Tag Archives: Ottoman Empire

Previews: History Today Magazine – October 2023

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HISTORY TODAY MAGAZINE (OCTOBER 2023) – This issue features Turkey and the end of the Ottomans; When Inca mummies came to Europe; How Henry II survived the Great Rebellion, and more…

Turkey and the End of the Ottoman Empire

Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, photographed by Orthmar Pferschy c.1930.

The Republic of Turkey is 100 years old. Built on the ashes of an old empire, what place is there for the Ottoman past in the secular state?

Will Putin Get His ‘Nuremberg Moment’?

Vladimir Putin in an orange jumpsuit behind bars.

As new crimes are committed, new laws must be written to punish them. When it comes to crimes committed by states like Putin’s Russia, who decides?

How Henry II Survived the Great Rebellion

Angevin family tree showing Henry II and his children. From left: William, Henry, Richard, Matilda, Geoffrey, Eleanor, Joan and John.

In 1173 the Angevin empire looked set to fall, facing rebellion on all sides. Against incredible odds Henry II won a decisive victory, silencing kings, lords – and his own children.

History: Romania’s ‘Vlad The Impaler’ (Video)

Vlad Tepes, also known as Vlad the Impaler, and even more infamously known as Dracula defended Romania against the Ottoman Empire in some of the most horrific ways imaginable. His hatred and desire for revenge left lasting effects on the world and in popular culture. What are the facts that inspired the fiction?

Vlad III, most commonly known as Vlad the Impaler or Vlad Dracula, was Voivode of Wallachia three times between 1448 and his death. He is often considered one of the most important rulers in Wallachian history and a national hero of Romania.

New Walking Tour Video: ‘Ortaköy, Istanbul, Turkey’

Ortaköy (literally Middle Village in Turkish) in Greek known as Agios Fokas (Άγιος Φωκάς) in the Byzantine period and  Mesachorion  (Μεσαχώριον, meaning “middle village”) later, is a neighborhood, formerly a small village, within the Beşiktaş district of Istanbul, Turkey, located in the middle of the European bank of the Bosphorus.

Ortaköy was a cosmopolitan area during the Ottoman era and the first decades of the Turkish Republic, with communities of Turks, Greeks, Armenians and Jews. Today the neighborhood still hosts many different religious (Muslim, Jewish, Orthodox, and other Christian) structures. It is also a popular spot for locals and tourists alike, with its art galleries, night clubs, cafés, bars, and restaurants.

The Neo-Baroque style Ortaköy Mosque is a beautifully ornate structure, right on the jetty of Ortaköy, bordering the waters of the Bosphorus, and thus highly visible from the passing boats.

History: ‘Constantine’s Death Splits The Roman Empire’ (Smithsonian)

Constantine’s death would drive a crack through the Roman Empire, splitting it into West and East. Over the next several hundred years, parts of it would even fall to foreign invaders. But a new capital would rise to take its place: Constantinople.