: Positioned near the weakening Byzantine Empire.

: Formation of an elite infantry corps from Balkan Christian youths. The Golden Age of Expansion (1451–1566)

: Overhauled the legal system, earning the title "The Lawgiver."

This era saw the Ottomans become a global superpower under legendary Sultans. The Fall of Constantinople (1453)

To help you dive deeper, tell me if you’re more interested in: and the Janissary corps The daily lives of people in Istanbul The biographies of specific Sultans

Claimed the title of , making the Sultan the spiritual leader of Islam. Suleiman the Magnificent (r. 1520–1566)