The Ottoman Empire Essay Research Paper Around

The Ottoman Empire Essay, Research Paper

Around 1293 the chieftain of a nomadic Turkish tribe named Osman, founded an empire that would endure almost six hundred years. As this empire grew by conquering lands of the Byzantine Empire and beyond, it came to include, at its height, all of Asia Minor, Albania, Greece, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Romania, Egypt, Crete, Cyprus, Palestine, and North Africa through Algeria; parts of Hungry, Austria, Russia, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Oman, U.A.E., and Syria. The elite tactics and fearsome fighting of the well trained Janissary Corps helped make the Ottoman Empire one of the largest in the world?s history.

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The first ?army? of the Ottoman Empire was made up Gazis, Turkish faith fighters. They were effective against small countries and principalities, but were not always reliable. (J.F. VonHamer-Purgstal 771)

For example, the original Ottoman state was very close to Constantinople, the capital of the struggling Byzantine Empire, it was not captured until 1453. At the time of its formation the Ottoman state could not defeat the defending armies of Constantinople due to its small and untrained army.

(Bossenbrook 504)

In addition, when the Ottomans went to face the larger and more powerful army of the Tatar Empire, under the leadership of Tamerlane, the Gazis deserted. Left with an army made of Christian vassals, the Ottomans fell to the Tatar army. (J.F. VonHamer-Purgstal 771)

Since the Gazis proved to be unreliable Sultan Murad I around 1371 thought it necessary to build up an army that would have superior fighting power and be loyal to him. He began to build up the power of various non-Turkish groups in his service, particularly those composed of Christian slaves and converts to Islam. (J.F. VonHamer-Purgstal 771)

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This new military infantry was well organized and trained; it was called the Janissary Corps. (J.F. VonHamer-Purgstal 773)

These Janissary warriors were mostly composed of Christians or Jews who had converted to Islam. They were brought up in the Janissary camp from about the age of 5. They were trained to be fearsome warriors, although some were trained to be administrators. Most of the Janissary soldiers were in the cavalry. The cavalry was one of the main keys to the Ottoman?s many victories. The Janissary Corp?s soldiers were paid with a regular salary now that the country was established and taxes were collected.

?Orhan?s [son of Osman, the founder of the Ottoman Empire] capture of Bursa in 1324 provided the first means for developing the administrative, financial, and military power necessary to make this principality into a real state and create an army?

( J. F. von Hamer-Pugstall 773).

The Janissary Corps were the most awesome force that Europe had contended with for centuries. They were the most fearsome fighters to attack Europe since Gengis Khan?s Golden Hordes. They fought like well trained animals. ?Orhan soon was able to capture the remaining Byzantine towns in north- western Antola: Iznik(1331), Izmit(1337), and Uskudar(1338)? (J. F. von Hamer-Pugstall 771).

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?Murad conquered Thorace, northwest of Constantinople in 1361. He moved the capital to Adrianople? ( J. F. von Hamer-Pugstall 772). The Ottomans were not always expanding by means of war and conquest. They also gained territory through marriage and purchases.

?Bayezed extended the empire in Europe and added outposts along the Black Sea? ( J. F. von Hamer-Pugstall 773). The Ottomans became more powerful and now they added an artillery branch to their Janissary training.

?Murad then inaugurated the First Venetian Ottoman War (1423-30) … Venice moreover accepted Solonica to prevent further Ottoman expansion? ( J. F. von Hamer-Pugstall 773).

Murad had been warning Venice that if it didn?t give up Solonica to the Ottomans, it would be forced to go to war with them. Venice at the time had the largest navy and thought it could defeat the Ottomans, who lacked a large navy. So Murad then ordered a grand navy to be built. It was completed within a year?s time, and the Ottomans went to war.

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At first they attacked the harbor cities for 6 years, then they landed the Janissaries and they easily overcame the small Venetian militia. ?The Ottomans rapidly became a sea power in the eastern Mediterranean? (Bossenbrook 504).

After the win against Venice Sultan Bayezid was pushed into making more conquests in Europe by his militant Deusirme group. So in 1483 he pushed the power of the Ottoman Empire south of the Danube by taking Slovia and Hersegovania.

?… Bayezid was forced into a number of campaigns by the exigencies of time and the demands of his more militant Devsirme followers. In Europe, he rounded off the Empire south of the Danube and Slovia by taking Hersegovania (1483)m leaving only Belgrade out of Ottman?s control?

( J. F. von Hamer-Pugstall 774).

The Ottomans had always wanted control of Mesopotamia and the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. In the month of August,1514 they went to war against the Safavid army. They crush the army of Safavid because they had superiority in tactics and weapons (they also had gunpowder and cannons, compared to the Safavid, bows, arrows and spears.

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??The Ottoman and Safavid armies clashed at Cha

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