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between the Mongols and local rulers; in general, however, the
region fell into decline.
C
ONFLICT OVER THE
R
EGION
By the 15th century, a new power was rising in the Middle East—
the Ottoman Turks. In 1453 the Ottomans conquered
Constantinople, ending the 1,000-year history of the Byzantine
Empire. The Ottoman Turks were Sunni Muslims who were dedi-
cated to the faith, but they also wanted to expand their own power
throughout the region. By the early 16th century, the Ottomans
were entending their empire into Syria, Egypt, and Arabia, and they
turned their sights on Mesopotamia to the south.
During the same period, the Safavid Empire had come to power
in Persia to the east. The Safavid rulers declared Shia Islam to be
the official religion of Persia, and they wanted to control Iraq in part
because it contained the important Shiite shrines at An Najaf and
Karbala. Fighting between the Ottomans and Safavids continued
for more than a century. The Safavid armies conquered
Mesopotamia in 1509, but the Ottomans took control of the region
in 1535. The Safavids retook Baghdad in 1623, but lost the city to
the Ottomans in 1638.
The Ottoman Empire would maintain control over Mesopotamia
until the early years of the 20th century. An Ottoman governor was
placed in Baghdad, and important families were given positions in
the Ottoman government. The Ottomans divided Mesopotamia into
three provinces—a northern province governed from Mosul, a
central province ruled from Baghdad, and a southern province con-
trolled from Basra. Outside of these cities, however, the power of
the Ottoman officials was limited. Instead, local tribal chiefs called
sheikhs
had the real authority in rural Mesopotamia. Although
they paid taxes to the Ottomans, these sheikhs had a great deal of
independence.
I
RAQ
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