Bye, Rome. It’s over. Officially. In 1453, the Ottomans (led by Mehmed II) bust through the walls of Constantinople and take it is as their new capital. The Ottomans are the longest reigning empire in human history (around 700 years). Think of 1450-1750 as ‘Life after the Mongols’. There are a ton of new empires popping up or re-emerging from their Mongol hibernation. The Ottomans are a REALLY big deal. Like Russia and the Manchus they are with us until the 20th century. So, don’t sleep on the Ottomans. Below is their story:

1. The Siege of Constantinople, 1453, Niccolo Barbaro (diary account of the full siege of the city)
2. A Visit to the Wife of Suleiman the Magnificent, 1550,
3. Turkish Letters, 1562, Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq (Austrian ambassador to the Ottoman Empire)
4.
5.

1. Sultan Mehmet II’s Entry into Constantinople, painting c. 1900, Fausto Zanaro

2. Suleiman the Magnificent, 1530, Titian (Italian Renaissance painter)

3. Janissary Recruitment in the Balkans, 1558, Ottoman Miniature

4. Suleimaniye Mosque, 1550, Istanbul

5. Topkapi Palace, 1478, Royal Palace of the Sultans 1478-1853

1. Bye, Rome. Hello, Ottoman Turks.
2. Ottoman Turks are the LONGEST reigning empire ever and occupy downtown earth. It’s a nice spot, but you have some neighbors who don’t like you (Christians to the West, Shi’a Safavids to the East)
3. Ottomans are a great mental investment because they SPAN THREE TIME PERIODS, have unique governmental systems (Tax Farming, Devshirme, Millets, Kafes) and are THE face of political Islamic power in the world
4. They pretty much replace the old Byzantine empire geographically and rule a diverse area of Christians, Muslims, Jews, Zoroastrians, etc.
5. This is the only era you really need to focus on them because the pesky Europeans in Unit 4 will start to surpass them, and finalize that in Unit 5/6.