How did geography affect the expansion and success of the Ottoman Empire? How did they overcome these limitations?
What will be an ideal response?
A. Limitations of geography
1. Ottomans were disadvantageously placed
a. no outlets to the Atlantic, the Indian Ocean or to the western
Mediterranean
b. only access were arrow straits that enemies easily controlled
c. Ottomans were surrounded by enemies on every side
2. needed to be efficient in order to expand
B. Overcame limitations by expansion
1. Egypt allowed them to finance other conquests
2. armies of Suleiman the Magnificent (r. 1520–1566 ) reached Belgrade in the
northwest Balkans in 1521
and the island of Rhodes in the Aegean in 1522
3. a punitive expedition against Hungary in 1525 ended as a conquest
4. conquered Iraq from Persia and most of the shores of the Red Sea
5. Suleiman extended his rule over almost the whole southern shore of the
Mediterranean
6. conquered Moldavia in the northeast Balkans
7. besiged Portuguese stronghold of Diu in India
8. wrecked a Christian fleet off the shores of Greece
C. pace of expansion was slower under Suleiman's successors
1. remoter conquests brought diminishing returns
2. Ottoman naval effort faltered, was outgunned in Indian Ocean by Portugal
and in central Mediterranean by Spain
3. every generation brought a net gain of territory until the last years of the
seventeenth century
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