The Ottoman Empire was one of the longest-lasting ruling systems in the world. It was an Islamic kingdom that covered parts of Northern Africa, the Middle East, and even Eastern Europe for almost 600 years. The leader was called the Sultan, and he had absolute religious and political authority over the people. While much of the other world regarded the Ottomans as a threat, many historians look back and see the Ottoman Empire as a great source of stability and advancement in the region.
The term "Ottoman" is derived from the name of Osman I, who founded the Ottoman Empire in the year 1299. In 1453, Mehmed II the Conqueror famously captured the city of Constantinople, changing the name to Istanbul, which ended the reign of the 1,000 year old Byzantine Empire and inspiring the They Might Be Giants song. Istanbul means "the city of Islam," and it was named the capital of the Ottoman Empire. Istanbul would go on to become an international center of culture and trade.
The Ottoman Empire reached it's peak between 1520 and 1566 under the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent (considered by many to be both a political and religious leader). This period was marked by great stability, wealth, and power, with a new uniform system of law being implemented and different forms of art and literature being accepted. At it's height, the Ottoman Empire consisted of Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, Egypt, Hungary, Macedonia, Romania, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, a portion of Arabia, and a good bit of the Northern African coast.
Starting in the 1600s the Ottoman's began to lose much of their economic and international relevance. Europe had strengthened rapidly during the Renaissance and Industrial Revolution, and so different parts of the Ottoman Empire were able to rebel and win, like Greece in 1830. During the Balkan wars in 1912-13, the Ottoman Empire lost nearly all remaining territories in Europe. After the first World War, the territories of the Ottoman Empire were divided between Britain, France, Greece, and Russia. The Ottoman Empire was ended officially in 1923 with the elimination of the title of Sultan, and Turkey was declared a republic in 1923.
Perhaps one of the most damning events was the Armenian Genocide, which occurred in 1915. It is thought that around 1.5 million Armenians were killed under a plan developed by Turkish leaders. This event is still denied today, and it is even illegal to talk about the Armenian Genocide in Turkey still.
The above video discusses a portion of the relationship between the Ottomans and Europe, as well as a couple other practices that the Ottomans used to maintain their empire.
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