Persian Gulf Policies of the Ottoman Empire: Beylerbeyliks of Baghdat, Basrah and Lahsa (1534-1672)

Abstract

The Persian Gulf had always been among the strategic aims of the Ottomans since Selim I’s Egypt campaign. Much more attention had been devoted particularly with Suleyman I. The Ottoman Empire had to have sovereignty over the Persian Gulf because of two important reasons: first it had to retain the newly conquered lands and second to prove its power as an empire by facing with the Portugese. Moreover, reasons such as reaching to the Indian ocean and controlling significant trade routes made the Persian Gulf much more attractive. Suleyman I’s taking control of Baghdat in 1534 after accomplishing his aims in the West was the first step towards these strategic aims. Similarly, the control of Basrah by the Ottomans and the establishment of a beylerbeylik there also paved the way for the opening of the Persian Gulf to the Ottomans. However, it was only after the Ottomans forced the Portugese out of Qatif and established the Lahsa beylerbeylik in 1555 that the real control in the Persian Gulf had been established. It is after this date the Ottomans became an important actor in the region from the coasts of Basrah to Musqat for centuries. This paper deals with the first period (125 years) of this rule and makes some evaluations.