Face-to-Face Mirrors in the Iranian and Ottoman Constitution

Abstract

Iran and Ottoman Empire, as two great powers with historical civilizations had mutual relationships for a long time. The constitutional era is of great importance in Iran-Ottoman foreign relations. The objective of the present study is to identify and assess the influences of political, social, economic and cultural conditions in Iran and the Ottoman Empire in constitutional era using a comparative approach. Reviewing the intellectual contexts of two neighboring communities and the presence of intellectuals and businessmen in both countries will aid further understanding of interactions as well as the causes of successes and failures of the Iranian and Ottoman constitution. Moreover, the concentration of written pro-constitution media in Istanbul and the special attention of Ottoman government to Iranian revolutionaries, activities of Iranian political communities in Anatolia and Istanbul, the role of embassies of two countries, the efforts made by Muslim intellectuals and scholars in both territories were effective in development of a comprehensive constitution during the rise and fall of the Ottoman and the Iranian constitution. Iran and the Ottoman had common enemies during constitutional era. They were involved with political, cultural, military and bureaucracy challenges in modernization process. However, they assumed their mirages real in their face-to-face mirrors. The present study reviews the similarities and differences between Iranian and Ottoman constitution using desk study method. It evaluates descriptively and analytically the influence of events and political currents of constitutional era as well as the political mirage caused by various factors of constitutional revolution on political and religious leaders of both countries.