EQ: How were the Ottomans able

to establish an empire that lasted

for over 600 years?

SSWH 12

Turks move into Byzantium

• Ghazis: Islamic warriors.

• Osman (Othman) was a

successful ghazi.

• 1300-1326 built a small

Islamic state in Anatolia.

• Successors expanded

territory by buying land,

forming alliances, &

conquering.

Turks move into Byzantium

• Military success:

– Use of gunpowder.

– Used cannons as

offensive weapons.

Orkhan I

• 2nd Ottoman leader & son of Osman.

• Declared himself “Sultan”-overlord.

• 1362 captured Adrianople-2nd most important city in Byzantium.

• Kind to conquered ppl:– Muslims: paid no taxes, but

served in army.

– Non-Muslims: paid taxes, but didn’t serve in the army.

Timur the Lame

• Ottoman Empire was

interrupted by Timur

from Central Asia.

• Burnt Bagdad to the

ground.

• 1402, he crushed the

Ottomans at the

Battle of Ankara.

Mehmed II

• 21 years old when

gained power.

• Set out to

conquer

Constantinople

b/c it controlled

the Bosporus

strait.

Mehmed the conqueror

• Rebuilt

Constantinople &

called it Istanbul.

• Everyone was

welcomed-regardless

of religious beliefs.

Selim the Grim

• Grandson came to

power 1512.

• He defeated the

Safavids of Persia &

conquered Syria,

Palestine, NA, Mecca,

& Medina.

Suleyman I

• Selim’s son.

• Empire reached its peak.

• Gained throne in 1520 & ruled for 46 years.

• Suleyman the Lawgiver: efficient gov’t & social structure to run such a huge empire.

• Devshrimes: drafted boys of conquered ppl & trained them to be soldiers.

• Janissaries: soldiers trained to be loyal only to sultan.

• Allowed conquered ppl to practice their religion.

Suleyman I

• Mosque of

Suleyman: 4

schools,

library, bath,

hospital.

• Arts &

literature

flourished-

Golden age.

Selim II

• Suleyman set a

pattern for future

rulers to gain & hold

power.

• Selim the

incompetent inherited

the throne & led to the

downfall of the

empire.