When was the Ottoman Empire founded?

The Ottoman Empire was founded in 1299 by Osman I, a chieftain in northwestern Anatolia. The empire lasted for more than six centuries, until it was dissolved after World War I and replaced by the modern Republic of Turkey in 1922. The early years of the empire were characterized by a period of expansion and consolidation, as Osman and his successors conquered neighboring territories and established a centralized state.

The Ottoman Empire reached its peak in the 16th century under the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent, who expanded the empire's territories to include much of southeastern Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa. The empire was a major power in the Mediterranean world and a center of Islamic civilization, with Istanbul serving as its capital and cultural hub.

The Ottoman Empire underwent a period of decline in the 18th and 19th centuries, as it faced economic, military, and political challenges from within and outside the empire. The empire's weaknesses were exposed in the face of European colonial expansion and industrialization, and it became known as the 'sick man of Europe.'

The Ottoman Empire officially came to an end with the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923, which recognized the sovereignty of the new Republic of Turkey and established its borders. The legacy of the Ottoman Empire can be seen in the culture, politics, and society of many countries in the Middle East, Balkans, and North Africa.