MEZOPOTAMYA ÜZERİNDE İNGİLİZ-ALMAN NÜFUZ MÜCADELESİ

Mesopotamai with natural resources and strategic location is one of important land of the Ottoman Empire. British started to gain influence with right to transport on Tigris and Euphrates in the 19. Century. At the end of 19. Century, German began to become effective with Baghdad railway Project. Because of this Project, the two countries embarked on the struggle for influence in Ottoman land. Another important factor in this struggle was a matter of the Mesopotamia’s irrigation. Thanks to the irrigation of Mesepotamia, agricultural production would increase. The country receiving irrigation concession would take abig share of this income in the future. On the other hand, Mesopotamia had the strategic importance and wide oil lands. These factors were reason for struggle of Great Powers. After the declaration of the Second Constitution, Baghdad railway and matter of Mesopotamia’s irrigation formed the focal point of the struggle for influence between British and German in the Middle East. Eventually country receiving all these concessions would have a say on the future of the region. In this study, power struggle of British and German on Mesopotamia will be tried to explain with archival document, Parliamentary records and secondary sources. Consequently, it will be touched to one of struggle areas of these countries on the eve of World War I. and will be questioned about foreign influenceon the Ottoman Empire.