If the title went over your head, just do the math. When speaking of the great feats of the Ottoman Empire, it is truly necessary to talk about the 1453 capture of Constantinople. The man behind this expansion is the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II. I find Mehmet to be an interesting figure in Ottoman history. He did not have the prototypical childhood of a Sultan. According to Crowley, odds are that his mother was a not a Turk or a Muslim, but a Western slave of the Christian faith. Even more interesting is that Mehmet was Murad's third son(his two half-brothers were much older), making his odds of ascension to the throne even more slim.
From the time Mehmet came to power, it appears to me that he had his eyes set on winning the Byzantine stronghold of Constantinople. Strategic decisions, such as placing forts along the Dardanelles, ensured his ability to mount a formidable attack.
Despite the overpowering force of the Ottoman army, I was astonished to hear how long the city walls of Constantinople were able to withstand the assault brought about by the Ottomans. To me, this is a prime example of the importance of fortifying your city. As we have seen throughout history, if a city or state is unable to fend off external forces, they are destined to fall.
Not to get too far off topic, but this brings to mind the current situation we face in America with the high influx of illegal immigrants on our Southern border. Obviously, the situations are quite different, but the underlying theme is that there is a strong necessity to keep borders secure from outside forces.
I believe that the Ottoman's successes in Constantinople propelled them into a new era. Having captured this Western power made them a respected nation on the world stage.
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Well, don't forget how well externally fortified Rome was before this point, and how it fell due to militaristic forces. Despite the fact of it's internal struggles, so many different forces-from the Gauls to the Middle Eastern forces who just wanted to be Roman-took that empire down so quickly.
ReplyDeleteTurning to Mehmet, I agree with you on his interesting background, but surely his older religion and background had to influence his decision-making. Besides expansion, reform was also severely needed at this time in order to maintain such a large area. As I said about the Romans, they crumbled because they were spread too thin.