The Ottoman Empire Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire, was weakened by Crusades and disease, and finally fell to the Muslim Turks in 1453, an event that shattered Europeans... ENTER THE OTTOMANS Constantinople’s wealth made it a place that many people wanted to control. It’s geographic location was between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea . It was a natural location for trade caravans from East Asia. A stable money system based on gold helped the empire’s economy to grow and was the basis for international trade.

More about the Ottomans The Ottoman Empire reigned from approximately the 15th century into the early 1920’s. Eventually the capital of Constantinople became “Istanbul”. During the 15th and 16th centuries, the Ottoman Empire entered a long period of conquest & expansion, extending its borders deep into Europe and North Africa The Ottoman Empire is the last and largest realization of a unified Muslim empire across ethnic, geographic and religious boundaries. The Ottoman Empire was noted for the quality of its gold and silver and particularly for the jewelry they produced that created profitable trading. The art of carpet weaving was particularly significant in the Ottoman Empire. Carpets had an immense importance as decorative furnishings, and were rich in religious and other symbolism.

Trade Routes Silk Route Trade involved China, India, Ancient Egypt, Persia, Arabia, and Ancient Rome China traded silk, teas, and porcelain India traded spices, ivory, textiles, precious stones, and pepper; The Roman Empire exported gold, silver, fine glassware, wine, carpets, and jewels . Though silk was certainly the major trade item from China, many other goods were traded, and various technologies, religions and philosophies, as well as the bubonic plague Other goods traded included luxuries like satin, hemp and other fine fabrics, musk, other perfumes, spices, medicines, jewels, glassware, as well as slaves.

…And More Trade Routes The Grand Trunk Road One of the important trade routes of the world, this road was filled with fortresses, resting posts, wells, post offices, milestones and other facilities. Part of this road through Pakistan also coincided with the Silk Road. The Amber Road The Amber Road was a European trade route associated with the trade and transport of amber. Amber was light in weight and was in high demand for ornamental purposes around the Mediterranean. The Spice Route As trade between India and the Greco-Roman world increased spices became the main import from India to the Western world, bypassing silk and other goods. Incense Route The Incense Route served as a channel for trading of Indian, Arabian and East Asian goods

Commercial & Cultural Trades Along these roads marched not only the mighty armies of conquerors, but also the caravans of traders, scholars, artists, and common folk. People, ideas, languages, customs, and cultures, moved in both directions. The Silk Roads: Highways of Culture and Commerce by Vadime Elisseeff (Aug 2000)

Commercial & Cultural Trades At different meeting places people from different cultural backgrounds, who practiced different faiths, ate different foods, wore different clothes, and spoke different languages would meet one another peacefully. They would understand one another's food, dress, manner, and etiquette, and even borrow words, phrases, idioms and, at times, whole languages from others. [cultural diffusion]

Culture of the Ottoman Empire The Ottomans managed to build a very large collection of libraries. There were many ethnic groups living in Turkey. 3 languages were used: Arabic as the language of religion Persian in literature and diplomacy Ottoman Turkish that was used only for the administration of the empire. Ottoman Empire developed a distinct style of court music; this was a vocal form with instrumental accompaniment. Dancing was an important element of Ottoman culture, which incorporated the folkloric dancing traditions of many different countries. The meddah or story tellers played in front of a small group of viewers. They were generally traveling artists whose route took them from one large city to another, telling tales similar to the Greek epics such as the Iliad and the Odyssey.

Religion in the Ottoman Empire Muslims tolerated the Christians. Religious freedom was accepted under the Ottomans if they paid high taxes and followed their laws. The Greek Orthodox Church (Christian) acquired power. It encompassed all the Eastern Orthodox subjects of the Empire. The Hagia Sophia and the Parthenon, which had been Christian churches for nearly a millennium were converted into mosques, yet most other churches, both in Constantinople and elsewhere, remained in Christian hands.

EUROPE (TURKEY) AFRICA Can you find… Constantinople Persia Turkey The Black Sea The Mediterranean Sea