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Ottoman Emperor)
The Ottoman Empire was a Turkish state in the Middle East that comprised Anatolia, part of Southwest Asia, North Africa and south-eastern Europe in the 14th to 20th centuries, established by a tribe of Oghuz Turks in western Anatolia and ruled by the Osmanli dynasty. The Ottoman Empire was among the world's most powerful political entities in the 16th and 17th centuries when the nations of Europe felt threatened by its steady advance through the Balkans. From 1512 onwards, the Ottoman Sultan was also the Caliph of Islam and the Ottoman Empire, from 1512 till 1922 (or 1924) was synonymous with the Khilafa or the Islamic State.
The Empire was founded by Osman I (in Arabic Uthmān, hence the name Ottoman Empire). It was sometimes referred to in diplomatic circles as the "Sublime Porte" or simply as "the Porte," due to the greeting ceremony the sultan held for foreign ambassadors at the Palace Gate. This also refers to the Ottoman Empire being the gateway between Europe and Asia. From 1453 the capital was Constantinople, known in modern Turkish as İstanbul.
History
Main article: History of the Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire was founded by Osman I in 1281. As sultan Mehmed II conquered Constantinople (Istanbul) in 1453, the state grew into a mighty empire. The Empire reached its apex under Suleiman the Magnificent in the 16th century when it stretched from the Persian Gulf in the east to Hungary in the northwest; and from Egypt in the south to the Caucasus in the north. After its defeat at the Battle of Vienna in 1683, however, the empire began a slow decline, culminating in the defeat of the empire by the Allies in World War I.
State organisation
Main article: State organisation of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman state organisation was based on a hierarchy with the sultan in the top and below him his viziers, other court officials and military commanders.
Culture
Main article: Culture of the Ottoman Empire
During the medieval age, the Ottoman Turks had a relatively high tolerance of alien cultures and religions. Early on as the Turks drew out the Byzantines from Anatolia and later pursued them into Europe, it was a part of the Jihad (or Holy War) against Christianity and the first Ottoman rulers called themselves Gazi (Holy Warrior). But, as the Ottomans moved further west and the assimilation of the Greek and Balkan culture progressed, the Turkic leaders themselves absorbed some of the culture of the conquered people. The alien culture was gradually added to the Turks' own, creating the characteristic Ottoman culture.
After the capturing of Constantinople in 1453, most churches were left intact and only a few (including, of course, Hagia Sophia) were turned into mosques. The Ottoman court life in many aspects resembled ancient traditions of the Persian Shahs, but had many Greek and European influences. For centuries, the Ottoman Empire was the refuge of the Jews of Europe.
Military
Main article: Military of the Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman military was a complex system of recruiting and fief-holding. In the Ottoman army, light cavalry long formed the core and they were given fiefs called timars. Cavalry used bows and short swords and made use of nomad tactics similar to those of the Mongol Empire. The Ottoman army was once among the most advanced fighting forces in the world being one of the first to employ muskets. The famous Janissary corps provided elite troops and bodyguard for the sultan.
After the 17th century, however, the Ottomans could no longer produce a modern fighting force because of lack of reforms, mainly because of the corrupted Janissaries. The abolition of the Janissary corps in 1826 was not enough and in the war against Russia, the Ottoman Empire severely lacked modern weapons and technologies.
Naval Forces
The Ottomans were a major naval power during the Empire's early centuries. The Battle of Lepanto (1571) marked the first major victory for the Christian West, against Ottoman forces. As with the military, the Ottoman Navy fell into decline after the 17th century. From the mid-19th century onward, the Sultans sought to establish a modern fleet. This grew from steam-powered ironclads in the 1860's to a force including battleships, cruisers, and destroyers by World War I. Following the war, the Navy was reduced to a small coastal force.
(See ship list at Battleships-Cruisers.co.uk (http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/turkish_navy.htm)).
Provinces
Main article: Provinces of the Ottoman Empire
At the height of its power, the Ottoman Empire had 29 provinces plus three tributary principalities and Transsylvania, a kingdom sworn allegiance to the Porte.
Sultans
Main article: Osmanli Dynasty
The sultan, also known as the Padishah, in Europe sometimes the Grand Turk, was the sole regent and government of the empire, at least officially. The dynasty is most often called the Osmanli. The sultan enjoyed many titles such as Sovereign of the House of Osman, Sultan of Sultans, Khan of Khans, and from 1517 onwards, Commander of the Faithful and Successor of the Prophet of the Lord of the Universe. Note that the first rulers never called themselves sultans, but rather beys. See the article on state organisation of the Ottoman Empire for further information on the sultan and the structure of power.
From 1517 onwards, the Ottoman Sultan was also Caliph, which, in a lot of cases, theoretically also gave him overlordship over other Muslim rulers around the world. For example, among the Mughal Emperors of India, only Aurangzeb had the Khutba read in his own name.
Hereditiary heads of the House of Osman since 1926:
External links
- Ottoman Web Site (http://www.osmanli700.gen.tr/english/engindex.html) - Site with a lot of information on the Ottomans.
- Royal Ark: Turkey (http://www.4dw.net/royalark/Turkey/turkey.htm) - Extensive site with a lot of detailed information.
- World Civilizations: The Ottomans (http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/OTTOMAN/OTTOMAN1.HTM) - Comprehendible site that covers much about the state and government.
- The Ottomans (http://www.theottomans.org) - Good site that covers various aspects of the Ottoman Empire in detail.
References
bg:Османска империя
cy:Ymerodraeth Ottoman
de:Osmanisches Reich
el:Οθωμανική αυτοκρατορία
eo:Osmanida imperio
es:Imperio Otomano
he:האימפריה העותומנית
ja:オスマン帝国
fr:Empire ottoman
nl:Ottomaanse Rijk
ro:Imperiul Otoman
sv:Osmanska riket
zh-cn:鄂图曼帝国
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