Turkey 1648 CE

What is happening in Turkey in 1648CE

Asia Minor is the centre of one of the great empires of world history, the Ottoman empire.

After the capture of Constantinople (in 1453) the Ottomans continued their dramatic expansion, conquering Syria, Egypt and the Hejaz (1516-17), North Africa (1526), and Iraq (1555) and, in Europe, pushing the frontier far north, destroying the Hungarian army at the battle of Mohacs (1526), and going on to besiege Vienna, in the heart of Europe (1529).

The siege failed, and after Suleiman the Magnificent (reigned 1520-66), a succession of weak sultans ruled, under whom factionalism and corruption impacted upon the sound running and military effectiveness of the empire. The empire also experienced some economic decline, resulting from the diversion of trade away from the Middle East by European ships. Nevertheless, the empire has continued to expand, in both Europe and Africa, and reforming sultans, Osman II (1618-22) and Murad IV (1623-40), have done much to rectify matters. They have countered corruption, encouraged trade, industry and agriculture, and restored the efficiency of the army and administration.

Next map, Turkey in 1789