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Period: Jan 1, 1289 to
The Ottoman Dynasty
The term Ottoman was derived from Osman Bey, founder of the dynasty that continued in unbroken succession from 1289 until the dissolution of the empire in 1923. Osman was the chief of a band of seminomadic Turks who migrated to northwestern Anatolia in the thirteenth century, and due to their location on the borders of the Byzantine empire, they had ample opportunities to wage holy wars and gain immense territory. -
Nov 10, 1444
Battle of Varna
The Battle of Varna took place near Varna in eastern Bulgaria. In this battle, the Ottoman empire defeated the Hungarian and Polish armies. This battle was the final battle of the Crusade of Varna. This defeat also set the stage for the fall of Constantinople in 1453. -
Period: Jan 1, 1451 to Jan 1, 1481
Reign of Mehmed the Conqueror
With the capture of Constantinople, Mehmed II a.k.a. Mehmed the Conqueror opened a new chapter in Ottoman expansion. Mehmed presented himslef as a true emperor, ruler of the "two lands" (Europe and Asia) and the "two seas" (the Black and Mediterranean). Mehmed also laid the foundations for a tightly centralized, absolute monarchy, and his army faced no serious rival, which was evident when led great expansions into and throughout Western Europe. -
May 29, 1453
Conquest of Constantinople
The fall of Constantinople was the capture of the Byzantine Empire, which occurred after a siege by the Ottoman Empire. With the capture of Constantinople, Mehmed II had aquired a great, rich city, which also allowed the Turks to establish a permanent supply base in Europe. *(circa May 29) -
Period: Jan 1, 1501 to
The Safavid Dynasty
The Safavid Dynasty was established by a young boy named Shah Ismail. (The title Shah comes from the ancient Persian imperial title). He also proclaimed that the official religion of his realm would be Twelver Shiism, and imposed it by force. Ismail and his successors traced their ancestry back to Safi al-Din, a leader of the Sufi religious order in northwestern Persia, in which they named their Empire after. -
Period: Jan 1, 1501 to Jan 1, 1524
Reign of Shah Ismail
In 1501, Shah Ismail entered Tabriz at the head of an army and laid claim to the ancient Perisan imperial title of shah. This young man would then go on to create the Safavid dynasty, in which he proclaimed the official relgion of his realm would be Twelver Shiism. Over the next decade of his rule, Ismail would seize contol of the Iranian plateau and launch expiditions intot he Caucasus, Anatolia, Mesopotamia, and central Asia. -
Aug 23, 1514
Battle of Chaldiran
This Battle ended with the victory of the Ottoman Empire over the Safavid empire. As a result, the Ottomans gained immediate control over eastern Anatolia and northern Iraq. This battle however was just the beginning of a 41 year war between the two Islamic empires. This battle also helped to shift the Kurdish chiefs to switch their allegiance from the Safavids to the Ottomans. (Picture: Monument commemorating the Battle of Chaldiran built on the site of battlefield) -
Period: Jan 1, 1520 to Jan 1, 1566
Reign of Suleyman the Magnificent
The Ottoman imperialism climaxed in the reign of Suleyman the Magnificent. he vigorously promoted Ottoman expansion both in southwest Asia and in Europe (Ex. 1534 Conquered Baghdad). Under Suleyman's rule, the Ottomans also became a major naval power (In addition to their own Aegean and Black sea fleets, the Ottomans inherited the navy of the Mamluk rulers of Egypt as well.) -
May 23, 1525
Shah Tahmasp succeeds his Father
Tahmasp was a very influencial Shah of Iran, who enjoyed the longest reign of any memer of the Safavid dynasty. Tahmasp was just 10 years old when he succeeded his father Shah Ismail I, the founder of Safavid rule in Iran. Although his reign was marked by foreign threats from the Ottomans and the Uzbeks, Shah Tahmasp was greatly known for his encouragement of the Persian rug industry on a national scale. -
Period: Jan 1, 1526 to
The Mughal Dynasty
In 1523 Zahir al-Din Muhammad, known as Babur ("the Tiger"), a Chaghatai Turk who claimed descent from both Chinggis Khan and Tamerlane, suddently appeared in northern India. With the aid of gunpowder weapons, Babur mounted several invasions, and took Delhi, India in 1526. By the time of his death, he had built a loosely knit empire that stretched from Kabul through the Punjab to the border of Bengal called the Mughal (a Persian term for Mongol). -
Apr 21, 1526
The First Battle of Panipat
The First Battle of Panipat took place in Northern India, and marked the beginning of the Mughal empire. This was one of the earliest battles involving gunpowder firearms and field artillery. The forces of Babur defeated the much larger Indian army of Ibrahim Lodi, Sultan of Delhi. -
Aug 29, 1526
Battle of Mohacs
In the Battle of Mohacs, forces of the Kingdom of Hungary were defeated by forces of the Ottoman Empire. This victory however did not give the Ottomans the security they wanted; although they entered the ungaurded Buda, they retreated soon afterwards. Yet this vicory did mean the end of the independent Kingdom of Hungary as a unified entity. -
Dec 26, 1530
Babur Dies
Babur was a Muslim conqueror from Central Asia, who, following a series of setbacks finally succeeded in laying the foundation for the Mughal empire in South Asia and became the first Mughal emperor. By the time of his death, Babur had extended the Mughal empire to encompass a realm that spanned from Kabul through the Punjab to the borders of Bengal, covering almost the entire subcontinent of India.
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/47524/Babur -
Period: Jan 1, 1556 to
Reign of Akbar
the real architect of the Mughal empire was Babur's gradson Akbar, a brilliant and charismatic ruler. He created a centralized administrative structure with ministries regulating the various provinces. He also pursued a policy of religious toleration that he hoped would reduce Hindu and Muslim tensions in India. Thus isntead of Imposing Islam on his subjects, he encouraged the elaboration of a syncretic religion called the "divine faith". -
The Battle of Torches
The Battle of Torches was fought in 1583 and lasted three days (9-11). This battle was fought during the Ottoman-Safavid war, and the name of the battle refers to the torches used at night. One the third day, and Ottoman attacked marked the end of the battle, in which the Persian army was defeated and the Persian prisoners of war exceeded 3000. By this victory, the Ottomans were able to establish control over all of the Caucasus. -
Period: to
Reign of Shah Abbas the Great
Shah Abbas the Great fully revitalized the Safavid empire. He moved the capitol to the more central location of Isfahan, encouraged trade with other lands, and reformed the administrative and military institutions of the empire. With the use of increased gunpowder weapons, Shah Abbas defeated the nomadic Uzbeks, expelled the Portuguese from Hormuz,a nd harassed the Ottomans mercilessly. -
Treaty of Nasuh Pasha
This treaty was between the Ottoman Empire and Safavid Persia after the war of 1603-1612. The treaty stated many things, including the fact that the Ottoman Empire agreeing to return all terirory gained by the treaty of Istanbul of 1590. The pilgrim route of Persians to Haj was also changed. -
Naqsh-e Jahan Square is Built
Naqsh-e Jahan Square, also known as Imam square is a square situated at the center of Isfahan city, Iran. Constructed between 1598 and 1629, it is now one of UNESCO's world headquarters.When Shah Abbas decided to move the capital of his Persian empire to Isfahan he initiated what would become one of the greatest programs in Persian history: the complete remaking of the city. One major component of this being the construction of the Naqsh-e Jahan Square. -
Shah Abbas Dies
Shah Abbas was often considered one of the greatest Safavid emperors, and he fully revitalized the Safavid empire. By the time of his death, Shah Abbas had brought most of northwestern Iran, the Caucas, and Mesopotamia under Safavid rule. Shah Abbas was succeeded then by Sam Mirza.
http://www.isfahan.org.uk/glossary/abbas/abbas1.html -
The Taj Mahal is Built
The Taj Mahal is a white marble mausoleum located in Agra, India. It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal.The Taj Mahal is the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements from Persian, Turkish and Indian architectural styles.
*(Construction of the Taj Mahal began circa 1632 and was completed around 1653)
http://www.tajmahal.com/11/places/taj-mahal.htm -
Period: to
Reign of Aurangzeb
The Mughal empire reached its greatest extent under Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb waged a relentless campaign, which pushed Mughal authortiy deep into southern India. Despite this, Aurangzeb faced great tensions during his reign. He faced numerous rebellions, as well as tensions between Islams and Hindus, for he broke with Akbar's policy of religious toleration (Ex. he forced high taxes on Hindus; he demolished several famous Hindu temples) This ultimatley led to great rebellion against Mughal authority -
The Battle of Saraighat
The Battle of Saraighat was fought between the Mughal empire and the Ahom kingdom on the Brahmaputra river at Saraighat. Although much weaker, the Ahom army defeated the Mughal army through brilliant uses of terrain, tactics, ect. The Battle of Saraighat was the last battle in the last major attempt by the Mughals to extend their empire in to Assam. -
Aurangzeb Dies
Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly half a century, was the second longest reining Mughal emperor after Akbar. However, after his death in 1707, the Mughal Empire gradually began to shrink. In fact, within a century of Aurangzeb's death, the Mughal Emperor had little power beyond the walls of Delhi. -
The End of First Balkan War
The Treaty of London ended the First Balkan War, which pitted the Balkan League against the Ottoman Empire. As a result of the war, almost all remaining European territories of the Ottoman Empire were captured and partititioned among the allies. This was an incredible blow to that of the Ottomans.
