Thursday October 3rd, 2013
Students will be able to
describe the key characteristics
of the Ottoman Empire by
• Completing guided notes
• Comparing the achievements of key
leaders, and
• Analyzing primary source documents
Founded by Turkish tribes under the leader Osman Bey
• Sultan – Supreme military and political authority
• Grand vizier – Chief minister to the sultan
Allow newly conquered
territories to be ruled by
local officials, but keep
pashas to collect taxes
and maintain order.
I will…
“Gunpowder empire”
– unified the lands that
were conquered
• Mastery of firearms
lead to greater conquest
“At Buda I made my first acquaintance
with the Janissaries; this is the name by
which the Turks call the infantry of the
royal guard. The Turkish state has 12,000
of these troops when the corps is at its full
strength. They are scattered through every
part of the empire, either to garrison the
forts against the enemy, or to protect the
Christians and Jews from the violence of
the mob. There is no district with any
considerable amount of population, no
borough or city, which has not a
detachment of Janissaries to protect the
Christians, Jews, and other helpless people
from outrage and wrong.”
Janissaries –
Islamic converts who
served the sultan as
soldiers or
administrators
•Often held privileged
places in society
•Did not pass down
their privilege to their
Depiction of(often
a Janissary from
children
Eastern Europe (1550)
eunuchs)
Date
1514
1527
1567
1574
1598
1609
1660
1669
1687
Gunners
348
695
1204
1099
2827
1552
2026
2793
4949
Artillery Carts
372
943
678
400
700
684
282
432
670
Weapons Smith
451
524
789
625
3000
5730
4180
4789
3503
1453:
Mehmed II moved
to take the city
• Six week siege of the city
• The city was thoroughly
fortified and protected
But the walls are no
match for a 17’ cannon
Sultan Mehmed II
entering Constantinople
The same
gate today.
Mehmed II moves the capital
to Constantinople and, under
the leadership of Selim I,
expand further.
• Conquering Mecca,
Medina, and Jerusalem
The empire reaches it height
under Sulieman the
Magnificent
“The sultan’s hall was crowded with people… but there was not in all that
great assembly a single man who owed his position to anything save valor
and merit. No distinction is attached to birth among the Turks… In making
his appointments, the Sultan pays no regard to any pretensions on the score
of wealth or rank, nor does he take into consideration recommendations or
popularity. He considers each case on its own merits, and examines
carefully into the character, ability, and disposition of the man whose
promotion is in question. … Those who receive the highest offices from the
Sultan … do not believe that high qualities are either natural or hereditary,
nor do they think that they can be handed down from father to son, but
that they are partly the gift of God, and partly the result of good training
[in state schools], great industry, and unwearied zeal… Among the Turks,
therefore, honors, high posts, and judgeships are the rewards of great
ability and good service. If a man be dishonest, or lazy, or careless, he
remains at the bottom of the ladder. This is the reason that they are
successful in their undertakings …and are daily extending the bounds of
their empire.”
Ottoman sultans were
responsible for
upholding Islamic law
• Ulema (religious advisors)
managed the legal system
and schools
• Generally religiously
tolerant
• Non Muslims had to pay
an additional tax
• Most Europeans remain
Christian under their
rule
Women had more rights than in other
Muslim societies
• Owned and inherited
property
• Could not be forced
to marry
• Served as officials
• Queen mother of the
Sultan had
considerable power
• After Sulieman,
Sultans became less
involved with gov’t
• Constant wars
depleted the treasury
• Western influence
from Europe
• Western delicacies like
coffee and tobacco were
outlawed to combat this
Yes sultan, don’t
worry, just leave it
to your Grand
Vizier…
Now, complete
your exit ticket
before the
weekend comes.