THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE
1300-1700
*Located in Asia Minor
BYZANTIUM RENAMED

Byzantium  Greek city-state
renamed Constantinople in 330 A.D.
–location amazing for trade!

Became capital city of Byzantine Empire –
trade continued, cultural diffusion was
immense
CRUSADERS & TURKS FIGHT

Crusades fought in Byzantine & invasions
by Turks & Mongols common by 13th
Century

Turkish people loyal to their tribes &
clans, but not to a central
government
◦ Wanted to take down Crusaders &
break up the Empire to take over
GHAZIS

Many Anatolian Turks saw
themselves as GHAZIS – warriors
for Islam (like Crusaders)
Followed strict code of conduct
 Raided territories
 Muslim (believed in Islam)

OSMAN & OTTOMANS

OSMAN  most successful ghazi & a
Muslim

His followers  OTTOMANS

Attempts to build unified empire by
conquering & controlling lands in Anatolia
(Turkey)


Uses gunpowder
Among 1st to use cannons & muskets
ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF OSMAN

Officially takes over Byzantium area &
establishes OTTOMAN EMPIRE in 1299

Kind ruler to those he conquered 
Allowed local rulers to remain in place

Improved lives of peasants

Protected religious preferences – follow your
own religion

Taxed people fairly (even non-Muslims)

Rulers called SULTANS – “one with
power”
RISE OF TIMUR THE LAME
(TAMERLANE)

TIMUR THE LAME: warrior from
Asia

Conquered Russia, Persia, northern
India, & burned Baghdad to ground

Butchered people in New Delhi & made
pyramid of skulls

Halted expansion of
Ottoman Empire until 1405
MEHMET II

Timur’s son, MEHMET II
new sultan

1451 - builds fleet & massive army to attack
Constantinople (wanted control of
Bosporus Strait for trade & prosperity)

1453 – captured Constantinople &
renamed it ISTANBUL new capital
of their empire

“Give me Constantinople!”
ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF
MEHMET II

Mehmet now called MEHMET THE
CONQUEROR

HAGIA SOPHIA (famous church)
became a mosque

Islam religion became unifying force

BUT religious toleration encouraged & diverse
population inhabited the city
HAGIA SOPHIA
SELIM THE GRIM


Overthrew father & murdered
brothers
Killed all nephews & own kids, but 1
son

Crazy guy, but effective!

Defeated Safavids of Persia &
conquered Mecca, Medina, & Cairo
(holy cities & intellectual cities)
◦ Happened at same time Cortez takes over Aztecs
SULEIMAN I

1520-1566 – Suleiman (“the lawgiver”)
– built strong empire militarily,
economically, & socially – GOLDEN
AGE

Gained more land in eastern Mediterranean,
northern African ports, trade routes inside Africa, &
central Europe

Efficient government structure
w/social organization
(held for 600 years!)
SULEIMAN’S EMPIRE

20,000 personal slaves

30,000 JANISSARIES: forces of
people from conquered Christian
territories

DEVSHIRME policy: training boys as
soldiers
SULEIMAN’S ACHIEVEMENTS

Freedom of worship

Binding the Ottoman Empire together

Simplified taxation system

Reduced government interference
(bureacracy)

“Renaissance Man”

Art & Literature flourished
SELIM II

Suleiman killed best son &
drove away another  3rd
incompetent son, SELIM II
inherited throne

Ran corrupt government & it
continued in family through
generations

Defeated militarily in 1571 by Spain &
Italy
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE
OTTOMAN EMPIRE?

Became customary to kill off good
sons & cut off rest from education 
produced long line of weak rulers &
ruined empire

Empire crumbled
slowly & finally
dissolved with
creation of Turkey
after World War I