Orhan

Orhan or Orkhan (Turkish: Sultan Orhan Gazi) (Arab: gazi or ghazi, triumphant victor; combatant of the faith ) was born in 1281. His/her father is Osman Ier which it succeeded his death in 1326 like Othoman sultan . He died in 1360.

Ohran had four wives, a girl and five wire: Suleyman (Süleyman Paşa), Murad, Ibrahim, Halil, Kasim. It is Murad which succeeded to him.

History

The year even of its accession to the capacity at the 45 years age, Ohran conquered Brousse (Bursa) on April 6th, 1326. It made its capital of it. As his/her father had done it, it made strike coins of a Akçe with its effigy, these parts being used to pay the tax invented by his father.

The Othoman territory extended little by little. Orhan Gazi spent all its time on the battle fields where it gained many victories and created a new body of infantry called Yaya (Turkish: yaya, pedestrian ) (1328).

His second wife was Holofira, girl of the Byzantine prince of Yarhisar, which it removed during the ceremony of his marriage with the prince close to Bilecik. Holofira converts with Islam and took the name of Nilufer Hatun. She gave rise to Murad.

Ohran besieged Nicée (Iznik). The Byzantine Emperor Andronic III Paleologist crosses the Dardanelles to take the Othoman troops with reverse. Those Ci made half-turn to face the Byzantine armies. the Byzantine Emperor had to fold up himself (1329). Ohran took again the head office of Nicée at once. The governor of Nicée not hoping for more the assistance of Byzance, delivered the city to the Othomans provided that those behaved correctly towards the inhabitants. Ohran accepted. One of the more Christian big cities of the time passed under Othoman control (1330).

Ohran continued its campaigns and taken the control of the bank East of the Marmara Sea (1331), to the province of Nicomédie (İzmit) towards North. He entrusted this province to the government of his Suleyman oldest son.

In 1341, with died of Andronic III, its regent Jean Cantacuzène, was made recognize as emperor under the name of Jean VI Cantacuzène.

In 1342 Ohran finishes conquering the province of Balikesir (Balıkesir) by taking the last castles. With this conquest the Othomans become close to the principality of Karesiogulları, area of Pergame (Bergama). Orhan Gazi benefits from the quarrels of succession of Karesiogulları to seize the province in 1345. The marine of the principality of Karesiogulları joined itself the Othoman armies, thus the islands of the Marmara Sea were annexed in 1352.

In 1346, Ohran Maria in third wedding, with Théodora, girl of the Byzantine Emperor of Jean VI Cantacuzène. With the Serb ones and the Bulgarian ones, the Othomans helped this emperor to be installed on his throne with Byzance (February 3rd, 1347). For the first time, on this occasion the Othoman troops took foot in Europe.

The Byzantine emperor, Jean VI Cantacuzène, divided then his empire, already very reduced, in three parts: the Thrace with Byzance, the Peloponnese (Morée Byzantine) and Thessalonique returning to the family of the Paleologist. He was thus one of the craftsmen of the dismemberment of the empire. In 1351 the prince Jean V Paleologist engages a civil war against the emperor who, once again with the assistance of the Othomans, gains the victory. In 1352, it just conquered Chalcédoine (today Kadiköy) opposite Byzance on the Bosphorus.

In 1354, the principality of Gerede (close to Ankara) was invaded and conquered Ankara. The same year Suleyman Pasha occupied Gelibolu (Gallipoli) which had been evacuated by its Greek population following an earthquake, thus giving a head of bridge to Otttomans in Europe.

The rupture of alliance between Othomans and the emperor of Byzance caused his ruin. In 1352, Jean V Paleologist resorted in his turn in support of foreigner, that of Génois. Jean Cantacuzène had to abdicate (1356). He was made monk with the Mont Athos and wrote his memories reporting the Byzantine history between 1320 and 1355. He founded many mosques and schools.

With died of Orhan in 1360, the Othomans have the North-western quarter of Anatolia and took foot in Europe.

Structure

Immediately after the catch of Nicée (Iznik) Orhan transformed the church Sainte Sophie into mosque (1331). In 1333 it made build the first Othoman mosque.

One owes him also two mosques of which the Green Mosque with Nicée (Iznik), the Mosque and the old people's home (Imaret) of Orhan with Bilecik, a mosque and a school with Brousse (Bursa). The university created with Brousse was the first giving a scientific teaching. The appearance of the first official, social and scientific institutions go back to its time.

External bond

Othoman Web site

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