Expansion into Europe The next significant expansion of the Ottoman Empire was achieved by Orhan’s successor, Murad I. Using the newly acquired access to the Dardanelles, Murad I was able to bypass Constantinople and launch a campaign into the Balkans. This move was extremely significant from a strategic perspective because it isolated Constantinople from the rest of the Byzantine Empire. Murad I used a combination of strategies to establish control of this area, including combat, diplomacy and the use of politically motivated marriages. This last technique was particularly useful to gain the loyalty of local communities and rulers. With a strengthened army in the north-west of Anatolia and a new stronghold in Europe, the stage was finally set for the greatest conquest of the Ottoman Empire to this point, the final bastion of the Byzantines: Constantinople.
SOURCE4 A map of the Ottoman Empire in 1400, showing some of the major battles
Key
Battles with dates
Bursa 1326
Nicopolis 1396
Capitals with dates
SERBIA
Byzantine Empire
BLACK SEA
Trnovo 1393
Ottoman Empire by 1352
Kosovo 1389
Ottoman Empire by 1400
BULGARIA
Edirne 1365
Constantinople 1453
Gallipoli 1354
Ankara 1402
Bursa 1326
0
100
200
kilometres
Source: Spatial Vision
4.4 SkillBuilder activity HISTORICAL QUESTIONS 1. Select one of the battles mentioned in this lesson and investigate , conducting research, to find more information about it. 2. Take notes to answer the following questions. a. Who was the battle fought between? b. Why was the battle fought? c. What tactics were used in the battle? d. Why was the victorious side able to win? e. What was the significance of this battle? 3. Using your research notes, write a few paragraphs to describe the battle in your own words. Your paragraphs can be structured using the questions above.
Jacaranda Humanities Alive 8 Victorian Curriculum Third Edition
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