The Ottoman Victory At Constantinople And Its Role In History

According to me, the Ottoman victory on Constantinople was the greatest event in human history. The Ottoman empire lasted over 600 years. It was more than the combined Mughal and Ming Empires. Although the Ming dynasty’s peasant revolution was unique in its type, the Ottoman Empire also was founded by a tribal leader who was raised in chaos and constant war. For many reasons, the fall of Constantinople is significant. The Europeans suffered a major psychological blow. It was clear that even the most well-defended walls could be smashed. It was the decisive blow to the Byzantine empire and sent ripples through Eurasia. The Islamic people held Constantinople in their hearts. It was not conquered by any army. A crescent-shaped moon hung in heaven on May 29, 1453 as the city fell. Constantinople adopted the Crescent symbol under the Turks.

Half a century later, Islamic countries around the globe commemorate the victory by displaying crescent moons on flags. The city was in dire economic circumstances before Constantinople fell. The city’s population was now 40,000, down from half a million during the century before. The city’s economy was revived after the Ottoman occupation. Sultan Mehmet I established the Grand Bazaar close to his palace. Tax reliefs were also offered to those who wanted to settle in his town. It is often considered one of the most important shopping centers in the world. The capture of the Grand bazaar had an adverse effect on trade in Europe. It saw the end of Silk Road, one the key routes to East Asia. This led the world to explore and discover new worlds. Because the Ottomans ruled the area, Europeans were unable to trade across the black sea. The Ottoman conquest caused a reduction in trade in Italy and impacted trade. Genoese semigovernmental banking officials, to which Spain’s monarchs had deep debts, funded Spanish colonization. Colonization was a huge success for them. While the Ottomans were economically benefited by the fall Constantinople, it was not so for their trade partners from the Byzantine Imperial. The rise of Ottoman Empire created animosity between Turks and Greeks. Since thousands of centuries, the Greeks have dominated both sides Aegean for miles. The Byzantine empire came to an end when the Ottomans overtook it. The Byzantines were defeated and the Byzantines became the Ottomans. All of their subjects, including the Greeks were subjected to an oppressive, unfree belief system by the Turks.

Christianity was no longer a religion of importance. Hagia Sophia became a Mosque after it was demolished. Many Greek scholars fled across Adriatic to avoid death or forced conversions. They returned thousands of years-old Greek manuscripts. These manuscripts were then translated into Latin, and they were instrumental in the rise of Renaissance. This gave the Ottomans a new foundation for future conquests. In 1529, they entered Vienna. They were a serious threat to Western Civilization. Over the years, Europeans have held a hateful and biased view of Turks. Many historians argue that the reason why Turkey is not included in the European Union was deeply rooted in Constantinople’s fall.

The Ottomans have more success than the Mings/Mughals. The Ming Dynasty was an imperial power that shut down all trade. Chinese thought merchants were inferior to other classes and labeled them parasites. External influences were forbidden from China. Zheng He, the Chinese traveler, was the only way the Chinese were able to interact with the outside world in the Ming Dynasty. The Ming dynasty was born out of the peasant rebellion. This led to a series of sexually rapacious and sadistic emperors. After the death o their emperors, the concubines had to self-immolate. Concubines were also common in the Ottoman Empire. However, the Mings made sure that their concubines lived a life of abuse and torture. An absolute emperor, who is coronated due to his hereditary, can be incompetent. To protect themselves against incompetent rulers, the Chinese created a Prime Minster. The Hong Wu Emperor, however, abolished the post because he desired total authority.

The Ottoman ruling family was known for fratricide. This meant that they would sacrifice their children to benefit the state. To prevent interregnum, Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror authorized the killing of male family members. To become Emperor, a prince must kill his brothers. This is one reason why Ottoman Empires were ambitious and highly skilled. This meant that the prince must go through great trauma to achieve his glory. But, this will also make him hardworking and capable. The author believes that if Ahmed II had not ended the practice and made seniority succession his new method, the Ottomans might not have suffered as much.

Babur’s victory in Panipat created a dynasty which would last for nearly 200 years. India would get some outstanding architecture and art through the dynasty. They could control a much greater population than the Ottomans. Babur, however, was an Indian nomad living in central Asia prior to his arrival in India. His financial troubles were a burden that he never had to face again after he conquered North India. Before he could establish stability in North India, he had to deal directly with the Princes of the region. India’s history is incredibly diverse. This is precisely why Mughal India was so deeply engulfed by conflicts in India that it didn’t even consider leaving. The Mughals also failed to realize the importance of building an army. Slowly but surely, the Ming and Mughal Empires began to decline. The British colonized India after the Mughals and Qing Dynasties overtook China’s reigns. However, Turkey was founded on the Ottoman Empire’s ruins. Its great leader was Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

In conclusion, Constantinople’s fall ended an empire that had existed for more than 2 000 years. It was also the birthplace of The Age of Discovery. Although the Ottoman Sultanate fell apart in 1923 due to the decline of multiculturalism, architecture, military technology, and religious pluralism, it has had a long-lasting impact on the modern age.