The Ottoman Sultans Were Not Very Turkish

The Ottoman Sultans Were Not Very Turkish The Ottoman Empire ruled over what is now Turkey and a large portion of the eastern Mediterranean world from 1299 until 1923. The rulers, or sultans, of the Ottoman Empire had their paternal roots in Oghuz Turks of Central Asia, also known as the Turkmen.   The History of Concubine Mothers However, most of the sultans mothers were concubines from the royal harem - and most of the concubines were from non-Turkic, usually non-Muslim parts of the empire. Much like the boys in the Janissary corps, most concubines in the Ottoman Empire were technically members of the slave class. The Quran forbids the enslavement of fellow Muslims, so the concubines were from Christian or Jewish families in Greece or the Caucasus, or were prisoners of war from further afield. Some residents of the harem were official wives, as well, who might be noblewomen from Christian nations, married to the sultan as part of diplomatic negotiations. Although many of the mothers were slaves, they could amass incredible political power if one of their sons became the sultan. As valide sultan, or Mother Sultan, a concubine often served as de facto ruler in the name of her young or incompetent son. Ottoman Royal Genealogy The Ottoman royal genealogy begins with Osman I (r. 1299 - 1326), both of whose parents were Turks. The next sultan likewise was 100% Turkic, but beginning with the third sultan, Murad I, the sultans mothers (or valide sultan) were not of Central Asian origins. Murad I (r. 1362 - 1389) was 50% Turkish.  Bayezid Is mother was Greek, so he was 25% Turkish.   The fifth sultans mother was Oghuz, so he was 62.5% Turkish. Continuing in the fashion, Suleiman the Magnificent, the tenth sultan, had about 24% Turkish blood.   According to our calculations, by the time we get to the 36th and final sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Mehmed VI (r. 1918 - 1922), the Oghuz blood was so diluted that he was only about 0.195% Turkic. All of those generations of mothers from Greece, Poland, Venice, Russia, France, and beyond really drowned out the sultans genetic roots on the steppes of Central Asia. List of Ottoman Sultans and their Mothers Ethnicities Osman I, TurkishOrhan, TurkishMurad I, GreekBayezid I, GreekMehmed I, TurkishMurad II, TurkishMehmed II, TurkishBayezid II, TurkishSelim I, GreekSuleiman I, GreekSelim II, PolishMurad III, Italian (Venetian)Mehmed III, Italian (Venetian)Ahmed I, GreekMustafa I, AbkhazianOsman II, Greek or Serbian (?)Murad IV, GreekIbrahim, GreekMehmed IV, UkrainianSuleiman II, SerbianAhmed II, PolishMustafa II, GreekAhmed III, GreekMahmud I, GreekOsman III, SerbianMustafa III, FrenchAbdulhamid I, HungarianSelim III, GeorgianMustafa IV, BulgarianMahmud II, GeorgianAbdulmecid I, Georgian or Russian (?)Abdulaziz I, RomanianMurad V, GeorgianAbdulhamid II, Armenian or Russian (?)Mehmed V, AlbanianMehmed VI, Georgian

Avoid These 5 Mistakes When NetworkingÂÂ

Avoid These 5 Mistakes When Networking   We all know how daunting networking can be. It’s often the last thing we want to do: going out to â€Å"socialize† when we could be on the couch with take-out and Netflix, having to sell ourselves in every conversation, having to get in front of the right people to make the right impression. But, it has to be done. And it should be done right. Here are 5 common networking pitfalls and how to avoid them.1. Don’t get caught with your pants downEven if you make a last-minute decision to attend, make sure you’re prepared. Don’t forget your business cards. Don’t go up to anyone uninformed. Spend 15 minutes before you hit the party making a game plan- who you’d like to introduce yourself to, what specifically you’d like to accomplish, etc. Do some research into the people and companies you’re likely to run into; this will make for better conversations and you’ll come across as intelligent and on top of your game. Pick yo ur marks and take accurate, appropriate shots.2. Don’t be unprofessionalYou don’t need to  make a special hair appointment or show up in a cocktail dress to a casual after-work event, but you also shouldn’t dress like a slob. Go no lower than business casual, and when in doubt, take your cues from coworkers or other contacts you know are also attending.Once you’re there, act like a professional human. Don’t dismiss people just because they don’t look important. Don’t go around collecting business cards as if you were trick-or-treating. Don’t lie- you’ll always get caught. And make sure to have your elevator pitch practiced and ready to go. There’s nothing worse than being asked what you’re looking for and having to reply â€Å"Uh†¦. Um†¦. Work and stuff?†3. Don’t be naà ¯veAct like you’ve been to a networking event before. Don’t expect a job from every decision-maker you happen to shake hands with. And make sure not to ask for too much from everyone you meet. This is where a little strategic planning can really come in handy. Plan your big asks before you go. Once you’ve made them, try to  relax, act normally, and enjoy yourself. People are just people, after all.4. Don’t be selfishNobody likes a party hog. Don’t be the kind of networker who talks only about herself, thinks only about her needs, barges into conversations uninvited, and otherwise monopolizes everything and everyone. That goes for the shrimp puffs, too.5. Don’t forget to follow upThis is perhaps the most important. If you’ve made good contact with anyone, make sure to send a polite follow-up email the following day. Or even a phone call, depending on your level of connection! And if anyone does you any favors- i.e. puts you in touch with someone or agrees to circulate your resume- make sure to send a gracious thank you ASAP.