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or any other new Free State, for that matter.

When the manual talks about having to have 6 nations "controlled", is it enough that they be influenced or allied, or do they actually have to be conquered or a Free State?

Influenced or allied is only for determing whether the minor country will let you control it if somebody declares war on it (this is influenced), or whether the minor country will join your side if somebody declares war on you (allied).
So, those two statuses are not valid for determining whether you 'control' it for purposes of creating a free state, or the Ottoman Empire.

they need to be conquered or free state. When they are influenced or allied they are not under your control.