Geostrategic situation of the Ottoman Empire

This article describes the geostrategic Situation according to the advent of the Ottoman Empire , of the 15th century at the 18th century, with respect to its zones close to Europe, of the Middle East and Asia.

Chronological recalls

7th century at the 14th century

Chronological planks

As from 1300:

Expansion of the Ottoman Empire

After the domination of the Abbasid Omeyyades and , the Turkish dynasties are essential, first of all with the Seldjoukides, then with the Othoman which conquer Constantinople in 1453 with Mehmet II. The Othoman make of it their capital under the name of Istanbul. The great Ottoman Empire extends in Asia, in the north of the Africa and in Europe Balkan and Danubian. Their dynasty dies out only in 1926 with Mehmed VI and the birth of the Turkish republic.

After Constantinople, Mehmet II, known as the Conqueror, subjects Athens, the Greece, the Albania and the Serbia, but without succeeding in conquering Belgrade (1456), then in 1477, the Bosnia and the Herzégovine. Its successor, the sultan Selim Ier, overcomes the Iraq, the Perse and later the Egypt where the Moslems Mamelouks reigned until their defeat against Napoleon with the pyramids in 1798.

Soliman the Magnificent the

He assembles on the throne in 1520 and becomes largest of the Othoman sultans. He conquers Belgrade in 1521, occupies Rhodos in 1522 where are the knights of St Jean which move with Malta; he subjects finally all the north of the Africa and demolishes the king of Bohemia and Hungary, Louis II, by killing it in 1526.

In 1538, Charles Quint, the Pope and Venice is combined to face the Turkish fleet with broad of the Albania. It does not bring out any winner of it. Soliman is combined with the France which has many commercial interests with the Turks.

In 1529, the Turkish army conquers Buda and, in 1562, besieges Vienna. Important successes are obtained thanks to the body of infantrymen of the Janissaires. Soliman dies in 1566.

The the Mediterranean and the Ottoman Empire - the battle of Lépante

Selim II succeeds Soliman and continues his expansionist policy. They are the Masters of the the Mediterranean, grace also to alliance with the France.

In 1565, the Othoman attack Malta, but the knights of St Jean, helped by the Spain, push back the attack. Charles Quint, in 1535, lance against the Turks a Crusade supported by the pope Paul III, the Portuguese and the Hospital ones. He takes Tunis, releasing 20 ' 000 Christian prisoners. In 1541, it seeks to conquer Algiers, but the attack fails.

In 1570, the Turks take again Tunis and besiege Cyprus, after having launched an ultimatum with Venice. Thus, on May 25th 1571, concluded the “Holy League” between the Spain, Venice, the pope Black and white V, the duke of Savoy, the Order of Malta, as well as other small Italian republics.

It is the time of the Protestant Réforme which, often, sympathizes with the Turks, because of their aversion of the Catholiques. In October, the Sainte League is started and, the 7, with Lépante, obtains a miraculous victory against the Turkish fleet. 80 ships Turkish are run, 130 captured and 50.000 Turks are killed or made captive. This victory is allotted to the Virgin Mary, seen as That which tramples the Growing, symbol of the Musulmans. Pie V founds then the festival of Notre-Dame of the Victories, fixed then by Gregoire XIII like celebrates Notre-Dame of the Rosary.

Divisions of the Christian princes supporting a return of the Moslems, Venice gives up the Sainte League and concluded a peace separated with Selim II. In 1661, the emperor Léopold of Austria tries to reconquer the Hungary, but in vain, and in 1663, the Othoman reach Presbourg and threaten Vienna. A new coalition follows which obtains a victory in 1664 against the Turks. Then Vienna is again besieged until, on September 12th 1683, with Kahlenberg, in Austria, the Christian forces, under the control of the duke Charles V of Lorraine and of the king of Poland, beat the Othoman by a total victory, judged like a new miracle. To point out such an event, the pope institutes the festival of the Nom of Marie. The new sultan, Soliman II, capitulates on all fronts. By the agreement of Karlowitz, in 1699, the Germanic Roman Empire allots the Hungary, the Croatia, the Transylvania and the Slavonie; Venice grants most of the Dalmatie, and the Poland, other areas more in north. After the defeat of Vienna, starts the Turkish decline. August 5th 1716, the prince Eugene of Savoy still beats the Othoman . Many sultans will follow to the capacity increasingly more restricted.

The Russia, the Ottoman Empire and the Christians Orthodoxe and Eastern

With the fall of Constantinople and the marriage between Ivan III and the girl of the last Byzantine emperor , Russia feels historical heiress of the Byzantine orthodoxe inheritance and seat of the “third Rome”. The Tsar S are regarded as the guards of the orthodoxe Christians.

Catherine II of Russia (1729 - 1796) wants to restore the old Byzantine Empire of Constantinople and to drive out the sultan of Istanbul. The Russian overcome the Turks on the Black Sea in 1768, and destroy their fleet. The tsarina Catherine reconquers the Ukraine and the the Crimea, but does not succeed in taking again Istanbul. Indeed, the Turks destroy the Russian fleet at the time of a new battle on the Black Sea and, in 1792, the tsarina must sign the Peace treaty of Jassy, which moderates its projects.

See too

General articles:

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