Ottoman Pacification of the Balkans 1450-1650 (Paperback)

The Ottoman Empire is often portrayed as a bloodthirsty Empire bent on conquering Europe and opposing the great European powers of its time through its military strength. From its beginnings in the thirteenth century the Ottoman Empire expanded its territory over the vast expanses of the Middle East and throughout much of Southeastern Europe, the core of which it held for over 400 years. While Ottoman history is not devoid of acts of rebellion and insurrection, it is curiously sparse over much of that time in terms of significant rebellion in the Balkans. This paper will attempt to uncover the reasons for the relative ease with which they ruled over an area comprised of different cultures and religions.