Ottoman Empire

Abstract

The Ottoman Empire was one of the world's longest enduring empires, ruling over three continents for more than six centuries from the late medieval era to the early 20th century. What we know as the Middle East today was almost entirely ruled by the Ottoman Empire until the creation of a nation-state system in the region in the aftermath of World War I. With the conquest of Constantinople in the mid-15th century, the Ottomans inherited the remnants of the Byzantine legacy to become one of the superpowers of the early modern world. For most of the empire's history, Ottoman governance of its diverse ethno-religious groups was characterized by flexibility, adaptability, and constant negotiation, accounting for the longevity and durability of this gigantic territorial entity. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. All rights reserved.