Orhan Ghazi and the First Ottoman Step into Europe
In the shadow of a crumbling Byzantium, Orhan Ghazi, the son of Osman, led the Ottoman Empire on a daring new path—across the waters of the Dardanelles and into Europe. This pivotal moment was more than a military manoeuvre; it was the symbolic crossing from a frontier principality to a rising imperial power. With strategic marriages, savvy diplomacy, and timely alliances with fracturing Byzantine factions, Orhan carved a legacy not just through conquest but through calculated patience and vision.
The capture of Gallipoli in 1354, often viewed as a simple act of expansion, came amidst a backdrop of natural disaster, political fragmentation, and opportunity. While the Byzantines reeled from an earthquake, Orhan’s forces seized the moment—not with brute force alone, but with an astute understanding of timing and political necessity. Historians debate whether the Byzantines truly invited the Ottomans in or were merely outmanoeuvred by circumstance. Either way, Orhan's step into Europe would echo through centuries of empire.
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