Areas of the Ottomans
In the late 13th century, a group of Turks under the rule of their leader Osman, began to gain power and control in the Northwest corner of the Anatolian Peninsula. During the early 14th century, this group began to expand, starting what was soon to be known as the Ottoman Empire.
Over the next 300 years, the Ottomans expanded westward, taking over territories in Asia, North Africa, and Europe by force. The people behind that strong force were called janissaries, recruited from the local Christian population. Though the Ottomans were Muslim peoples, they still allowed non-Muslims to live in their territory. The janissaries were trained as foot soldiers, but had firearms to serve as weapons, and were soon able to spread Ottoman control throughout the Balkans thanks to guns and cannons. Their army was a strong one, made up of 80,000 soldiers, an element that helped them take Constantinople, taking the entire Byzantine Empire with Mehmed the Second as their lleader. After they be rid of the Byzantines, they claimed Constantinople as their capital, later changing it's name to Istanbul. From 1514-1517 Sultan Selina had taken control of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Arabia, and was now in control of several of Islam's holy cities which included Mecca, Jerusalem, and Medina. After their many victories in the east, forces spent the next few years moving westward along the African Coast, nearly to the Strait of Gibraltar. Whenever it was possible, they administered their conquered regions through local rulers. Their next mission was to take over the Balkans, but were only able to take the Romanian territory of Walachia before Romanians stopped their advance up Danube Valley. Under the rule of Süleyman the First, whose reign began in 1520, the Ottomans tried again to seize Belgrade, but the outcome this time around was a victory. After the Battle of Mohács in 1526, they conquered most of Hungary, then moving to Austria, advancing to Vienna where they were defeated in 1529. At the same time they had been advancing into the Western Mediterranean until the Spanish had defeated a large Ottoman fleet at Lepanto in 1571. During the first half of the seventeenth century, the empire was known as the sleeping giant because it was occupied by internal problems, but in the second half they were back on offense. By mid 1683, they had laid seige to Vienna, but a European army had fought back and the Ottomans retreated, being pushed out of Hungary. Through this defeat, the Ottoman Turks would never again be a threat to Central Europe.
The empire had reached it's highest point under the rule of Süleyman's reign, but wasn't its lowest when Selim the Second was in control. Though problems did not become visible until 1699 when the empire began to lose some of its territory, signs of disintegration had appeared in the beginning of the 1600's. Sultans (authority figures in military and politics) became less involved in government, and allowed their ministers to exercise more power. When training of officials declined, senior positions started to be given to sons and daughters of elites, and members of the elite soon formed a group that was privileged and sought out wealth and power. Central bureaucracy lost its links with rural areas and local officials grew corrupt, causing tales to rise. Constant wars started to depleat imperial treasury, corruption along with palace intrigue grew. When Sultans started to notice merchants and officials taking on European customs such as clothing, furniture, tobacco and coffee, they took action, outlawing them. They even went to the extreme measure of patrolling the streets of Instanbul at night, executing people if caught doing any immoral or illegal acts.
Over the next 300 years, the Ottomans expanded westward, taking over territories in Asia, North Africa, and Europe by force. The people behind that strong force were called janissaries, recruited from the local Christian population. Though the Ottomans were Muslim peoples, they still allowed non-Muslims to live in their territory. The janissaries were trained as foot soldiers, but had firearms to serve as weapons, and were soon able to spread Ottoman control throughout the Balkans thanks to guns and cannons. Their army was a strong one, made up of 80,000 soldiers, an element that helped them take Constantinople, taking the entire Byzantine Empire with Mehmed the Second as their lleader. After they be rid of the Byzantines, they claimed Constantinople as their capital, later changing it's name to Istanbul. From 1514-1517 Sultan Selina had taken control of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Arabia, and was now in control of several of Islam's holy cities which included Mecca, Jerusalem, and Medina. After their many victories in the east, forces spent the next few years moving westward along the African Coast, nearly to the Strait of Gibraltar. Whenever it was possible, they administered their conquered regions through local rulers. Their next mission was to take over the Balkans, but were only able to take the Romanian territory of Walachia before Romanians stopped their advance up Danube Valley. Under the rule of Süleyman the First, whose reign began in 1520, the Ottomans tried again to seize Belgrade, but the outcome this time around was a victory. After the Battle of Mohács in 1526, they conquered most of Hungary, then moving to Austria, advancing to Vienna where they were defeated in 1529. At the same time they had been advancing into the Western Mediterranean until the Spanish had defeated a large Ottoman fleet at Lepanto in 1571. During the first half of the seventeenth century, the empire was known as the sleeping giant because it was occupied by internal problems, but in the second half they were back on offense. By mid 1683, they had laid seige to Vienna, but a European army had fought back and the Ottomans retreated, being pushed out of Hungary. Through this defeat, the Ottoman Turks would never again be a threat to Central Europe.
The empire had reached it's highest point under the rule of Süleyman's reign, but wasn't its lowest when Selim the Second was in control. Though problems did not become visible until 1699 when the empire began to lose some of its territory, signs of disintegration had appeared in the beginning of the 1600's. Sultans (authority figures in military and politics) became less involved in government, and allowed their ministers to exercise more power. When training of officials declined, senior positions started to be given to sons and daughters of elites, and members of the elite soon formed a group that was privileged and sought out wealth and power. Central bureaucracy lost its links with rural areas and local officials grew corrupt, causing tales to rise. Constant wars started to depleat imperial treasury, corruption along with palace intrigue grew. When Sultans started to notice merchants and officials taking on European customs such as clothing, furniture, tobacco and coffee, they took action, outlawing them. They even went to the extreme measure of patrolling the streets of Instanbul at night, executing people if caught doing any immoral or illegal acts.