Ottoman Empire: A Brief Overview of its History and Impact

"Ottoman Empire"

The Ottoman Empire rulled over Countries

The Ottoman Empire is one of the most powerful and longest-reigning empires in history. This empire reigned over Southern Europe, Middle Asia, Northern Africa, and the Balkans. At its peak, the Ottoman Empire included modern-day Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, Palestine, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, parts of Austria, and parts of the Arabian Peninsula. An empire that humbly started its journey during the and of the thirteenth century in a small village named Sogut by the Turkman tribal leader Osman Gazi also known as Osman the First. The empire then went on to be known as Osmanli or Ottoman after Osman Gazi's name. With the help of great leadership and spirit, the ottoman empire expanded so far and wide so fast that by 2354, they had already crossed the border of Europe and became an intercontinental empire by conquering the Balkan lands. And soon enough, after trying many times without any success, in 1453, they conquered Constantinople which ended the Eastern Roman Empire or the Byzantine empire. the empire existed until the mid-twentieth century and had been reigning over almost one-third of the world for more than half a millennium.

The Beginning of an Empire

According to Turkish legends, the Kayi clan filled their previous residence in Middle Asia because of Mongol invasions and resettled in the Anatolia region under the Selcuk Empire. They allied with the Selcuk Army to fight against the groups like Mongols and Byzantines who were raiding the borders of the Selcuk empire. Kayi warriors were so skilled and fierce that they often fulfilled the front-line warrior role during battles and are credited for many of the successes of the Selcuks on the battlefield. Because of their great reputation and faithfulness, Selcuk sultan Alauddin Kaykubad appointed Ertugrul Bey, leader of the Kayi clan as the Moqaddam or a Lieutenant and allied the Kayi trie some land they concurred near the outskirts of Ankara. But the Kayi Clan didn't just sit back to the lands allocated to them. They started conquering Byzantine lands. They were joined by several smaller clans.

History of the Great Ottoman Empire

The Empire started its journey as the Ottoman Beylik at the hands of Osman Gazi , son of Ertugrul Gazi, grandson of Suleyman Shah, and Leader of the Kayi Tribe in the village of Sogut. Osman Gazi was the descendant of leaders of the Kayi Tribe which is an Oguz Turkish Tribe. According to Ottoman historian Kemalpaşazâde, Osman Gazi was Ertuğrul Gazi's youngest son, raised in the traditional nomadic Turkic ways. He was taught horse riding, falconry, wrestling, swordsmanship, and arrow shooting from an early age. Osman Gazi mastered these skills, outperforming all his brothers after which, he was also taught Islam and the teachings of Sufi sheiks. His mentor Sheikh Edebali's teachings reflected in his personality and lifestyle. Osman Gazi became the Bey of the Kayi tribe after the death of his father in 1281 AD. Osman Gazi's first real conquests came after the collapse of Seljuk authority when he occupied the fortresses of Kulucahisar and Eskişehir. After those, he went on to capture the first significant city in his territories, Yenişehir. This city became the Ottoman capital.

Founder of Ottoman Empire

Osman Gazis's conquested the areas of Bilecik (Belokomis), Yenişehir (Melangeia), İnegöl (Angelokomis), and Yarhisar (Köprühisar), and Byzantine castles in these areas until the end of the thirteenth century. After soundly defeating a Byzantine force near Nicaea in 1302, Osman the first began placing his forces closer to the Byzantine lands. Osman Gadi continued to expand his control in two different directions. In the north along the Sakarya River and southwest towards the Sea of Marmara and achieved to gain control of all these lands by 1308. His last conquest was against the Byzantine-controlled city, Bursa. The victory at Bursa was vital for the Ottomans. The city served as the new capital for Orhan Gazi, son and successor of Osman Gazi.

For the accomplishments of Osman Gazi, Seljuk Sultan Alâeddin Kayqubad III expressed his deep appreciation giving him the title of Ḥaḍrat ʻUthmān ghāzī marzubān 'Âli Jâh ʻUthmān Shāh (the honorable conqueror and border guardian Osman Shāh). He also granted Osman Gazi the governance of all the land he conquered and the towns of Eskişehir and İnönü. Not only that, The Seljuk Sultan exempted Osman Gazi from all types of taxes. Osman Gazi was also the recipient of several imperial gifts from the Sultan reflecting his new high stature in the Seljuk court. The gifts included a golden war banner, a meter, a tuğ which is a pole with circularly arranged horse tail hairs, a tassel, a gilded sword, a loose saddle, and one hundred thousand dirhams. By a decree, Osman Gazi was also granted the right to be mentioned in the Friday khuṭbah in the areas subject to him. Besides that, Osman Gazi was also permitted to mint coins in his name, thus, Osman Gazi practically became a Sultan awaiting only the title which he entered after the fall of the Selçuk Empire.

Ottoman Empire Map in Peak

The Ottoman Empire was a large empire that existed from 1299 to 1923. It was centered in what is now Turkey and included parts of the Middle East, North Africa, and southeastern Europe. The map below shows the extent of the Ottoman Empire at its peak in 1683.

"Ottoman Empire Map in Peak"

The Ottoman Empire spread far and wide conquering countries from the Balkans to northern Africa and whatnot. But the biggest victory of the Ottoman Empire came with the conquest of Constantinople. Sultan Mehmet the Second, who inherited the title Fatih, conquered Constantinople in the year 1453. The conquest included one of the histories most brilliant naval battles. To bypass the Byzantine's clever naval defense system, a chain that crossed the Golden Horn from one side to another and didn't let any ship through when tightened, Sultan Fatih Mehmet ordered to make a way from behind the walls of the ancient Galata Tower for his ships. They then rolled seventy ships on wooden logs via the top of the hills behind Galata through to the other side of the harbor. They then released the ships inside the harbor and burned down enemy ships earning a magnificent naval victory. After a siege that lasted fifty-six days, the sultan entered the city of Constantinople victorious, putting an end to the Byzantine Empire and along with it, the middle age. And a whole new era began. He converted the Hagia Sophia to a mosque and ordered to build of a new Palace, new mosques, Bazaars, and homes. He ordered his subjects to move to Istanbul and started the process of repopulating the city. Very soon Istanbul became the center of trade from all over the world.

Ottoman Empire Sultans And Times of Empiring

1. Osman I (1299–1326)
2. Orhan I (1326–1359)
3. Murad I (1359–1389)
4. Bayezid I (1389–1402)
5. Mehmed I (1413–1421)
6. Murad II (1421–1444, 1446–1451)
7. Mehmed II (1444–1446, 1451–1481)
8. Bayezid II (1481–1512)
9. Selim I (1512–1520)
10. Suleiman I (1520–1566)
11. Selim II (1566–1574)
12. Murad III (1574–1595)
13. Mehmed III (1595–1603)
14. Ahmed I (1603–1617)
15. Mustafa I (1617–1618)
16. Osman II (1618–1622)
16. Mustafa I (1622–1623)
17. Murad IV (1623–1640)
18. Ibrahim (1640–1648)
19. Mehmed IV (1648–1687)
20. Suleiman II (1687–1691)
21. Ahmed II (1691–1695)
22. Mustafa II (1695–1703)
23. Ahmed III (1703–1730)
24. Mahmud I (1730–1754)
25. Osman III (1754–1757)
26. Mustafa III (1757–1774)
27. Abdul Hamid I (1774–1789)
28. Selim III (1789–1807)
29. Mustafa IV (1807–1808)
30. Mahmud II (1808–1839)
31. Abdulmecid I (1839–1861)
32. Abdulaziz (1861–1876)
33. Murad V (1876)
34. Abdul Hamid II (1876–1909)
35. Mehmed V (1909–1918)
36. Mehmed VI (1918–1922)

Sultan Suleman

Sultan Suleiman I, known in the West as Suleiman the Magnificent, was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1520 to 1566. He was one of the most powerful and influential sultans of the Ottoman Empire. During his reign, he expanded the empire's territories and brought the Ottoman Empire to its peak of cultural, political, and military influence. He is renowned for his military campaigns and victories, which expanded the Ottoman Empire across three continents and earned him the title of "the Lawgiver" for his reforms in the legal system of the empire. He also ordered the construction of the Suleiman Mosque in Istanbul, one of the most iconic monuments of the Ottoman Empire.

During the reign of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent, the ottoman empire saw great prosperity in literature and art. The Ottoman Empire entered the golden age of its cultural development Under Sultan Suleiman's patronage. Hundreds of imperial artistic societies called "Community of the Craftsmen" were administered at the Imperial seat, the Topkapı Palace. Artists and craftsmen could advance in rank within their field after an apprenticeship and were paid commensurate wages in quarterly annual installments. Painters, book binders, furriers, jewelers, and goldsmiths were the kind of artisans found in Sultan Süleyman's court. It is during his reign that Mimar Sinan created so many magnificent mosques and structures.

The Ottoman Empire prospered because of its great leadership that not only concurred lands but was also fair and just to its subjects and deliberately pushed for better trading and a great economy. They built Bazars like the Grand Bazar and gave protection to the merchants. They built charitable guesthouses for travelers and merchants all along the travel routes to ensure that merchants from all over the world traded through this route. This made the empire economically strong. They ottoman military was also a very fierce and loyal army. All of these factors lead up to an Ottoman reign over Asia Minor, Eastern Europe, and Northern Africa for almost eight hundred years. During these years, they contributed to literature, art, culture, philosophy, science, and technology.

Ottoman Empire Religion

The Ottoman Empire was a multi-religious state. The majority of the population was Muslim, but there were also significant Christian and Jewish populations. The official religion of the Ottoman Empire was Sunni Islam, but the government allowed religious freedom and tolerated other faiths. The Ottoman Empire was known for its religious tolerance and its willingness to allow different religious groups to practice their faith.

Ottoman Empire Falling Reasons

1. Military Defeat: The Ottoman Empire suffered a series of military defeats in the 19th century, including the Crimean War (1853-1856), the Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878), and the Balkan Wars (1912-1913). These defeats weakened the empire and led to its eventual collapse.

2. Economic Decline: The Ottoman Empire was unable to keep up with the economic advances of the West. Its economy was based on agriculture and was unable to compete with the industrialized economies of Europe. This led to a decline in the empire’s wealth and power.

3. Political Instability: The Ottoman Empire was plagued by political instability due to a lack of strong leadership and a weak central government. This led to a series of revolts and uprisings, which further weakened the empire.

4. Nationalism: The rise of nationalism in the 19th century led to the emergence of independent nation-states in the Balkans and the Middle East. This weakened the Ottoman Empire, as its territories were gradually lost to these new states.

5. Western Intervention: The Ottoman Empire was further weakened by the intervention of Western powers, who sought to expand their influence in the region. This led to the decline of the empire and its eventual collapse.

The Ottoman Empire is a fascinating part of history. Their contributions can be found all over Anatolia, Balkan, and Northern Africa. If you want to come and visit some of the amazing historical sites related to the Ottoman Empire, contact Ottoman Tours and Travels now for amazing tour packages with accommodations and transportation facilities.