The Ottoman Occupation of Greece

During the 14th century, the Ottomans Turks invaded the Balkans and Asia Minor. Constantinople finally fell under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, which marked the end of the Byzantine period. Constantinople was renamed Istanbul by the Ottoman Turks. The Ottoman state was a theocracy and its political system was based on hierarchy with at the top, the Sultan, which had absolute divine rights.

The Ottomans divided the non-Muslim community into so-called “millets,” such as, Armenian, Catholic, Jewish, and Orthodox. The Ottomans gave to the millets some significant autonomy. The ruler of each millet was the religious leader who was responsible for his subject’s obedience to the Sultan. The head of the Orthodox millet was the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, the highest ranking person in the Greek Orthodox religion. The patriarch had much power and played an important role to the development of the Greek Orthodox religion and culture.

The Ottoman Empire had, for various reasons, a much decentralized administration. They had designated local military leaders. In later years, the Ottoman Empire was divided into regions ruled by “Pashas". Official contact was limited to tax collection and military conscription. The Ottoman system discriminated against the non-Muslim population by imposing special taxes like the “cizye”, a head tax and tax for freedom.

Orthodox priests and Christian primates collected taxes and maintained order. However, the Greek Orthodox Church was also greatly responsible for keeping the Greek language and traditions alive during the nearly four centuries of Turkish occupation.

During the Ottoman’s domination, Greek-speaking families moved to many countries. There was a significant outmigration to places such as Romania, Russia, and the Hapsburg Empire in Austria. They participated in the trade between the Ottoman Empire and the outside world.

These “diaspora” communities also played an important role in the development of a Greek identity. They were influenced by all the modern currents, including the ideology of revolution. Many wealthy diaspora people became wealthy and helped the Greeks by founding schools and other public institutions. Movements for independence by minorities started to multiply in the beginning of the 19th century.