulnerabilities in the 15th and 16th centuries, and the rampant absolutism, inequality, and clerical corruption of the 17th and 18th centuries.

Philosophical Engagement with Ottoman Culture:

The 18th-century French Philosophes and Enlightenment leaders, driven by a spirit of inquiry and reform, sought insights from travel accounts depicting life in the Ottoman Empire. These travelogues became vital instruments in critiquing the socio-economic and religio-political ailments plaguing France. To avoid the heavy hand of censorship, these thinkers often used the Ottoman “Turk” symbolically. By employing metaphors, allegories, and irony rooted in Ottoman imagery, they could discreetly challenge the Christian establishment and evade persecution.

The cultural and religious practices of the East, especially the Ottomans, provided the Philosophes with literary motifs that aided in discreetly critiquing Christianity. This method was especially crucial because direct criticism could lead to severe repercussions.

Dual Nature of Islamic Perception:

While the Ottoman Empire provided ample motifs for criticizing Christian practices, the European image of Islam wasn’t uniformly positive. There existed a dichotomy in perceptions. On the one hand, the history of Muslim conquests in Europe painted Muhammad as a forceful conqueror. Yet, on the other hand, there was also a perception of Islam being a rational belief system, with its practices being more tolerant than their Christian counterparts. This distinction highlights that while Europe’s reformists took aim at the corruption and intolerance within Christianity, they didn’t necessarily exalt Islam as a flawless alternative.

The Ottoman Yardstick:

The Ottoman world – its governance, society, culture, and religion – began to serve as a standard for evaluating and critiquing the French socio-political fabric. In essence, the Ottomans became a mirror reflecting the deficiencies, hypocrisies, and failures of the French establishment. This mirror was utilized to bring to light and challenge the prevailing socio-religious issues in France.

The Changing Paradigm:

Ian Coller provides a comprehensive summary of the evolving relationship between France and the Ottoman Empire. Initially, Islam was seen by the ancien régime as a deviation from Christianity, almost a heretical offshoot. However, as geopolitical scenarios evolved in the 18th century, so did these perceptions. The diplomatic and trade alliances fostered between France and the Ottoman Empire in the mid-16th century instigated regular interactions, which, in turn, influenced travelers’ accounts and enlightened the Philosophes.

A significant shift occurred in the 1720s when philosophers began re-examining the life and teachings of Prophet Muhammad. This examination, when combined with diplomatic and commercial insights into Muslim societies, ushered in a transformative understanding of Muslims and Islam, intertwining it with the revolutionary spirit of the age.

The influence of the Ottoman Empire on French Enlightenment thought highlights the interconnectedness of diverse cultures and the role of external benchmarks in introspection and reform. By holding up the Ottoman model against the backdrop of their socio-religious landscape, the French thinkers not only critiqued their system but also paved the way for transformative ideas that would eventually reshape France’s socio-political milieu.