England’s Early Break from Europe
An event similar to Brexit happened 450 years ago, when England decided to leave Europe. The country’s relationship with the Muslim world began around that incident. Muslim Rulers Supported Queen Elizabeth during that time and protected British Empire from facing the fall.
Religious Separation and Papal Rebellion
Following in the footsteps of her father, King Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth I severed ties with the Roman Catholic Church. In 1570, Pope Pius V declared her the ‘Queen of Bahyarambar and the Slave of Crime’ and ordered her subjects to rebel against her.
Tensions with Spain
However This Protestant queen refused to marry Philip II, King of Catholic Spain. Enraged, King Philip II not only cut off Britain’s access to European markets, but also began preparing to invade.
Seeking New Alliances
Concerned with defense risks and economic needs, the queen began to seek allies outside of Europe.
Muslim World Connections
Since Historian Nadia Khan writes that it was the Muslim world that came to their rescue indirectly by accepting Queen Elizabeth I as an ally and business partner.
Economic Challenges and Opportunities
Europe’s trade opportunities were limited with this British kingdom burdened with a debt of 300,000 pounds.
Therefore the queen looked to the rich Muslim world for political advantage.
Ottoman and Moroccan Support
At that time, the rulers of the Ottoman Empire and Morocco saved England from a catastrophe by extending a hand of friendship and establishing commercial relations.
Diplomatic Relations with Persia
Queen Elizabeth I had contacts with Persia (Iran), the Ottoman Empire and Morocco. English traveler Anthony Jenkinson arrived at the court of Persian King Tahmasp and presented him with the Queen’s letters written in Hebrew, Italian and Latin.
On his return, Jenkinson also brought his gifts for the Queen.
Formation of Trade Companies
The Muscovy Company was formed to trade with Russia and Persia.
Anglo-Ottoman relations began with the exchange of letters and gifts between Queen Elizabeth I and the Ottoman Sultan Murad III. Later, letters and gifts were also exchanged with Rani and Sultan’s wife Safia. The exchange lasted for seventeen years.
Protestant-Islamic Unity
Historian Jerry Broughton wrote in his book The Sultan and the Queen that the Queen wrote to the Ottoman Sultan, ‘Protestants and Islam united in opposition to idolatry’.
As gifts, the Ottoman rulers sent jewelry, silk, and fashionable Turkish clothing. And Queen Elizabeth sent clothes, watches, cars and pictures of herself.
A Treaty for Trade
According to historian Christine Woodhead, a treaty was signed between them in May 1580. It ensured the safe passage of English traders along Ottoman-controlled seas, ports and the Barbary coast of North Africa in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Since the 1550s, British merchants could not use the Mediterranean for trade due to pirate infestations.
Merging Trade Companies
The ‘Turkey Company’ was established in September 1581 to monopolize regional trade. Two years later the ‘Venice Company’ was formed to operate in the Mediterranean. Then in 1592 these two companies merged with the Levant Company. The company continued to operate until it folded in 1825.
Moroccan Relations
Historian Nabil Matar writes, Sultan Ahmed al-Mansour of Morocco’s Saadi dynasty not only provided Elizabeth I with military support, but also made all kinds of possibilities for establishing trade relations with her.
Trade and Defense
In 1585, when granting permission to the Moroccan (trading) company or the Barbary company, the queen asserted that ‘the various commodities of this region are important to the practical and defense of England.’
Ottoman Support Against Spain
In 1588, King Philip II of Spain invaded England with a large fleet.
According to Broughton, the movement of the Ottoman fleet into the eastern Mediterranean dispersed the Spanish armada of 130 ships. This was crucial to the war as this move ensured England’s victory. This news was welcomed in the Muslim world.
Al-Fashtali, author of al-Mansur’s Durbar, wrote that Allah ‘sent fierce winds (reha sarsara) against the fleet’ to halt the Spanish advance.
Expanding Trade with Morocco
The Berber Company traded along the Atlantic coast of Morocco.
England bought sugar from Morocco before the West Indies in the 1600s. British traders sold cloth, weapons, ammunition and timber to Morocco. Tin, lead and ammunition were exported to the Ottoman Empire for making cannons.
English Converts to Islam
Hundreds of English men and women traveled to Muslim countries and many of them converted to Islam. Among them was Samson Rowley, a businessman from Norfolk. He took the name Hassan Aga and became the chief treasurer of Algeria. He also became one of the most trusted advisors of the Ottoman governor.
Cultural Influences on England
Diplomatic, political and commercial relations with Persia, Turkey, Morocco not only changed the economy of England, but also influenced many things including food habits, speech.
Sugar and Sweets
Alan Mikhail writes that Queen Elizabeth I had dental problems. This was due to the large amount of sugar that came to England from Morocco in the 16th century. Sweets were his favorite.
But the story of Queen Elizabeth I’s ill-fated smile is hidden between Queen Island (which was not so important then), the Sultanate of Morocco and the extremely wealthy Muslim world.
The Muslim world not only dominated half of the Mediterranean, but also controlled Europe’s access, economy and culture to the East.
Transforming English Life
Protestant England’s interaction with the Muslim world influenced English culture, consumerism and literature.
According to Broughton, things, ideas and even words that entered England from the Muslim world changed English life.
Common people in England began to decorate their homes with carpets imported from Türkiye and Morocco. Also wears new designs of silk and cotton clothes. They drank sweet wine and added various spices like fennel, nutmeg, turmeric and pistachio to their diet.
Imported Goods and Language
Demand for Corinth raisins from the Ottoman Greek Islands alone was so high that 2,300 tons were imported annually during Elizabeth’s reign.
It is through this interchange that words like ‘sugar’, ‘candy’, ‘crimson’ (from the Turkish creams), ‘indigo’, ‘blue’ and ‘tulip’ and even ‘zero’ come into the English language.
British merchants traded directly with Muslim countries from Syria to Morocco for luxury goods.
Fashion and Luxury Items
According to Misha Ivan, Turkish coffee, Moroccan sugar, nutmegs, pistachios, carpets, jewelry and cotton were brought to England. Turkish carpets (now known as Oriental carpets) were considered fashionable in England at the time.
But it was not kept on the floor. It was placed on the wall, on the table or elsewhere. It was a mark of respect and the British did not want to step on it. Before the 1700s, the English word ‘carpet’ referred to a material hung on a wall or used to cover a table, cupboard or bench. However, that was not the intention of the creators.
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Muslim Presence in England
Jerry Broughton writes that this was the first time Muslims began to live, work and practice their religion openly in England.
Muslims from North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia worked as diplomats, traders, translators, musicians and servants in London in the sixteenth century.
The words ‘Islam’ or ‘Muslim’ entered the English language in the seventeenth century.
Societal Fears and Theater
As Martin Downer writes, as relations with the Muslim world increased during Elizabeth’s reign, anger and fear grew in English society.
That concern was echoed by the playwright of the time, Robert Wilson, in the creation of Catholic exile Richard Verstagg. In the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, Muslim characters were presented on stage. It can be seen from Christopher Marlowe’s Timberlane to Shakespeare’s Othello.
Continued Expansion
Broughton writes that by the end of Elizabeth’s reign, many were trading from Morocco to Persia, some as soldiers, some as spies. Some settled there again. Many of them converted.
Diplomatic Alliances
In response to the threat from Catholic Spain, Queen Elizabeth I forged an important diplomatic alliance. Free trade agreements are also made with business in mind. He established important relations with England, the Moroccan, Ottoman and Persian empires.
Legacy of Anglo-Muslim Relations
By 1600, this Anglo-Muslim bulwark against the Spanish Empire continued to expand. It stretches 4,300 miles from Morocco through Constantinople to Isfahan.
Peace Treaty with Spain
In 1600, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, the East India Company was allowed to trade in India. Mughal Emperor Jalaluddin Akbar was in India at that time.
Despite the companies’ commercial success, soon after Elizabeth’s death in 1603 the new king, James I, signed a peace treaty with Spain that ended England’s exile.
