Ottoman Empire Expansion

When the Ottoman military captured the capital city of the Byzantine Empire Constantinople, it truly emerged as one of the stronger powers in that region of the world. Having said that it went on to create one of the biggest and most well known Empires of the modern world. After 1453, it was only capture and expands for the Ottoman Empire as they seized one victory after another and expanded almost into central Europe. They also went inside Africa and further inside west Asia as they took control of the three important water bodies in the region - The Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and the Aegean Sea.

Interestingly, the existing people of that region welcomed the Ottoman Empire with open arms and deemed the transformation as a transformation for the good. Starting of 15th century and end of 16th century - between these periods saw the greatest Ottoman conquests and expansion exercises that amazed the world. They expanded rapidly and efficiently and instead of leaving a destroyed land, they built trade centers and cities that would only help them cementing their position as the new rulers of the region.

Expansion from North to South and East to West

One of the primary reasons as why the Empire succeeded in expanding rapidly and efficiently was because of the fact that they flourished economically under their then Sultans. The most notable of them all, Suleyman was the one who brought the change in thinking, in laws and administration; he had complete control of trade routes through that region and held the power of trade between Asia and Europe and therefore earned a lot in revenue.

He also realized the importance of business as a way to expand his Empire and therefore took the required steps to ensure a speedy and uniform expansion. Selim I was the one who promulgated the fastest expansion exercise by defeating Persian king Shah Ismail, established Egypt as their region, Red Sea. The Portuguese were not the ones to be defeated easily and they wanted to become the dominant power of the region and battles and battles ensued between the two Empires.

Suleyman expanded the kingdom further by going into Hungary and capturing Belgrade and also captured major parts of Central Europe. Vienna would have also been captured but the April rains halted his plans and therefore Vienna was perhaps saved from the clutches of the Empire that later on would become a faction state with internal strife and fighting.