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The end of the Byzantine empire occurred when Mongols invaded in the 13th century (the 1200s), followed by the rise of the Ottoman (Muslim) Turks to power in the 14th century (the 1300s), who replaced the Byzantium empire with their own.  The Ottoman empire then lasted over 600 years, from 1299 to 1923,<ref>The Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople in 1453.  http://www.greece.org/poseidon/work/occupation/constantinople.html</ref> when it was divided by the victors in World War I.  At the height of its power in the 16th and 17th centuries, the Ottoman empire included Anatolia, the Middle East, portions of North Africa, and much of southeastern Europe.

The end of the Byzantine empire occurred when Mongols invaded in the 13th century (the 1200s), followed by the rise of the Ottoman (Muslim) Turks to power in the 14th century (the 1300s), who replaced the Byzantium empire with their own.  The Ottoman empire then lasted over 600 years, from 1299 to 1923,<ref>The Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople in 1453.  http://www.greece.org/poseidon/work/occupation/constantinople.html</ref> when it was divided by the victors in World War I.  At the height of its power in the 16th and 17th centuries, the Ottoman empire included Anatolia, the Middle East, portions of North Africa, and much of southeastern Europe.

While powerful nation-states were developing in Europe, absolutist empires were spreading throughout the East, and Islam was growing rapidly.  In present-day Turkey, in a region known as “Anatolia,” Muslim warriors called “ghazi” arose, seeking to conquer land belonging to infidels, or people of non-Islamic faith.  A famous ghazi named Osmen Bey began the Ottoman empire.  The strongest characteristic of the Ottoman and other Asian empires of the time was their use of gunpowder, which gave rise to the term “gunpowder empires.”  Under Ottoman rule, non-Muslims had to pay a tax to avoid military service, which was mandatory for Muslims.  Slaves called “janissaries” were also used as warriors.

While powerful nation-states were developing in Europe, absolutist empires were spreading throughout the East, and Islam was growing rapidly.  In present-day Turkey, in a region known as “Anatolia,” Muslim warriors called “ghazi” arose, seeking to conquer land belonging to infidels, or people of non-Islamic religions.  A famous ghazi named Osmen Bey began the Ottoman empire.  The strongest characteristic of the Ottoman and other Asian empires of the time was their use of gunpowder, which gave rise to the term “gunpowder empires.”  Under Ottoman rule, non-Muslims had to pay a tax to avoid military service, which was mandatory for Muslims.  Slaves called “janissaries” were also used as warriors.

In 1453 Ottoman sultan Mehmed II captured Constantinople, and tore the cross off the top of the Hagia Sophia, declaring the Christian church to be a mosque.  Selim the Grim and Suleiman I followed, expanding the Ottoman territories into an empire comprising Constantinople (now Istanbul), Syria, Palestine, Egypt, North Africa, Greece and even parts of Hungary and Austria.  '''The height of the Ottoman empire existed during the reign of Suleiman I, which lasted from A.D. 1520 to 1566'''.  Suleiman was known by Europeans as “the Magnificent” because of the splendor of his reign, but he had the greatest historical influence as a provider of laws and legal standards.  His picture can be found in the United States Supreme Court alongside those of Moses, Thomas Jefferson and Solon.  Called “people of the book,” Christians and Jews were allowed to practice their religions under Ottoman rule.

In 1453 Ottoman sultan Mehmed II captured Constantinople, and tore the cross off the top of the Hagia Sophia, declaring the Christian church to be a mosque.  Selim the Grim and Suleiman I followed, expanding the Ottoman territories into an empire comprising Constantinople (now Istanbul), Syria, Palestine, Egypt, North Africa, Greece and even parts of Hungary and Austria.  '''The height of the Ottoman empire existed during the reign of Suleiman I, which lasted from A.D. 1520 to 1566'''.  Suleiman was known by Europeans as “the Magnificent” because of the splendor of his reign, but he had the greatest historical influence as a provider of laws and legal standards.  His picture can be found in the United States Supreme Court alongside those of Moses, Thomas Jefferson and Solon.  Called “people of the book,” Christians and Jews were allowed to practice their religions under Ottoman rule.