In the late 13th century, a frontier chieftain named Osman I ruled a small Turkish state. According to a 15th-century chronicle by the historian Aşıkpaşazade, Osman had a divine vision. In this story, known as Osman's Dream, a moon rose from a holy man’s chest and entered his own. Then, a great tree grew from his navel, its branches shading the entire world. The dream was interpreted as a divine sign that Osman’s descendants would rule a vast empire spanning three continents. From his small principality, founded around 1299, a dynasty was born. But how could this minor state, one among many, ever hope to fulfill such a grand prophecy and command a world-spanning empire?
The Ottoman Empire
How a small Turkish state became an empire spanning three continents and fell after six centuries of rule.
Chapter 1
The Dream of an Empire
0:46
People in this story
Part of
Frequently Asked Questions
How did the Ottoman Empire begin?
It was founded circa 1299 by Osman I, a Turkish chieftain on the border of the Byzantine Empire. A later legend claimed his rule was ordained by a dream where a tree grew from his body to shade the world, symbolizing a future empire.
What was the 'Sultanate of Women'?
It was a 130-year period when women of the imperial harem held extraordinary political influence. It began when Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent broke tradition to legally marry his former concubine, Hürrem Sultan, who then engaged in state diplomacy and public works.
How did the Ottoman Empire end?
Following its defeat in World War I, the Turkish nationalist movement led by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk abolished the Sultanate on November 1, 1922. The last Sultan, Mehmed VI, fled into exile, and the Republic of Turkey was declared in 1923.
Learn more
To continue the story, download the Chunks Microlearning app
Or get it straight away:
Download on iOS
Download on Android