THE OTTOMAN
EMPIRE
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ESSENTIAL QUESTION
Why were the Ottoman Sultans able to
rule as all-powerful rulers?
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INTRODUCTION
The 1st Ottoman were nomadic Turkish warriors
for Islam, from Central Asia
Fled from Central Asia to escape the Mongols
Attacked the Byzantines
 Failed to capture Constantinople (Capital)
 Captured Adrianopolis (2nd most important city)
1396 – 1st Sultan (ruler) appointed
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ELITE OTTOMAN ARMY
Known as Janissaries
Made up of young war captives & Christian slaves
Were converted to Islam, then trained as soldiers
Belonged to the Sultan, & served for life
Gained power & influence, eventually became
important political group
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TIMUR CHALLENGES THE OTTOMANS
Timur – Turko-Mongol leader
Born in 1336, claimed he was a descendant of
Genghis Khan
Created an army, built power in Central Asia, &
began a career of conquest
1402 – Defeats Ottoman Army in Battle of Ankara
Captures Sultan, forced Ottomans to return
territory they took from others
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RECOVERY & EXPANSION
Civil war broke out over who should be next Sultan
Murad II took power & began to expand empire
Defeated last European crusaders in Battle of Varna
Followed by Mehmed II
Conquered Constantinople (Byzantine Capital) in 1453
Renamed city Istanbul – Became Ottoman capital
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SULEIMAN THE MAGNIFICENT
Greatest Ottoman Sultan
Ruled from 1520 – 1566
Led Ottoman Empire to Golden Age
Reunited Muslim world (except Persia &
Afghanistan) by conquering North Africa
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OTTOMAN EMPIRE
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GOVERNMENT & SOCIETY
Sultan
Governed from Istanbul as all-powerful ruler
Empire was well-organized & efficiently
governed
Assisted by Janissaries
2nd in Command – Grand Viziers
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GOVERNMENT & SOCIETY
Society – 2 major groups
Small ruling class
Reaya – Larger group of ordinary people
There was social mobility
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GOVERNMENT & SOCIETY
Millet System
 Reaya made up of different groups of people
 Muslim Turks, Christians, Jews, & Arabs
 Strong religious tension
 Religious freedom was allowed by Sultans
 Millet – Separate religious communities of Reaya
 Under control of Sultan, but governed themselves
 Each has its own laws, customs, courts, taxes, education, health
system, & defense
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THE SLOW DECLINE
1566 – Suleiman the Magnificent dies
Marked beginning of the decline
1571 – Phillip II leads Spanish navy to defeat
Ottomans
Battle of Lepanto – Europeans defeat Ottomans
near Greece
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THE SLOW DECLINE
1600 – Government & Economy face problems
 Lost control of silk & spice trade
 New trade routes bypassed Ottoman Empire
 Power of Sultans weakened
 Government became corrupt due to internal power struggles
 Rebellions among the Janissaries
Lost territory to Russia & France
1923 – Empire ends when Turkey establishes a
republic
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