Editing Ottoman Empire (section)

== History ==

The Ottoman state developed from a Turkish principality in northwestern Anatolia. Its early rulers expanded through frontier warfare, alliances, settlement, and control of routes between Anatolia and southeastern Europe.

Ottoman expansion into the Balkans brought the empire into contact with Byzantine, Bulgarian, Serbian, Hungarian, Wallachian, Moldavian, Venetian, and other regional powers. The capture of Constantinople in 1453 ended Byzantine rule in the city and gave the Ottoman government control over a major passage between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean.<ref name="turkey-history"/>

The empire expanded further during the 15th and 16th centuries. It controlled large parts of the Balkans and developed a major position in the eastern Mediterranean, the Aegean region, the lower Danube, and the Black Sea. Ottoman authority also extended into the Arab provinces, including Syria, Egypt, and parts of Mesopotamia.

In Hungary, the Ottoman victory at the [[Battle of Mohács]] on 29 August 1526 caused a succession crisis and contributed to the division of the medieval kingdom. Central Hungary came under Ottoman administration, while western and northern territories were governed by the Habsburg monarchy as Royal Hungary.<ref name="hungary-ottoman"/>

Moldavia retained internal institutions but faced pressure from the Ottoman Empire, the Russian Empire, the Habsburg monarchy, and neighbouring powers during the early modern period.<ref name="moldavia-history"/> Giurgiu was first captured by the Ottoman Empire in 1417 and became an Ottoman military and customs position on the northern bank of the Danube.<ref name="giurgiu-history"/>