Mehmed II who returned to Edirne as the Conqueror of the Eastern Rome organised a third military expedition pursuant to those towards Karaman and the Byzantine and he captured Enez from Genoese people (the end of 1453) and he sent a naval fleet to the Crimea (July 1454). He organised his first military expedition to Srbija in the year of 1454. He sent naval fleet to the Northern Aegean islands and he captured them. Afterwards, he organised the first military expedition to Rhode Island; however, he could not capture this island. The Second military expedition to Srbija was his sixth expedition (1455,1456). In the second expedition, he besieged Belgrade after his father. Hunyadi Yanoş who defended the castle died. Fatih was injured, but Belgrade could not be captured. The Moldavian Princedom recognised the Ottoman sovereignty in the year of 1455.

The seventh military expedition organised in the year of 1458 was the first military expedition of Fatih to Mora. The eight military expedition organised in the year of 1459 was the fourth military expedition to Srbija and this expedition resulted with the conquest of Semendire and the abolition of the Srbija State. He organised his ninth military expedition in the summer of the year of 1460. This expedition was the second military expedition to Mora and this expedition resulted with the abolition of the Mora princedoms and the annexation of their lands to Turkey, the end of Paleologos family and the eradication of the Byzantine traces from these regions.

Then, he dealt with the problems in the Southern Black Sea. Through his tenth military expedition organised in the year of 1461, he captured Amasra from Genoese. He organised his eleventh military organisation in the spring and came to Sinop. He gave an end to Candar (Isfendiyar) principality that was under his protection in a friendly manner. He also gave an end to the empire dynasty of Komnenos. Therefore, the entire Southern Black Sea coasts extending towards Batum and the coasts of Georgia were annexed to the lands of Ottoman State and therefore the regions of the Anatolia that had not become Turkish lands like Trebizond and Rize, etc. had been captured from the Christians.

When he returned from his twelfth military expedition to Trebizond, he organised his thirteenth military expedition towards Eflak and he annihilated the governor called as Kazikli Voyvoda (Piled Governor) that had rebelled against him.

Fatih organised his fourteenth military expedition in the year of 1462. This was the first military expedition to Bosnia that ended up with the conquest of Yayçe. His fifteenth military expedition was organised in the month of September in the same year and therefore, the Lesbos Island was conquered. The sixteenth military expedition was the second military expedition towards Bosnia that had been organised in the year of 1463. In the following year, the third military expedition to Bosnia was organised and this constituted his seventeenth military expedition. The eighteenth military expedition that he organised in the year of 1466 was against Karaman. The nineteenth military expedition organised in the year of 1466 was the first military expedition of Fatih to Albania. He organised his second military expedition towards Albania in the years of 1466-67 and this expedition constituted his twentieth military expedition.

The principal targets of the ruler in these successive and non-stop military expeditions were as follows: To conquer all the regions in the south of Danube River and the west of the Euphrates- Taurus border without leaving any place that was not annexed to the Ottoman State; to turn the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea into Turkish inland seas; to overwhelm the Venetian navy and to develop his naval forces as the first armed power of the world like his land forces; and to conquer Italy pursuant to the accomplishment of the tarhets mentioned above. This plan was known in the entire Europe from that date on. It was not a secret in the mind of Fatih any more. Therefore, not only the entire Europe, but also the Muslim and Turkish neighbours in the south of Turkey rebelled against this project. Thus, a terrible coalition was established against the Ottoman State and a war broke out that would last for a long time.

In the Great War that lasted for 16 years, there were some big states that were against Turkey such as Iran (Akkoyunlu Turkish Empire), Venetia, Ermany, poland, Castile, Aragon, and Naples. The number of the middle and small-sized states was approximately 20. Turkey was all-alone without any ally. Fatih could withstand this coalition for a period of sixteen year by means of his genius of policy that no other person could possess in the Turkish history. He defeated his enemies one by one, or in groups two or three at a time, and sometimes five and then at a time. Then, he come out victorious from this great war as the absolute triumphant. Therefore, the essential foundation of the Turkish World Empire had been laid. It was revealed that the world was helpless against the Ottoman State. The superiority of Venetia in the seas disappeared and vanished so as not to be recovered any longer in the course of the history.

The Great war was initiated by Fatih on the date of 3rd April 1463. The Venetian Republic declared war against Turkey on the date of 28th July. Hungary joined in this war on the side of Venetia against Turkey on the date of 30th September. After a few months, the number of the states that had waged war against Turkey was higher than the number of the states that had not waged war against it. Fatih tired out the enemies in all fronts and he plagued them with diplomatic manoeuvres. Then, he advanced towards the island of Euboea with his army and navy in the summer of the year of 1470. He conquered this unconquerable base of Venetia in the Western Aegean Sea. Meanwhile, the Akkoyunlu Turkish Emperor, Uzun Hasan Bey had sent emissaries to the European States stating that “Roumeli is yours, and Anatolia is mine” and he wanted to wipe off the Ottoman State even from the maps. He had understood that the European states could not cope with the Ottoman State successfully. Therefore, he waged war against Ottoman State through opening the eastern front upon a surprising attack to Tokat. On the date of 18th August 1470, the Prince Mustafa overwhelmed the Akkoyunlu army in Kıreli Pitched Battle and he saved the Ottoman Lands that were under their invasion. This was a terrible sign for Uzun Hasan. He wanted to advance towards the Ottoman State and to eradicate it radically with an army composed of terrible cavalry troops of Turkmen people. Fatih set in motion from Scutari on the date of 11th April 1473. His army composed of 190.000 people that were considered as the most difficult war machine encountered with its strongest enemy within the environs of Erzincan in August. The Akkoyunlu Turkmen army was totally defeated in Otlukbeli in a crushing manner. Until this war, Fatih used to use the artillery pieces brought to the battlefield in only the blockades in order to frighten the horses with the voices they emitted. However, these artillery pieces were used as a tactical war weapon for the first time in history.

Fatih’s raiders destroyed Europe and turned it upside down in every year extending towards the suburbs of Venetia and the central regions of Germany. Venetia, Germany and Hungary gave in. the twenty-third military expedition was organised towards Moldavia and the twenty-fourth military expedition was organised against Hungary. In the year of 1478, the ruler set in motion for his third military expedition towards Albania. He sent a naval fleet to the Crimea. The Crimean Khanate was annexed to the Ottoman union in the year of 1475. The third blockade of Rhode Island that was carried out in the year of 1480 did not yield any result. Pursuant to the capture of Ionian islands, he sent the navy to Italy. Then, this navy conquered Taranto on the date of 28th July 1480 as the start of the conquest of Italia. Italian City states started to make arrangements in order to greet Fatih Sultan Mehmed as the Western Rome Emperor. However, the ruler was poisoned and he died among his army in the military encampment between Maltepe and Gebze on the date of 3rd May 1481. He was at the age of 49 when he died.

Excluding his sultanate in his childhood for two times, his entire period of sultanate has lasted for 30 years and plus 2.5 months. The empire that he handed down had a surface area of 2.214.000 km2. However, only the surface area of 511.000 km2 was located in Anatolia; and the rest areas were located in Europe. The Turkish border in the north started from the south of Moscow. He had turned the Black Sea into a Turkish inland sea, and he nearly accomplished this project in the Aegean Sea. He also established dominion in the Greek (Ionian) sea. He had turned the Turkish navy into a world power, and he had developed this navy as a superior power over the two Venetian navies. He would conquer Italy with this navy and establish dominion over the Catholicity. When he had ascended the throne, he had only 30 war vessels. In the year of 1474, he developed the navy through increasing the number of the war vessels to 250 and the transportation vessels to with the number of 500 pursuant to his works for 23 years. He was also the founder of Istanbul University. He was fluent in the Western and Eastern languages. He was a scholar in literature and in the science of mathematics. He was the greatest soldier, the best diplomat and the statesman among all the rulers that had been brought up in the Ottoman State and he was also the wisest scholar of the Ottoman dynasty. According to some historians, he was the greatest and strongest character that the Turkish nation had had within the period of 2.500 years. This extraordinary warrior did not neglect the development of the empire with the public works and he constructed Turkish public works everywhere all around the country. He had conquered 2 empires, 4 kingdoms and 11 princedoms. He had had 3 sons and a daughter. However, only 2 sons of him were alive when he died.

He was replaced by his elder son, Bayezid II. However, his brother, Sultan Cem did not approve his enthronement. The problem of Cem continued until the year of 1495. On the date of 10th September 1481, the project towards the conquest of Italy was abandoned and the thought of the conquest of Italia was given up. Meanwhile, Bayezid II organised a military expedition towards Morova against Hungary in the year of 1483 and he also organised a military expedition towards Moldavia in the year of 1484. The first Mameluke war broke out in the year of 1485 and this war continued for 6 years. This war that had been fought with the Egypt-Syria Turkish Mameluke Empire did not yield any results. Pursuant to this war, Bayezid II organised his third military expedition in the year of 1492. This was a military expedition organised towards Hungary and Albania. In the meantime, he besieged Belgrade for the third time; but this blockade did not yield any positive result, either. The victory of Adbina pertaining to Yakub Pasha in the year of 1493 forced Hungary to conclude a state of peace.

Turkey maintained its superiority in the Mediterranean Sea in this period. Kemal Reis organised his first military expedition to Spain in the year of 1487. However, the collapse of Girnata that was the last Muslim state in Spain could not be prevented (2nd January 1492). The second military expedition of Kemal Reis towards Spain (in 1510) was organised to provide help for the Muslim people in Spain that had become subject to Spain. In the following year, the ship of Kemal Reis sank and he was drown in the open seas of Gallipoli (1511). He was the first great navigator of the Ottoman State and the real founder of the Ottoman naval movement.

On the date of 25th February 1495I Sultan Cem was poisoned in Naples and he died at the age of 35. Upon this event, his elder brother, Bayezid took a short break; however, he could not undertake great movements like his father and his son in the second stage of his sultanate. However, he had a significant influence in Italy. The second military expedition of Bali Bey towards Poland that had been organised in the year of 1498 ended up in favour of Turkey. Balibey penetrade into Warsaw in the course of his second military expedition.

The war that broke out against Venetia had an extensive scale. The ruler organised his fourth and fifth military expedition (in the years of 1499 and 1500) in order to eradicate the bases of Venetia in the southern Mora. Meanwhile, Kemal and Burak Reis (Chiefs) won the first victory of a great naval battle in the history of Turks as a result of the open sea naval battle in Sapienza (28th July 1499). In this great naval fight, 400 war vessels and ten thousands of navigators and sailors encountered the enemies. The Venetian navy was totally defeated in a crushing manner.

In the year of 1502, a state of peace was concluded with Venetia. However, in the same year, the Akkoyunlu Turkish dynasty was abolished in the Iran Empire and it was replaced by Shah Ismail Safevi that was also a Turkish dynasty in the place of Akkoyunlu dynasty. Safevi Empire had established dominion in Iran and also in the countries such as Iraq, Eastern Anatolia, Southern Caucasus, etc. and it had been the most powerful state following Turkey. This state was a Shiite State unlike the Akkoyunlu and Ottoman States that were Sunnite. Shah Ismail tried to disseminate his sect through violence, massacre, fire and intrigues and he threatened Anatolia. He caused the emergence of occasional rebellions in Anatolia. This situation disturbed the last years of Bayezid II. He had three sons that had stayed alive among his eight sons. He renounced from the throne in the name of Yavuz Sultan Selim that was his youngest son and he died after a short period. He was the wisest scholar of the Ottoman dynasty following his father. He was also a valuable music composer. Although he was not a great warrior like his father, ancestor and his son, he had attached much importance to the army and navy of the state. Similarly, he had protected the dignity and power of the Ottoman State with great care. However, he was depressed under the pressure of the Safevi State in the only last years of his sultanate.

Yavuz Sultan Selim ascended the throne at the age of 42. He had participated in several military expeditions as a district governor of Trebizond for a long time and he had acquired great experiences. It seemed that he was enthroned by the army in order to save Turkey from the pressures and even the threat of Safevi State. Under this mission, he dealt with the problem of Iran pursuant to the resolution of the civil conflicts.

On the date of 23rd April 1514, he set in motion from Scutari. He came to Sinop on the date of 2nd July and he left a detachment of his army that was composed of 40.000 people in this city. Then, he kept on his advance with an army composed of 100.000 people. On the date of 23rd August, he totally defeated and annihilated the army of Shah Ismail that was composed of 100.000 warriors in the plain field of Caldiran in the southern Azerbaijan. Shah could save his life by chance. Yavuz penetrated into the capital city of Iran Safevi State on the date of 16th September. Therefore, he hogtied and neutralised this second strongest state of the world for a specific period that they could not threat Turkey for a long time. Although Shah Ismail lived for another 10 years, he did not ever attempt to take revenge of Caldiran defeat. As a result of this victory, the Southeastern Anatolia and the Northern Iraq were captured from Iran and annexed to the lands of Turkey. Therefore, the Ottoman State had established the Turkish union in Anatolia. Iran only maintained the small regions in the Eastern Anatolia from that date on.

Until that time, the Dulkadir Turmen Principality (Maraş) had been submissive to the Ottoman State. When Yavuz did want to abolish this principality directly and to annex its lands to the country, Dulkadiroglu Alauddevle Bozkurt Bey who was the father of Yavuz’s mother, Ayşe Hatun, and the maternal grandfather of the ruler resisted against this plan. This resistance was wiped off with the battle of Turna Mountain on the date of 12th June 1515. Therefore, the principality was annexed to the lands of the Ottoman State. The strong Safevi defence was destroyed and Diyarbakir that was called as Amid in those times was captured on the date of 19th September 1515.

Pursuant to the conquest of Persian Lands, it was the turn of the Arabian Lands. These lands were under the dominion of another Turkish state. The Mameluke State that had established dominion in Egypt, Syria and the neighbouring countries was the most powerful state of the world following Turkey and Iran Turkish Empire. Since the caliph of Islam lived in Cairo under the protection of the Mameluke Sultans and the Holy Cities (Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem) was under the Mameluke domination, the Mameluke Empire had a significant spiritual power.

Yavuz Sultan Selim Han departed from Topkapi Palace and came to his imperial tent in the military encampment in Scutari in order to organise his second and last imperial military expedition on the date of 5th June 1516. When he arrived in Cukurova, the Ramazanogullari Turkmen principality with the capital city of Adana that had been submissive to the Mameluke State joined the Ottoman State spontaneously. Mameluke Sultan Kansu waited for Yavuz in the place of Mercidabik within the environs of Aleppo. After 2 years exactly on the same date with the Caldiran War, a great pitched battle took place in this region on the date of 24th August 1516. The Mameluke army was totally defeated and annihilated. Sultan Kansu died and the Abbasi Caliph was taken prisoner. The Mameluke State had not ever been defeated in such a crushing manner since the year of 1250 when they came to power in Egypt and replaced the Eyyubi State. They had also never lost their sultans in the battlefields.

Yavuz penetrated into Aleppo (28th August). In the following day, he had the prayers delivered in his name in Ulu Mosque located in Aleppo that declared him as the Caliph of Islam. Therefore, the post of caliphate that had been under the domination of Arabians since the year of 632 when the Prophet had died and under the domination of Abbasi dynasty since the year of 750 changed hands and it was transferred to the Turks.

Yavuz conquered Syria, Lebanon and Palestine with an express operation and also captured Jerusalem. Then, he came to Damascus and he completed his final arrangements for the conquest of Egypt. The Turkish vanguard aemy defeated a Mameluke army in Han-Yunus between the Palestine and Sinai (25th December 1516). Then, Yavuz passed through the Sinai Desert that had not been surpassed by any conqueror of the history since the Antiquity period in 13 days between the dates of 9th-22nd January 1517. Within the environs of Cairo, he totally defeated the Mameluke Army in the Ridaniye Pitched Battle on the date of 22nd January. Then, he penetrated into Cairo on the date of 24th January. The last Mameluke Sultan, Tumanbay II was executed on the date of 13th April. The Navy came in Alexandria and anchored in this place on the date of 19th May. Yavuz came to Alexandria in order to supervise the navy and then, he returned to Cairo. Hedjaz was annexed to the lands of Turkey on the date of 6th July. Mecca and Medina became the Turkish lands. Emanat-ı Mukaddes (the Sacred Deposit) was sent from Mecca, Medina and Cairo to Istanbul. Yavuz who stayed in Cairo for nearly 8 months set in motion on the date of 10th September and he returned to Istanbul on the date of 25th July 1518.

This military expedition of Yavuz towards Egypt was the longest expedition in the Ottoman history in respect of its continuation for a period of 2 years and 2 months. This expedition ended up with the annexation of the entire Mameluke Empire that was the third state of the world to Turkey and it had promoted Yavuz as one of the greatest conquerors recorded in the history. It has been estimated that nearly a populaiton of 19 millions of people lived on the lands of the Mameluke Empire in those periods (in the beginning of the same century XVI, the population of England was 4.5 millions, the population of France was 12 millions and the population of Spain was 6 millions).

Yavuz who had accomplished dazzling works within 8 years died at the age of 50 in the course of his arrangements for a new military expedition in his imperial tent in the military encampment near Edirne (22nd September 1520). He was the greatest commander following his grandfather, Fatih and the greatest statesman and politician following Fatih and his son, Kanuni within the Ottoman dynasty. He was the wisest scholar following his grandfather and his father. Fatih had laid the foundation for the Ottoman World State; and Yavuz had reinforced it in the regions between the Indian Ocean and the southern regions of Moscow and between the Western Mediterranean Sea and the Caucasus. He had inherited the lands with the surface area of 2.373.000 km2 in the year of 1512 and he had increased the surface to 6.557.000 km2 (the surface area of 1.702.000 km2 in Europe, the area of 1.905.000 km2 in Asia, and the area of 2.950.000 km2 in Africa).

In the period of Yavuz, Algeria had been saved from the Spanish aggression and violence and it had been subdued to Turkey. This accomplishment was realised by the personal enterprise and attempts of Barbaros Brothers, Oruç Reis and Hizir Reis (Barbaros Hayreddin Pasha), however, this was an attempt that had been supported by Yavuz.

Since Oruç Reis and his brothers were the fellows of Sultan Korkut who was Yavuz’s elder brother, they had left Turkey lest any trouble would bother them when Yavuz ascended the throne. Upon this development, they had set foot in the Northern Africa in the summer of the year of 1513. They captured some of bases in Algeria and Tunisia. Then, they sent Karamanli Piri Reis who was one of their admirals (he was the nephew of the famous Kemal Reis and the great geographer and a scholar in cartography) to Istanbul to enter the presence of Yavuz in May 1516. Yavuz had supported this attempt and he had provided all sorts of help and assistance for Oruç Reis and his brothers for the conquest of Algeria. Since the state that the Barbaros brothers fought against was the state of Spain, this mission was a very difficult task. Actually, Spain was the most powerful, the richest and the greatest Christian state of Europe during the century XVI. Furthermore, Spain would be integrated with the German Empire in these years and the king of Spain would become the owner of all the American colonies together with the German Emperor.

In the beginning of the year of 1517, Oruç Reis captured the city of Algiers and established a firm dominion in this state. He had waged war with Spain on the date of 1st September in the same year. He was besieged by the Spanish army in the castle of Tlemsen on the border of Morocco on the date of 1st October 1518 and he was killed as a martyr. However, he had established the Turkish domination in the Northern Africa. He was replaced by his brother, Hizir Reis called as “Barbaros Hayreddin Pasha” as the governor of Algiers pertaining to the Ottoman State. Then, he continued in the pursuit of his works (15th May 1519).