▁During ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century , ▁Greece , ▁Ser bia , ▁Roman ia , ▁and ▁Bulg aria ▁claimed ▁independence , ▁and ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁Empire ▁became ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁" s ick ▁man ▁of ▁Europe ", ▁increasing ly ▁under ▁the ▁financial ▁control ▁of ▁European ▁powers . ▁Dom ination ▁soon ▁turned ▁to ▁out right ▁con quest : ▁the ▁French ▁an nex ed ▁Al ger ia ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 0 ▁and ▁Tun is ia ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 8 ▁and ▁the ▁British ▁occupied ▁Egypt ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 2 , ▁though ▁it ▁remained ▁under ▁nom inal ▁Ott oman ▁so vere ig nt y . ▁In ▁the ▁B alk an ▁Wars ▁of ▁ 1 9 1 2 – 1 3 ▁the ▁Ott om ans ▁were ▁driven ▁out ▁of ▁Europe ▁altogether , ▁except ▁for ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Constantin ople ▁and ▁its ▁hinter land . ▁ ▁The ▁British ▁also ▁established ▁effective ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁Pers ian ▁G ulf , ▁and ▁the ▁French ▁extended ▁their ▁influence ▁into ▁Leb anon ▁and ▁Sy ria . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 2 , ▁the ▁It ali ans ▁seized ▁Lib ya ▁and ▁the ▁D ode can ese ▁islands , ▁just ▁off ▁the ▁coast ▁of ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁heart land ▁of ▁An atol ia . ▁The ▁Ott om ans ▁turned ▁to ▁Germany ▁to ▁protect ▁them ▁from ▁the ▁western ▁powers , ▁but ▁the ▁result ▁was ▁increasing ▁financial ▁and ▁military ▁dependence ▁on ▁Germany . ▁ ▁Ott oman ▁reform ▁efforts ▁In ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 th ▁and ▁early ▁ 2