Ottoman Empire

The Empires' origins

Nov 14, 1290

Osman, a faithful Muslim, leads an army of Ghazis, people who fight in the Muslim name across central Asia

Defeat of the Byzantine empire at bursa

1326

Osman and his Ghazis defeat the Byzantine empire, at Bursa, and they seize the city. This became a decisive win for the Ghazis, for they could now have the confidence that victory was achievable.

Victory at Kosovo

1389

Victory at Kosovo gives the Ottoman Turks control over Serbia, which becomes a vassal state

Mehmed II conquers Constantinople

1400

Mehmed II, a dictator brings the Byzantine Empire to an end by conquering Constaninople, modern day Istanbul

Train of slaves

1450

Christian boys, trained as slaves in the personal service of the Turkish sultan, acquire considerable power as the elite corps of janissaries

The turks occupy greece

1460

The Turks complete the occupation of Greece, which remains within the Ottoman empire until the nineteenth century

Sultan Suleyman expands the Ottoman Empire

1550

Sultan Suleyman I the Magnificent expanded the Ottoman Empire to its largest size yet. The boundries reach from Algiers to Bahrain and from Yemen to Hungrary. They also controlled the majority of the Mediterrean Sea's coast and the Black Sea

Ottomans lose naval battle at Lepanto

1571

The Ottoman Empire's navy is finaly defeated at the Greek port of Lepanto. They are defeated by Spanish, Venician, and Papal Italina states forces. Lepanto is located in modern-day Greece. More than 100 Ottoman Ships are seized.

Ahmed III rises to the throne, and Europe influences the Empire

1703

Ahmed succeeds Suleyman II, who had suceeded in repairing some of the damge caused to the Ottoman Empire by Mehmed. Ahmed rises to the throne at an era when European style was catching on with wealthy Ottomans and an overwhelming desire for tulips was established. His era is know as the Tulip era. However, some officials were slow to adopt the European Customs, as well as European weapons and technology, which the Russians had quickly adopted, and the Ottoman were technologicaly out-gunned.

Orthodox Ottomans force leaders to shut down printing presses

1742

Orthodox Ottomans who were unhappy with the development of the of technology force Ottoman leaders to shut down their printing presses.

Border incident at balta, War between Russia and Turkey

1768

A border incident at Balta, in the southern Ukraine, sparks a war between Russia and Turkey that will last six years

Greece independence

1832

Greece wins independence from the Turks, with the 17-year-old Otto of Bavaria as king

The Ottoman Empire faces uprisings

1870

In the 1870's, the Ottoman empire faced several uprisings against them, supported by the Russians, which allows Serbia, Montenegro, and Romania to become independant.

End of the empire

1920

After WWI the Ottoman Empire collapses and the moder-day nation Turkey emerges.