Encyclopedia of the East

The reign of Mehmed I: 1419-1421

The reign of Mehmed I actually extended from 1402-1421, but for the purposes of this
encyclopedia, we start in 1419. Mehmed did not rule for long, and his main contributions were
on the diplomatic front. Unlike his successor, Murad II, he did not hold an active command in the
field, and in all regards seemed to leave war to his advisors except for his well documented
observation of the siege of Constantinople (1420).

His main contribution to the Ottoman empire was his guiding of them to a quick alliance on
January 1, 1419, with Dulkadir and Ak Koyunlu. His time thereafter seemed to be devoted to
prayer, for he knew the end of his reign would come soon. Therefore, the advisors were given a
free reign, declaring war on Byzantium, and also helping their allies against the Empire of
Trebizond. The former went roughly, with the troops inexperienced, though numerous, but it was
enough. Byzantium had committed a major blunder when, even before the war, they stationed the
majority of their troops in the province of Morea.

In February of 1420, the men of the Ottoman Empire, with the ferocity of a self proclaimed
Jihad, lay siege to Constantinople, after defeating the small armies there. The Ottomans had
terrible luck, their navy smashed and beaten time after time. The war against Trebizond,
however, went considerably better, and after smashing the small armies of the tiny state, they laid
siege to their only province. Trebizond was in serious trouble.

In the meantime, Constantinople was captured, exactly one year after it had begun:
February 1, 1420. On February 7, the Ottomans demanded Morea from the Byzantines, but the
Emperor proudly refused, pointing out that Morea was still in his men’s hands. The Ottomans
were furious. Also, Athens refused the Ottomans military access, making the only route to Morea
by sea, which the Ottoman so-called fleet, had not seen since their last defeat by the Christians.

Fortunately for the reputation of the Ottoman Empire, the laughably named Empire of Trebizond
was annexed into the much larger empire of the Ottomans in May. The dying Mehmed got the
news that his fleets had broken through the Byzantines in the Agean, but the invasion of Morea
would go to the hands of his successor: Murad II.

Originally posted by Stroph1
Turks played by a cautious player. Should in a nice tale! I will be reading.

Leave the Mamulukes alone!

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Can't be done, if I am to accomplish my goals.

My unwritten goal is to ravage and wreck the entire Christian and Shiite world!

The reign of Murad II to the annexation of Byzantium: 1421-1429



Murad II’s early reign was plagued by misfortune. Really, he was not as bad a general as some
would make him out to be. His disastrous Morea campaign (1422) was as much due to the
Byzantine rock hard determination as bad generalship on his part. The first major action of
Murad’s reign was the back and forth naval campaign in the Agean, which led up to the
aforementioned Morea campaign.

The Morea campaign was the focus of most people that think Murad II was a bad general. It was
a very strange battle. Five separate invasions of Morea were commenced, one after another. All
met in defeat. The Byzantine infantry fought down to a size of 2,000 before the Ottomans carried
the day.

In the midst of this campaign, the allies of the Ottoman Empire declared war on Karaman, which
the Ottomans faithfully agreed to, and the siege of several Karamaner provinces was laid. Also,
in the midst of 1422, Morea was finally ground to a halt, and the last province of the “rock of
Christendom”, as Byzantium was now called, was put under siege.

Tunisia invaded Macedonia, to the puzzlement of the Empire, and inflicted a humiliating defeat
on Janissaries, though they were too small to do much damage. Soon after, in 1423, Byzantium
lost Morea in a peace treaty, and Murad continued to personally conduct the war with Karaman.
After a long period of allied sieges, Karaman was forced to surrender two of it’s provinces
(1424).

In the years 1424-1428, the main highlights were the institution of the Sheikh-Ul-Islam, and the
picture perfect campaign by Murad II that caused the annexation of Teke. In fact, this was the
first completely successful campaign waged by the Ottomans since 1419.

The second came soon after, with the quick War of Constantinople, when the “Rock of
Christendom” was finally completely cracked. The Ottoman wrath was upon the Christian world.



The Ottoman Empire after the annexation of Byzantium.

Originally posted by Sytass
Nice going. But why is Athens still alive?

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Wait till the second half of Murad's reign. It, Albania, Candar, and Karaman will be dead! I wonder if there is an eye bulging emitcon. Work well.

Oh, and Kurek, my goals do not allow it!

Originally posted by Judas Maccabeus


There's your emoticon Snowy.

And I agree with it.

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No, the eyes have to bulge. I think I'll make my own.

Re: Re: Encyclopedia of the East

Originally posted by Crimson King
Good luck. I looked into converting Rome with an uber-Granada that I'd built up. Over 4000 ducats for a 15% chance of success. I passed. Of course, your leaders will probably have a better admin rating ...

Now, you didn't go and force-annex co-religionist Teke, did you? What kind of Brother of the Prophet are you?

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Ahh, that's just a for fun goal.

And to the second... I never said I was the brother of the prophet, and besides, I have a CB!

The reign of Murad II to the end of the War of Betrayal: 1429-1439



For now, the annexation of Byzantium did not seem to mean much. On February 7, this dispirited
and ravaged city suddenly became a hub of commerce and the seat of the Ottoman Empire. Not
only did the economic reforms of Murad II pay off, but also the patriarchate was allowed to
continue to exist, to the detriment of the great empire’s stability. Also, Constantinople was made
capital of the Empire.

Strangely, though, the next few years seemed not to have much happen. The Nobles increased
their cries to a crescendo in their hunt for increased pensions, but Murad II denied them that. In
1432, though, the Ottomans attacked Athens, and smashed them easily. Also, Dulkadir was
peacefully vassalized by Murad.

In 1437, the War of Betrayal began. Ak Koyunlu had recently left the alliance and joined a new
one with the Golden Horde, soon after declaring war on Dulkadir. The Ottomans, infuriated by
such betrayal, rode to protect their vassal.

The first move was an overland march by Murad II himself to Kurdistan, the capital of the White
Sheep Turks. After a quick siege, he fought off superior armies time and again, and marched to
Armenia. A cold, bitter winter followed, and the hard won province of Armenia finally fell into
Ottoman hands.

The last move of the campaign, fought desperately in the face of huge armies from the Golden
Horde, was to Nuybissan, the far southern province of the White Sheep Turks. After another
siege, it fell into Ottoman hands. After a few months, Ak Koyunlu was forced to accept a
humiliating peace:

1. They were to secede the desert province of Nuybissan, and the rich, gold producing province
of Armenia.

2. They were to be bound to the Ottomans, never to enter another alliance or royal marriage,
except, of course with the Ottomans.

3. They were to pay half their small yearly income to the Ottoman Empire.

The end of the reign of Murad II: 1439-1451

Though Murad II had spent long years in the saddle, his last twelve years were spent, not fight
fierce battles, but to direct diplomacy, and, at the very end, war, from his study in
Constantinople.

Except for the quick war in 1444 that ended in the annexation of Candar, and the peaceful
annexation of Dulkadir, as well as the bringing of the White Sheep Turks into the alliance, this
time was a quiet one, up until the First War of the Mamalukes. The conflict arose when the
Mamalukes, embroiled in many wars already, were seen by the Ottomans as an easy opportunity.
Citing their Casus Belli on much of the Mamaluke lands, they declared war.

The war plans were simple. The Ottoman armies merely plowed through the tiny Mamaluke
armies, besieging province after province. In the middle of the war, Murad died, but his legacy
and his war lived on.

Sorry, short one right now.

* * *

The reign of Mehmed II Fatih to the beginning of the Hungarian War:
1451-1460


Mehmed II ran the war from Murad’s death, himself in the field personally. He himself took
command of the siege of Jerusalem, and on August 16, 1452, he was the first to enter the holy
city. The end of the war was bloody, but they managed, taking all of Egypt, and receiving a giant
territory from Egypt: almost all of their land east of Sinai.

The years after the war were not too exciting, all that happened, indeed, was the founding of the
Enderdun. But the Turks were building up for another major war. Their target: Hungary.

Originally posted by stnylan
SK

Mmm, it may just be me but I can't see on the map which countries are ruled as your vassals (the line doesn't seem to be distinct).

Otherwise I am taking notes for my own game as the OE, which I'm playing to get used to 1.06. Much fun

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Purple is evidently not a good color. I'll try yellow next. Doesn't really matter, because I am annexing the few vassals I had in that stage, which was Ak Koyunlu, FYI.