5.3.1

Ottoman Empire through the 18th century- Analyze major political, religious, economic, and cultural transformations in the Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Flag And Coat Of Arms The Ottoman empire owed much of its success to new weapons that changed warfare, cannons and muskets gave greater firepower to foot soldiers making mounted warriors less important. The new military technology helped them create a strong government. The Ottomans were a Turkish speaking nomadic people who migrated from central Asia into northwestern Asia Minor and Eastern Europe's Balkan Peninsula. The Ottoman threatened the crumbling Byzantine empire. After several failed attempts to capture Constantinople, Mehmet II the Ottoman sultan, finally succeeded in 1453. The Ottomans hauled ships overland and launched them into the harbor outside Constantinople, after a two month siege the cannons finally broke through the defensive walls of the city, and it became the new Ottoman capital. From Constantinople which was renamed Istanbul and became the new capital of the Ottomans, the Ottoman Turks continued their conquests for the next 200 years.

The Ottoman's enjoyed a golden age under the rule sultan Suleiman who ruled from 1520 to 1566. His people called him the lawgiver while the European people called him Suleiman the Magnificent. He modernized the army and conquered many new lands. He Expanded the Ottoman empire eastward to the middle east and into Kudistan and Georgia in the Caucasus Mountain region. In the west he advanced deeper into Europe through diplomacy and warfare. In 1529 his armies besieged the Austrian city of Vienna, sending fear through western europe. Even though they failed to take the city of Vienna, the Ottomans ruled the largest and most powerful empire in Europe and the Middle East for centuries. At their peak, the empire stretched from Hungary to Arabia and Mesopotamia and across North Africa. Suleiman felt justified to claim himself to be the rightful heir of the Abbasids and caliph, or religious ruler of all Muslims. He added Protector of the Sacred places to his name.

Suleiman strengthened the government and improved its system of justice. Even though he was a sultan and had absolute power he still ruled with the help of a grand vizor and council. A huge bureaucracy supervised the government and the powerful military kept the peace. Government officials worked with religious scholars who interpreted the law. The Ottoman society was divided into classes each with its own appointed role. At the top were the men of the sword, or a Janizary these were the people who actually guarded the sultan himself and defended the state. The second class was the men of the pen, these were scientist, lawyers, judges and poets. Below them were the men of negotiation, such as merchants, tax collectors, and artisans who carried out trade and production. Finally there were men of husbandry, of farmers and herders who produced food. The Ottoman society contained many different religions including, Muslims, Greek Christians, Armenian Christians, and Jews. The Jews brought international banking with them when they were expelled from Spain. The arts prospered under Suleiman, Ottoman poets adapted Persian and Arab models to produces works in Turkish. The royal architect Sinan, a janizary military engineer designed hundreds of mosques and palaces.

Young Christian boys and girls were taken from their families and forced to become Muslim and the boys were put into a rigorous military training. The best soldiers could be put in the elite force of soldiers and the best students could receive special education to become government officials. Non muslim girls were taken and used as slaves in hope that they could eventually become accepted into the household.

After Suleiman's death in 1566, the Ottoman empire began a slow decline. He had killed two of his sons because he suspected them of treason. His son Selem II left most of the governing to his ministers and government bureaucracy which had became corrupt. By the 1700's European advances in both commerce and military technology had left the Ottomans behind. Russia and other European powers captured Ottoman lands, while local rulers in North Africa and elsewhere broke away from Ottoman control. media type="file" key="Suleiman__Leader_of_the_Ottoman_Empire.mov" width="300" height="300"

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