Expansionist Policy In Europe: The Ottoman Empire

Student’s Name

Professor’s Name

Subject

Date

Ottoman Empire

After an expansionist policy in Europe that started in the 1300s and lasted for over one century, the Ottoman Empire finally conquered the Byzantine kingdom in 1453 (Eva 491). The Ottoman colony composed of mainly Islamic invaders who originated from modern day Turkey. When the Christian capital Constantinople fell to the foreign military, Sultan Mehmed II established a new reign. Geographically, the city lay in between the Black Sea, Aegean Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea. This position, consequently, placed it at the center of thriving trade routes that connected Asia and Europe. Initially, Constantinople had a robust culture characterized by religious diversity with a predominantly

A similar theme of spiritual struggle appears in both narratives. In the first place, the targeting of places of worship indicates that the conquest was occasioned to establish a new religious order. Paradoxically, even after presiding over the plunder of the sanctuaries, Kritovoulos notes that the Sultan was concerned with the progress of Christian faith. Mehmed II identified a critical spiritual leader within the Byzantine church who was called Gennadius. The Sultan made him the High priest for all Christians and allowed him to exercise all the rights the church possessed before the conquest. By and large, the ruler’s interest to learn the doctrines of Christianity is noted when Kritovoulos says “He also granted him the privilege of delivering before him fearlessly and freely many good disquisitions concerning the Christian faith and doctrine.” This quote reveals a different account of the Ottoman Empire. The regime surfaces as being tolerant to faiths other than Islam. At any rate, the Sultan’s interaction with the clergy and his desire to take took religious instructions based on Christian teachings show he is accommodative and liberal. As such, this line of thought supports the idea that religious institution, doctrines and, spiritual leaders are central in appreciating the operations of the Ottoman

The writer lays a lot of emphasis on the practice of dispatching proxies to all villages inhabited by Christians to capture one-fifth of their best boys (Eva 493). This inclination forms the title of his story “The Tribute of Children.” Whenever the king’s officials went to a particular village, it is reported that all the inhabitants would be amassed together with their sons. The army commander would then exercise his higher authority by picking the all youth with unique features. The traits included physical strength and good looks, talents, and their abilities. All selected youth are offered to the Sultans as a human sacrifice. The Turks are presented as insensitive since the children were merely seven years old. Discrimination emerges when it’s affirmed that the youth picked were “…from the children of the Christian subjects.” Consequently, it is perplexing for the reader to reconcile the two standpoints offered on the Ottoman Empire. On one side is a progressive and considerate regime while the other presents a retrogressive and controlling