Here is a chronological summary of the done ones:
Mehmed II (1444-1481) | |
Bayezid II (1481-1512) | | End
of the conquest...
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Mehmed II (1444-1481)
Although Constantinople fell, all the balkans are not yet under Ottoman
sovereignty. Thus Albania still resists with the legendary figure of Skanderberg
but also a part of Serbia with George Brankovic and Jean Hunyadi as well
as Bosnia, Croatia and Dalmatia.
The Ottoman conquests move increasingly towards the Adriatic coast
and this is not by chance. Indeed, the maritime road check of the Mediterranean
constitutes an economic and strategic issue. Consequently, the
confrontation of Ottoman with the maritime power that is Venice is inescapable.
Firstly, military interventions are carried out in Bosnia and
Croatia in the years 1461-1463. Venice answers while trying to reconquer
Morée (Peloponnese) in 1463 with the aim of protecting its trade and
its numerous counters disseminated on islands of the Mediterranean.
But that shows a failure in Corinth while in 1465 Bosnia is conquered (for
the details of the conquest of the Bosnia-Herzegovina, to see Ragusa
). The weakening of Venice continues after the loss of the town of
Négrepont in 1469. The death of Skanderberg in 1468 will ring the
knell of Albania. In 1474 the citadel of Croja is taken by the Ottomans but
they fail in front of the town of Scutari on the Adriatic coast. The latter
will fall despite everything in 1478.
The military influence of Ottoman on the eastern balkans are even felt to Istria and the Friuli at the doors of Venice.
A peace treaty is finally signed between Venice and Ottoman in 1479.
Mehmet II dies in 1481. He assured outlets on the Adriatic
coast and succeeded in sharing part of the economic potential
of Venice.
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Bayezid II (1481-1512)
Since its advent, Bayezid proposed a peace with Venice but also with
the Hungarian and the knights of Rhodes. It should be stressed that Turkish people
were tired of supporting wars from heavy duties and taxes. But this
respite is in fact used on both sides only to better prepare new wars...
in 1499. At that date the town of Lepanto falls in the hands from the sultan
after a naval battle several days. It is a disaster for Venice which sees
losing its access to the Gulf of Corinth and its supply of wheat. Its cities
counters fall like Modon, Coron, Navarin in 1500.
Venice is then drained, does not trade anymore because it requisitioned
all its commercial boats for its effort in the war.
Trade in the eastern Mediterranean passed under the cut of Ottoman
who controlled ports like Zara (currently Zadar) then the town of Alesio
following an agreement of peace ratified in 1503 (see Ragusa
).
Paradoxically, a very important event occurs in September 1499: the
roads to the Indias is opened by Portuguese thanks to the road around Africa.
That will serve the European countries like France, England, Spain...
in future they will be be able to trade while freeing themselves from the passage
via the Mediterranean. And therefore they will avoid the counters, caravans and
boats controlled by Venice and the Ottoman. In the same order of idea,
the discovery of America in this century end sees the transfer of wealth
escaping Venice. All this resulted in reducing Venice increasingly to a
minor power economically.
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End of the conquest...
Arrived at this point of the history, let us note that the Ottoman
empire settled firmly in the balkans and that no power would be able to compete
with it. Thus the conquests continue with those of Syria and Cairo under
the reign of Sélim I in 1516-1517. With the death of Sélim
in 1520, it is Suleiman said the Splendid One who will take over. Ten years
later, the Charles V emperor is crowned by the Pope. All the remainder
of the history will see the fights between Suleiman in association with François
I against the very catholic Charles V. Suleiman will fail at the gate
of Vienna, which gives an idea of the phenomenal extension
of the Ottoman empire. But it is the beginning of the decline. The
Ottoman backward flow of the balkans will take a few centuries nevertheless
but it is another story...
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