1326

Orhan Gazi captures Bursa, which becomes the second Ottoman capital (the small town of Sogut was the first capital).

1361

Murad I captures Edirne (Adrianople). As the third Ottoman capital, Edirne now becomes the head-guarters for the further expansion.

1386

The conquest of Sofia (capital of present-day Bulgaria).

1396

The final conquest and annexation, under Bayazid I the Thunderbolt, of the territories of the medieval kingdoms of Bulgaria and Serbia.

1400-1401

A new force out of the plains begins to make its presence felt in West Asia, forcing the Ottomans to over-extend themselves two distant fronts.

1402

The Battle of Ankara between Timur (Tamerlane) and Bayazid I. Alienated by Bayazid's hasty push of rapid centralization, the forces of the recently annexed Turcoman principalities of Anatolia cross over to the side of the relatively semi-tribal Timur in the heat of battle. deserted by all expect his Serbian allies, Bayazid is captured and eventually commits suicide.

1402-1413

The Interregnum : Bayazid's four sons fight each other for the throne, which is eventually won by Çelebi Mehmed I (1412-1420).

1423-1430

War between Venice and the reconsolidating Ottoman state-the first of many for supremacy in the Aegean and the Mediterranean, and ultimately for control over the traditional trade routes of the Old World.

1448

Second battle of Kossova consolidates the Ottoman rule in Balkans.

1451

With the death of Murad II, his son Mehmed II ascends the throne for the second and final time, and immediately launches preparations for...

1453

The conquest of Constaninople (Istanbul), which becomes the fourth and last Ottoman capital. The remaining 29 years of Mehmed II's reign witness the decisive conquest or reconquest of Serbia, Albania and Greece in the West as well as most of Anatolia. The whole course of this second great Ottoman advance into the Balkans is marked by wars with Venice for control of the Adriatic shoreline.

1454

Construction work begins on the Topkapi Palace.

1454-1481

Greece, Trebizond and Crimea conquered.

1481-1512

The peaceful reign of Bayazid II is marred by a conservative religious reaction against the Conqueror's cosmopolitan cultural outlook and strong centralization drive. From 1500 onwards, the Safavids of Iran begin to take advantage of Ottoman passivity in pushing their Shiite proselytizing efforts into Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia.

1514

Selim I the Grim, who with janissary support, dethroned his father in 1512, relies on his cannon to defeat Sah Ismail at the battle of Caldiran, conquers Tabriz, secures his left flank for the subsequent advance into Egypt, and returns to Istanbul with enormous war booty as well as large numbers of Persian artists and craftsmen.

1516-1518

In lightning campaigns marked by the continued superiority of Ottoman field artillery, Selim I completes the conquest of Eastern Anatolia, Northern Iraq, Syria,Palestine, Egypt, and the Hicaz.

1519-1522

Portuguese Magellan circumnavigates the world.

1520

Luther launches attack on Roman church.

1521

The capture of Belgrade marks the second year of the long reign of Suleyman I the Magnificent (1520-1566). He resumes the westward drive towards the rich markets and trade crossroads of Central Europe.

1522

The capture of Rhodes, a manifestation of rising Ottoman naval power.

1526

Ottoman firepower destroys the flower of the Hungarian nobility at the battle of Mohacs; the conquest of Buda and Peşte follows. That same year, François I appeals to Suleyman, who agrees to provide military and economic assistance to France against the Hapsburgs in order to help restore the balance of power in Europe

1528

Szapolyai, king of Hungary, accepts Ottoman overlordship

1529

The first siege of Vienna by the Ottomans, who are, however, unprepared for a long and all-out effort.

1606

Treaty with Austria gives Hapsburg Emperor titular equality.

1607

The high tide of the Celali uprisings, rebellions against the land tenure system of the provincial fief-holding cavalry. This turn-of-the-century upheaval marks the end of the Classical Age and the opening pf a new chapter in Ottoman history characterized by the waning of the state's political and military fortunes.

1607

Virginia colonised.

1609

Work begins on the Blue Mosque.

1618-1648

Thirty Years' War' in central Europe.

1622

Osman II the Young, the first Ottoman sultan to formulate a reform program (and to lose his head for it), sets out on his Hotin expedition - essentially to overcome the developing crisis of confidence and to re-establish charismatic leadership over the army.

1623-1640

Murad IV restores order.

1638

Murad IV, who succeeded by imposing his unusually harsh will to halt progressive anarchy and destabilization, sets out on his great expedition to the East. His journey culminates in the capture of Baghdad. He is the last great centralizing sultan.

1644

China's decaying Ming dynasty swept away by Manchurian Qing dynasty.

1703

Peter the Great founds St Petersburg.

1711

The battle of Pruth against the Russians under the command of the Grand Vezir Baltaci Mehmed Pasha. According to a spicy tradition, Pasha surrounded Peter the Great's army but then let them avoid humiliation because he was "persuaded" by a secret nocturnal visit to his tent by the tsar's mistress (later empress) Catherine.

1712

Peace treaty with Russia.

1717

Death of Aurangzeb presages decline of Moghul power in India.

1718

The Treaty of Passarowitz with Austria following yet another lost war.

1720-1730

First Ottoman ambassadors sent to western capitals.

1730

Patrona Halil rebellion against taxation and western influences; Ahmet III deposed, Tulip Period ends.

1739

Peace of Belgrade returns Belgrade to the Ottomans; Russians forced to sign separate peace.

1750

Another great Istanbul fire burns covered markets to the ground.

1754

A major earthquake in Istanbul.

1757

Clive's victory at Plassey establishes British in India.

1769

War with Russia renewed.

1770

The Crimean Tartars switch sides to conclude an anti-Ottoman alliance with Russia.

1773

Cin-Ali Bey, who had proclaimed himself sultan of Egypt, is defeated in battle, and his rebellion crushed. Nevertheless, esraf and ayan (newly crystallizing dynasties of provincial notables) are on the move throughout the empire.

1774

Disastrous Treaty of Kucuk Kainardji with Russia.

1776

American Declaration of Independence.

1779

Russia annexes Crimea.

1782

A fire in Istanbul lasts 50 hours.

1789

Selim III, a dedicated reformer, ascends the throne in the same year as the French Revolution. Some of his social experiments are inpired by the same democratic ideologies which motivated the French.

1790

Ottoman-Prussian alliance against Austria and Russia.

1798

Napoleon's Egyptian expedition becomes stranded after Nelson destroys the French fleet at the battle of the Nile. Napoleon advances into Syria, but is forced to retreat the next year in the face of determined Ottoman resistance.

1799-1815

Napoleon Bonaparte reshapes map of continental Europe.

1807

The British navy attempts to force the Straits; the Ottoman government declares war on both Britain and Russia.

1808

An Istanbul revolt instigated by conservative elements within the ruling elite and led by Kabakci Mustafa, a man of the urban underclass, dethrones Selim III. The sultan first is imprisoned and later killed when an army of provincial reformers led by Alemdar Mustafa Pasa advences on the capital to rescue the Sultan. Alemdar, nevertheless, succeds in overthrowing Mustafa IV and putting Mahmud II on the throne.

1815

Congress of Vienna

1821

The Greek revolt and war of independence: the first step in the formation of new nation-states by the former Christian subjects of the Ottoman Empire.

1826

Massacre of the Janissaries by Mahmud II.

1827

Greece's European allies help defeat and destory the combined Ottoman-Egyptian fleet.

1828

Fez introduced, along with judicial, military and administrative reforms on more western models.

1830

Greek independence.

1838

Anglo-Turkish Trade Treaty marks the incorporation of the Ottoman internal market into world economy.

1839

Noble Rescript' promulgated, a liberal charter of reform. All creeds and declared equal.

1853-1856

Crimean war pits Turkish, English and French troops against Russia.

1861-1865

American Civil War.

1864

The signing of the Protocol of Istanbul. It marks the birth of Romania with the unification of Wallachia and Moldavia.

1867

Abdulaziz visits Europe on the invitation of Napoleon III.

1868

Meiji Restoration in Japan.

1875

Empire declares bankruptcy. Balkan uprisings.

1876

The Empire continues to crumble, revolt in Bosnia and Herzegovina, war against Serbia and Montenegro.
1876-1877 The short-lived First Constitutional Period.

1877

War against Russia, known in Turkey as "the campaign of 93", after which the Russian army dictates the Treaty of Ayastefanos. Sultan Aldulhamid II uses the crisis to dissolve parliament and suspend the constitution.

1878

Treaty of Berlin - to which Ottomans are not invited - establishes partial Bulgarian autonomy.

1881

The French invade Tunisia.

1881

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk is born in Selonika.

1882

The British invade and take over Egypt.

1895

Last Ottoman province in the Balkans, Macedonia, succumbs to civil war.

1908

Mutiny in Monastir, calling for restoration of the constitution. Committee of Union and Progress triumphs. Bulgaria declares independence. Crete unites with Greece.

1908

The Young Turks Revolution overthrows Sultan Abdulhamid II. The Second Constitutional Period begins.

1909

Muslim counter-revolution thwarted. Sultan deposed. Constitutional monarchy declared.

1911

Republic in China.

1912

Serbia, Greece and Bulgaria launch joint assault on European Turkey.

1913

The victors turn upon each other; Turkey recaptures Edirne.

1914

Turkey enters World War I on German side.

1918

Armistice. CUP leadership flees. Civil War erupts, followed by war with Greece in Anatolia.

1918-1921

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk secures boundaries of a new Turkish state.

1919-1922

The War of Independence culminates in the creation of the modern Rupublic of Turkey in 1923.

1922

Deposition and exile of last sultan, Mehmed Vahiduddin

1923

Turkey proclaimed a republic