page_title: Tanzimat
section_title: Reforms
hierarchical_section_title: Tanzimat / Reforms
caption_attribution_description: English: Prince Sabahaddin de Neuchâtel (born Sultanzade Mehmed Sabâhaddin; 13 February 1879 in Constantinople — 30 June 1948 in Neuchâtel, Switzerland) was an Ottoman sociologist and thinker.
context_page_description: The Tanzimat was a period of reform in the Ottoman Empire that began in 1839 and ended with the First Constitutional Era in 1876.
  The Tanzimat era began with the purpose, not of radical transformation, but of modernization, desiring to consolidate the social and political foundations of the Ottoman Empire. It was characterised by various attempts to modernise the Ottoman Empire and to secure its territorial integrity against internal nationalist movements and external aggressive powers. The reforms encouraged Ottomanism among the diverse ethnic groups of the Empire and attempted to stem the tide of the rise of nationalism in the Ottoman Empire.
  The reforms sought to emancipate the empire's non-Muslim subjects or dhimmis and more thoroughly integrate non-Turks into Ottoman society by enhancing their civil liberties and granting them equality throughout the empire. In the midst of being forced to recognize the supremacy of Western power, the Ottoman elite intellectuals attempted to bring reconciliation between the West and the East within the framework of Islam.
  Part of the reform policy was an economic policy based on the Treaty of Balta Liman of 1838.
context_section_description: The Tanzimât reforms began under Sultan Mahmud II. On November 3, 1839, Sultan Abdulmejid I issued a hatt-i sharif or imperial edict called the Edict of Gülhane or Tanzimât (تنظيمات) Fermânı. This was followed by several statutes enacting its policies.
  In the edict the Sultan stated that he wished "to bring the benefits of a good administration to the provinces of the Ottoman Empire through new institutions". Among the reforms were:
  guarantees to ensure the Ottoman subjects perfect security for their lives, honour, and property (1839, see Edict of Gülhane below for details);
  the introduction of the first Ottoman paper banknotes (1840);
  the opening of the first post offices of the empire (1840);
  the reorganization of the finance system (1840);
  the reorganization of the Civil and Criminal Code (1840);
  the establishment of the Meclis-i Maarif-i Umumiye (1841) which was the prototype of the First Ottoman Parliament (1876);
  the reorganization of the army and a regular method of recruiting, levying the army, and fixing the duration of military service (1843–44);
  the adoption of an Ottoman national anthem and Ottoman national flag (1844);
  the first nationwide Ottoman census in 1844 (only male citizens were counted);
  the first national identity cards (officially named the Mecidiye identity papers, or informally kafa kağıdı (head paper) documents, 1844);
  the institution of a Council of Public Instruction (1845) and the Ministry of Education (Mekatib-i Umumiye Nezareti, 1847, which later became the Maarif Nezareti, 1857);
  the abolition of slavery and slave trade (1847);
  the establishment of the first modern universities (darülfünun, 1848), academies (1848) and teacher schools (darülmuallimin, 1848);
  the establishment of the Ministry of Healthcare (Tıbbiye Nezareti, 1850);
  the Commerce and Trade Code (1850);
  the establishment of the Academy of Sciences (Encümen-i Daniş, 1851);
  the establishment of the Şirket-i Hayriye (tr) which operated the first steam-powered commuter ferries (1851);
  the establishment of the modern Municipality of Constantinople (Şehremaneti, 1854) and the City Planning Council (İntizam-ı Şehir Komisyonu, 1855);
  the Hatt-ı Hümayun of 1856 (called Islahat meaning improvement) promising full legal equality for citizens of all religions (1856);
  the abolition of the devshirme system of military conscription, allowing adult non-Muslims to become soldiers (1856);
  various provisions for the better administration of the public service and advancement of commerce;
  the establishment of the first telegraph networks (1847–1855) and railway networks (1856);
  the replacement of guilds with factories;
  the establishment of the Ottoman Central Bank (originally established as the Bank-ı Osmanî in 1856, and later reorganized as the Bank-ı Osmanî-i Şahane in 1863) and the Ottoman Stock Exchange (Dersaadet Tahvilat Borsası, established in 1866);
  the Land Code (Arazi Kanunnamesi (1857);
  the permission for private sector publishers and printing firms with the Serbesti-i Kürşad Nizamnamesi (1857);
  the decriminalization of homosexuality (1858);
  the establishment of the Civil Service School, an institution of higher learning for civilians (1859)
  the establishment of the School of Economical and Political Sciences (Mekteb-i Mülkiye, 1859);
  the Press and Journalism Regulation Code (Matbuat Nizamnamesi, 1864); among others.
  the establishment of the Imperial Ottoman Lycée at Galatasaray, another institution of higher learning for civilians (1868)
  the Nationality Law of 1869 creating a common Ottoman citizenship irrespective of religious or ethnic divisions (1869).
caption: Prince Sabahaddin proclaimed the first liberal party of the Ottoman Empire during the Second Constitutional Era.
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