The Institutionalization of the Military's Coup Tradition in the Last Period of the Ottoman Empire

Modernization efforts in the Ottoman Empire also paved the way for the rise of the military as a political force, which intervened in civilian politics multiple times during the late Ottoman period (1839–1914). Inheriting the legacy of the Janissary revolts, the Ottoman Army, often in collaboration with civilian elites, contributed to making coups a recurring political tradition. This article, therefore, aims to examine how the coup tradition became institutionalized during the Empire's final decades. The Tanzimat Edict of 1839 led to the emergence of a new class of civil and military bureaucrats—initially the Young Ottomans and later the Young Turks—who sought to reverse the Empire’s decline through modernization. These intellectuals did not hesitate to use military force to influence politics and depose sultans. Between 1839 and 1914, the Empire experienced a turbulent mix of military interventions, and constitutional experiments that left a lasting legacy. Repeated military involvement in politics normalized coups, ultimately making them appear traditional, legitimate, and even institutionalized. This issue was analyzed in detail in article