Ertuğrul Ghazi, born in the 13th century, was a pivotal figure in the foundation of the Ottoman Empire. As the father of Osman I, the empire’s founder, Ertuğrul played a crucial role in establishing the political and cultural groundwork for future expansion.
Ertuğrul emerged as a respected warrior and leader of the Kayı tribe in the Seljuk Empire’s declining years. His tribe, alongside other Turkic tribes, migrated westward and settled in the borderlands of Anatolia. Under his command, the Kayı tribe resisted Byzantine and Mongol threats while forging alliances with neighboring tribes. One of Ertuğrul’s significant achievements was his close ties with the Seljuk sultanate.
This alliance granted him the freedom to expand his influence and establish a semi-independent principality. Ertuğrul’s strategic choices laid the foundation for future territorial expansions and a lasting political legacy that would eventually transform into the formidable Ottoman Empire, shaping the course of history in the region for centuries to come.
FURTHER READING AND SUGGESTED VIDEOS:
Istoria turcilor – Mustafa Ali Mehmed, 1976Anul, Editura: Stiintifica si Enciclopedica,
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