THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE

1300-1700

*Located in Asia Minor

BYZANTIUM RENAMEDByzantium 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 FIGHTCrusades 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

GHAZISMany Anatolian Turks saw

themselves as GHAZIS – warriors for Islam (like Crusaders)

Followed strict code of conduct

Raided territoriesMuslim (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 gunpowderAmong 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 IITimur’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 IIMehmet 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 GRIMOverthrew 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 I1520-1566 – 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 EMPIRE20,000 personal slaves

30,000 JANISSARIES: forces of people from conquered Christian territories

DEVSHIRME policy: training boys as soldiers

SULEIMAN’S ACHIEVEMENTSFreedom of worship

Binding the Ottoman Empire together

Simplified taxation system

Reduced government interference (bureacracy)

“Renaissance Man”

Art & Literature flourished

SELIM IISuleiman 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