Specific Ottoman interest in Habeshistan arose from its pivotal geographic position in the region: it had ports and coastline on both the Red Sea (and near the
Bab-el-Mandeb, where Ottoman blockades could be performed if necessary) and on the Indian Ocean (specifically
Zeila and the Somali coast). The Ottoman navy was still relatively weak and in its infancy, so Ottoman land forces would have to capture key areas to ensure that the weak navy of
Mecca (left) and the
Naib of
Arkiko (right) by Théophile Lefebvre. would have some influence and strengthen. Selman also recognized a religious duty to conquer Habesh. After the 1517 conquests, the Ottomans also were interested in the region because of the
hajj. Having conquered the former Muslim defenders of the
hajj, the Ottomans, being the successor of those states, was charged with protecting and providing safe passage to all undertaking the
hajj. Portuguese hegemony in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean, however, gave them some control over
hajjis. In the same vein, other Muslim states in the region saw the Ottomans as their defenders as Muslim brothers: Finally, there was a pre-emptive element to the Ottoman invasion of Ethiopia. If the Portuguese had built fortresses and taken control of the Red Sea ports first (especially
Dahlak), they would have controlled the whole region, both directly and through their allies. Despite the possible economic gain from taxing Habesh proper, the Ottomans were more concerned with overcoming and outmaneuvering the Portuguese in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean.
Resources Part of the reasoning behind Ottoman expansion was to aid fellow Muslim states in the new role it had taken on, but economic issues were pertinent as well. Though weapons were usually given unilaterally, the Muslim states could provide another source of revenue through the selling of firearms, as those were greatly in demand there. More important, however, was the Red Sea trade, despite its relatively small revenue. The Ottomans even constructed a canal some time after 1532 between the
Nile and the Red Sea so that spices could go directly to Constantinople. According to Dom
Andre de Oviedo, the Ottomans were interested in the area because of the prospect of capturing slaves from other African regions via the ports. Then to use that for galleys, provisions,
iron, and other goods. According to
Selman Reis, an ambitious Ottoman Red Sea admiral, the coast (specifically the
Dahlak Archipelago) was also rich with
pearls, and the amount of merchandise and trade consisting of "gold, musk, and ivory" present at Berbera, on the Somali coast, was described by Selman as "limitless". Despite the promises of
Selman Reis, Habesh did not provide much revenue for the Ottomans, partly because the spice trade was not very profitable, but more importantly because the rich hinterlands were unconquered, with the Ottomans holding only the dry and hot coasts. Given that Yemen often cost more in upkeep than it sent to
Constantinople as taxes, and that Habesh had much less in the way of agricultural taxes (but just as high a salary for the
beylerbeyi), the province was probably very unprofitable. Habesh, along with other 16th century conquests, was not under the timar system as were lands conquered in Europe and Anatolia. Rather, it was a salyaneli province, in which taxes "were collected directly for the centre and were transferred to the central treasury after the local expenses were deducted". Due to the aridity of the province, little in the way of taxes on agriculture were collected; the most important source of revenue was the customs duty collected through
iltizam (tax farming) on goods flowing through Massawa,
Beylul, and Suakin in Sudan. Individuals would be allowed to collect duties, but in return would have to send a specified amount to the Sultan every year. Although Ottoman interest in Habesh had dwindled by the end of the 16th century, it was still strategically located and therefore still guarded by Ottoman galleys until the 17th century. == Notes ==