The Ottomans most successful period was between the 16th and 17th centuries. During this period, the Ottoman Empire expanded out over three continents. This covers what we know today as Turkey, Egypt, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Macedonia, Hungary, Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and many other regions in Arabia and Africa.
The Empire was founded by Osman I, who was one of the leaders of the Turkish tribes in Anatolia in 1299. His tribe was known as the Ottoman Turks, who were also known by the honorific title the “Ghazis”. The early followers of Osman I, consisted of both Turkish tribal groups and Byzantine renegades, many but not all converted to Islam. Osman also founded the Ottoman Dynasty, which later established and ruled …show more content…
The Ottoman, were one of the major Islamic rival to the Christian Byzantines.
With the establishment of the empire, which continued to expand. The Christian rivals of the Ottoman were the most powerful Empire at the time and were also known as the Eastern Roman Empire. However, after the fall in Western Rome in the 5th Century, the Christian Byzantine Empire struggled to keep up with the rapid growth of Islam led by Osman the first and his people.
With the fall of the Byzantine frontier defence system and rise in their economic, religious, and social discontent, the Ottomans could take advantage of the situation and with leadership of Osman and his successors. Although the state’s size was quite small during Osman’s lifetime, it grew into a world empire in the centuries after his