-
Jun 16, 1300
The beggining of the Ottoman Empire
Osman becomes the leader of the new Ottoman dynasty. -
Jun 16, 1326
Family line continues
Osman's son, Orhan, rules after his father's death. He gains control of Thrace in 1345. His son Murad I rules next. He sets up the system to train ex-slaves into elite soldiers known as Janissaries. He dies in the battlefield while defeating the Serbians. -
Jun 16, 1402
Civil War, Then Victory
Bayezid's sons fight for control. In 1413 Mamed wins and reunites the empire. He dies in 1421. -
Jun 16, 1453
The Fall of Constantinople
Mamed II attacks and takes down the Byzantine capital of Constantinople. -
Jun 16, 1520
Suleyman I Rules
One of the best known and most powerful leaders of the empire is Suleyman I, known as Suleyman the Magnificent. He conquers parts of western Asia and southeast Europe in his desire to convert people to Islam. The Ottoman Empire reaches its peak under his rule. -
Jun 16, 1566
The Slow Decline
After Suleyman I's death, his son Selim II rules but he is not like his father, he never went to fight battles and his government was unstable. -
A Losing Battle
The Ottomans try to conquer Venice in 1683, but fail. In 1697, as Austrian troops push into the Ottoman territory in Hungary, the Turks are defeated at Zenta. -
Greece Revolts
Starting in 1821, Greece revolts against the Ottomans. A long struggle ensues with the Greeks eventually getting help from Britain, France, and Russia. They win their independence in 1830. -
More Losses
Abdul Hamit II tries to instill reforms into the empire, including adding a constitution and a parliament. These reforms fail, however. -
The End of the Empire
During World War I, the Ottoman Empire sides with the Germans who lose the war, and peace treaties cause the empire to dissolve.
