Law of the Ottoman Empire

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/law-of-the-ottoman-empire

1. What were the two main types of laws in the Ottoman Empire?
2. How did the Ottoman Empire keep its many different people happy with the law?

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What were the two main types of laws in the Ottoman Empire?The Ottoman Empire used two main kinds of laws: Qanun, which were the Sultan’s own rules about things like taxes and crimes, and Sharia, which were the Islamic religious laws that guided personal matters such as marriage and inheritance.
2. How did the Ottoman Empire keep its many different people happy with the law?The empire let each non‑Muslim group, called a millet, run its own schools, churches, and family rules while still following the Sultan’s laws. This helped everyone feel respected and kept peace.

Qanun: Sultanic law, comprising administrative, criminal, and economic regulations issued by the Ottoman ruler.
Sharia: Islamic law derived from the Quran and Sunnah, governing personal status and ethical conduct.
Millet System: An Ottoman administrative system granting religious communities autonomy in personal status and internal affairs.
Legal Pluralism: The existence of multiple legal systems or sources of law within a single society or territory.