Coffee and the Ottomans
Coffeehouse at the Maydan-i Naqsh-i Jahan
Procession of Coffee Sellers During the Imperial Circumcision Festival
Album Page With An Equestrian Portrait of Mirza Muhammad Taqi Tabrizi
Coffee is a social beverage in the present day that is well integrated into people's daily lives globally. The flavorful drink is made by harvesting coffee cherries and drying the cherries until minimal moisture remains. These steps enable the coffee cherries to be roasted, ground, and steeped in hot water, producing the smoky, bitter, smooth liquid many relish.
The origins of coffee depend on who is asked, but many agree that the Coffea arabica tree can be traced back to Ethiopia. However, Yemen began harvesting and commercializing the plant. A Yemeni trader introduced coffee to the Ottoman Empire, an empire spanning from the 14th century to the early 20th century. The Ottoman Empire was one of the first places where coffee was widely consumed. Coffee then became an integral part of the Ottoman Empire's social, cultural, political, and economic spheres. The popularity of coffee then spread throughout the empire through pop-ups of coffeehouses and the integration of the drink into ceremonies like the Imperial Circumcision Ceremony of 1582. As for coffeehouses, they permitted the general public and Sultan alike to enjoy the bitter beverage and gather to socialize, discuss politics, and engage in intellectual debates.
Similarly, coffee was introduced to the Safavid Empire, another powerful empire in 16th century Iran. Initially, the introduction of the beverage was met with resistance from religious authorities who believed it was an intoxicating substance. Nevertheless, coffee permeated through the empire and gained acceptance and popularity throughout the different socioeconomic classes that met in coffeehouses throughout the empire. Coffee became a prime item for consumption and a prospect for the empire's revenue, simultaneously shaping Safavid culture's foundation.
Effectively, coffee influenced the sociocultural, political, and economic spheres, with the dominion to guide empires like the Ottoman and Safavid empires.