Ottoman Empire

Empire built by Anatolian Turkish tribes. It lasted from the 14th century until 1922. The ruling dynasty was established in about 1300 by Osman, who instigated nearly 200 years of expansionary wars. Ottoman military success was in no small measure due to the corps of Janissaries. In 1453 the Ottomans captured Constantinople (Istanbul), the last stronghold of the Byzantine empire, which became their capital. The empire reached the height of its power during the 16th century under Suleiman the Magnificent, dominating central Europe and the Middle East. Thereafter it went into a gradual but irreversible decline. The empire nevertheless showed great resilience and was overthrown only after its defeat during World War I.