The Ottoman Empire

By 1520 the Ottoman Empire, founded c. 1300 by Sultan Osman I, controlled large portions of Asia, the Middle East, and most of southeast Europe. Austria and Russia attacked the northern fringes throughout the period, and the empire slowly collapsed in the 19th century as the Balkan nations emerged.

Map of Ottaman Empire: Rise and Fall of Ottomans

Empire based around the Turkish sultan, lasting from 1300 until 1922, and covering at her peak (1683- 99) an area including today's Hungary, Yugoslavia, Croatia (a part), Bosnia, Albania, Macedonia, Greece, Romania, Moldova, Bulgaria, southern Ukraine, Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, Iraq, Kuwait, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, Jordan, eastern and western Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, eastern Yemen, Egypt, northern Libya, Tunisia, and northern Algeria.

The Ottoman Empire was not a Turkish empire as such, since Turks did not profit more from the benefits of the state than the peoples in non-Turkish territories. And even though the first sultans were Turkish, they generally married non-Turkish women, so the race of later sultans was not Turkish either.

The empire was through most of its period not a state in the modern sense of the word, but more of a military administration.

Timeline of Ottoman Empire

While the Ottoman Empire at its death bed had few friends, it still had offered its inhabitants many benefits through most of its existence. For Muslims it was considered as a defence against the non-Muslim world. For non-Muslims it offered a better life and more security than Christian states up until the 18th century. For most of its inhabitants it had offered career possibilities. And it offered peace and relative harmony to all its inhabitants despite cultural and ethnic differences.

Territories of the Ottoman Empire

Europe	Albania - Bosnia and Herzegovina - Bulgaria - Greece - Hungary - Macedonia - Moldovia - Montenegro - Romania - Serbia - Ukraine

Africa	Algeria - Chad - Egypt - Eritrea - Ethiopia - Libya - Morocco - Sudan - Tunisia

Asia	Cyprus - Iraq - Lebanon - Palestine - Saudi Arabia - Syria - Turkey

TransAnatolie Tour

Mail to info@transanatolie.com with questions or comments about this web site.

Last modified: 2011-11-16

Explore the Worlds of Ancient Anatolia and Modern Turkey by TransAnatolie Tour: Ancient Anatolia Explorer, Asia Minor Explorer, Turkey Explorer; Cultural Tour Operator, Biblical Tour Operator, Turkish Destinations, Cultural Tours to Turkey, Biblical Tours to Turkey, Health and Cultural Tours to Turkey, Thermal, Thalasso Holidays in Turkey, Archaeological Tours to Turkey, Historical Tours to Turkey, Cultural Heritage Tours to Turkey, Cultural Tours to Turkey, Hobby Eco and Nature Tours Holidays to Turkey, Beach and Plateau Holidays in Tuirkey, Anatolian Civilizations, Ancient Cultural Museums in Turkey, Top Turkish Museums, Museums in Turkey, Anatolian Civilizations Museum, Istanbul Archeological Museum, Ephesus Museum, Mevlana Museum, Topkapi Museum, Museum of Topkapi Palace, Turkish Cities, Turkish Destinations, Ancient Cities in Turkey, Ancient Anatolian Cities, Turkey in Brief, Turkish Culture, Turks, Turkish Language, Turkish Philosophers....Circuits culturels en Turquie, Excurcions en Turquie, Vacances en Turquie, Circuits de Culture en Turquie, Circuits de Croyance en Turquie, Turquie, Villes Antiques en Turquie, Musees en Turquie, Empires Turcs, Revolution de Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Turquie d'Ataturk, Culturele Tours in Turkije, Rondreizen in Turkije, Reizen naar Turkije, Culturele Rondreizen naar Turkije, Vakanties in Turkije, Groepsreizen naar Turkije, Turkije, Turkse Geschiedenis, Geschiedenis van Turkije, Oude Steden in Turkije, Oude Beschavingen, Oude Anatolische Beschavingen, Turkse Steden, Turkse Musea, Musea in Turkije, Turkse Steden, Overzicht van Turkije, Turkije in het Kort, Turks, Turkse Taal, Turkse Gescheidenis, Osmaanse Rijk, Ottamaanse Rijk, Gezondheid Tours Vakanties in Turkije, Geloof Tours in Turkije, Culturele Tour Operator, Turkije Specialist

The Association of Turkish Travel Agencies