Welcome to Empires Podcast the Ottomans!

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Sultan Bayezid is dead. His four sons, Sulyeman, Isa, Musa, and Mehmed all vie for the Sultanate and bring the Anatolian and European countryside to another round of devastating wars. A pivotal moment in Ottoman history, the Interregnum, or Civil War period lasted for about ten years. Listen as one brother after another rises to prominence then falls, by either folly or treachery, to the subtle wiles of Mehmed.

Welcome to Empires Podcast the Ottomans!

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Dan Cross is a writer, amateur historian, business owner, and shortlisted for the 2018 Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Award for best unpublished work. Dan's soon to be debut novel, Caesar of Mercenaries, is represented by Bravo Blue literary agency and who is on a quest of her own to find a publisher for Dan.

Welcome to Empires Podcast the Ottomans!

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Sultan Bayezid is finally roused from his slumber in Edrine. Mustering his army he sets out from Bursa to stop Timur's army as the Asian Warlord bears down on him from the City of Sivas. Arriving outside the Town of Ankara the Sultan finds his own army exhausted and thirsty. Timur manages to slip past Ottoman scouts leading to the fateful battle on the plains of Ankara. The deaths of both Bayezid and Timur is explored along with a detailed break down of both armies order of battles. Announcements at the end of the show and a hint of a special episode to be released later this week.

Welcome to Empires Podcast the Ottomans!

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By 1399 Sultan Bayezid 'Thunderbolt' had secured his European and Anatolian holdings. The Kingdom of Hungary was on the retreat after the disaster of the Crusade of Nicopolis. In the east Anatolian Beys were swallowed up one by one and the hated Karamanid City of Konya finally fell into Ottoman hands. However in the far east rose the Ottomans greatest threat yet, that of Timur. The episode covers the run-up to the devastating Battle of Ankara by examining the political/strategic situation and the factors and circumstances leading up to the battle. Timur is profiled.

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The Crusaders head out from Buda, Hungary and turn south into Ottoman territory. Along the way the army brutally sacks the Town of Oryahovo spreading terror and dread of the Crusader army in both Muslim and Orthodox Christian hearts alike. Meanwhile the Thunderbolt Sultan is gathering his army in Bulgaria readying for a quick march to catch the invaders by surprise. Dogan Bey the wily Ottoman governor of Nicopolis settles down for a siege as the Crusaders encamp outside the city gates. The Crusader War Council is divided against itself with King Sigismund arguing for a rational plan of attack vs the obstinate and arrogant French Knights full of pride and folly. Sultan Bayezid closes in with the well disciplined Sipahi and iron Janissaries for the kill.

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King Sigismund of Hungary develops and implements a grand strategy for countering the Ottoman threat. Sultan Bayezid is forced to play catch up behind Sigismund. The dreaded Akinji raiders cause massive suffering and havoc as they spread terror across a wide swath of territory. In Western Europe a temporary lull in the Hundred Years War enables England, France, Burgundy, Spain and the Holy Roman Empire to start a Crusade against the Ottomans. Pope Boniface XI blesses the Crusader forces. The security competition between the Ottoman Empire and Kingdom of Hungary is explored in-depth. This is Part 1 of a 2 Part series on what history calls the Crusade of Nicopolis.

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Episode 9 wraps up Sultan Bayezid's first campaign into Anatolia by covering the Battle of Kirkdilim. A rebellious subordinate and maverick commander prevents the Ottomans from putting the final whammy on the City of Konya. The remaining free Turkish Beys rally behind a crafty warlord. Events in Europe thanks to King Sigismund of Hungary forces the Sultan to switch forces from Anatolia and a brief bio of Sigismund. The end of episode announcements cover special shout outs, podcast recommendations, and how you can support the show.

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Please join Empires of History Podcast host Frank as he interviews author, lawyer, and historian John McHugo. John is the author of A Concise History of the Arabs, Syria: A Recent History, and A Concise History of Sunnis and Shi'is. John graciously shares his insights with Frank as the two discuss varied topics such as the legacy of the Ottoman Empire today, the poverty of Islamic history awareness in the West, the conflict in Syria, and the Western perception of the conflict between Sunni and Shi'is.

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Bayezid I assumes the Sultanate after the death of Murad I. Ferocious in temper, impulsive, martial, greedy for lands and glory, he quickly earns numerous enemies and becomes known as the 'Thunderbolt' Sultan. Brief bio of his background and the first part of his campaign into Anatolia as the Sultan cut a bloody swath through the hinterlands. Also covers the post-Battle of Kosovo settlement with Serbia as Stephan the Tall becomes the leader after Lazar's death.

Welcome to Empires Podcast the Ottomans!

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While deep in Anatolia fighting the Karamanids Sultan Murad I gets word of a massive Ottoman defeat in Bosnia, the Battle of Belica. The Ottoman defeat causes the Christian kingdoms to unite in a Crusade meant to crush the Turks in Europe and drive them out. Sultan Murad invades Bulgaria then swings west and crosses into Serbia intent on finding and killing Prince Lazar. At the Plain of the Black Birds in Serbia both sides meet for what history would call the Battle of Kosovo. At the zenith of the battle Murad is brought down by an assassins dagger. The stage is thus set for the future Ottoman Sultan Bayezid I, or Thunderbolt Sultan.