1. Ottomans Build a Vast Empire

2. Setting the Stage
1300: Byzantine Empire in decline & Seljuk Turks destroyed by the Mongols
Anatolia inhabited by descendants of the Turks
Peoples were militaristic, loyal, and lacked a strong central power/figure

3. Into Byzantium Turks = militaristic culture
Ghazis = warriors for Islam
Followed an emir & raided the frontiers of the Byzantine empire
Osman – most successful leader
Followers = Ottomans
Forms a small state in Anatolia
Lands expanded through alliances, conquest, & payment
Gunpowder = success
Muskets & cannons
Into Byzantium

4. Empire Orkhan I, Osman’s son, declared sultan
1361: Captures Adrianople = rise of an empire
Rule peoples through local officials & improve living standards
Muslims required to serve in the army
Non-Muslims required to pay an exemption tax

5. Tamerlane Early 1400s – Ottoman expansion interrupted from the east
Tamerlane (Timur the Lane) came from Central Asia
Disabled by an arrow to the leg
Burns Baghdad to the ground
Defeats Ottomans at Ankara
Stops & looks to China

6. Constantinople Mehmed I & Murad II expand empire as far as Hungary
Mehmed II wanted to take Constantinople
Controlled the Bosporus Strait = split of Ottoman territory
1453: Attacks the city with cannons
Drags ships over land to attack from the sea
Achieves victory in 7 weeks
Opens city to all & renames city, Istanbul

9. Taking Holy Cities 1514: Selim the Grim defeats the Safavids
Expands empire into North Africa
Takes control of Mecca & Medina
Islamic Holy Cities
Conquers Cairo
Intellectual center of the Muslim world

10. Suleyman I Rules empire to its greatest extent
1521-2: Conquers Belgrade & takes Rhodes = dominance over eastern Mediterranean
Uses naval power to take coastal areas of North Africa
1526: Pushed empire to outskirts of Vienna

12. Suleyman created an efficient government & social structure
Creates a civil & criminal law code
Limited taxes & simplified bureaucracy (uses slaves)
Devshirme policy
Conquered Christian boys educated, converted, & trained as soldiers
Creates an elite & loyal force called Janissaries
The Lawgiver

13. Culture Freedom of worship granted to all
Mainly Christians & Jews
Communities treated as millets, or nations
Suleyman I pushed cultural achievements = education, architecture, etc.
Mosque of Suleyman
Period similar to the Renaissance in Europe

14. Slow Decline Despite gains, empire loses land
Suleyman kills one son & exiles another
Selim II inherits throne = incompetent
Practice of killing brothers & imprisoning sons established = long line of weak sultans
Empire lasts until 1918