I. Selim’in Suriye ve Mısır seferinden sonra Basra Körfezi daima Osmanlıların stratejik

The Persian Gulf had always been among the strategic aims of the Ottomans sinceSelim I’s Egypt campaign. Much more attention had been devoted particularly with SuleymanI. The Ottoman Empire had to have sovereignty over the Persian Gulf becauseof two important reasons: first it had to retain the newly conquered lands and second toprove its power as an empire by facing with the Portugese. Moreover, reasons such asreaching to the Indian ocean and controlling significant trade routes made the PersianGulf much more attractive. Suleyman I’s taking control of Baghdat in 1534 after accomplishinghis aims in the West was the first step towards these strategic aims. Similarly, thecontrol of Basrah by the Ottomans and the establishment of a beylerbeylik there alsopaved the way for the opening of the Persian Gulf to the Ottomans. However, it was onlyafter the Ottomans forced the Portugese out of Qatif and established the Lahsa beylerbeylikin 1555 that the real control in the Persian Gulf had been established. It is after thisdate the Ottomans became an important actor in the region from the coasts of Basrah toMusqat for centuries. This paper deals with the first period (125 years) of this rule andmakes some evaluations.