Ottoman Empire
Absolutely! Let’s expand the timeline to include **Mehmed II**, since his reign overlaps with the early years of Isabella and Ferdinand’s rule and sets the stage for Ottoman-Spanish dynamics in the late 15th and early 16th centuries.
Here’s the lineup of **Ottoman Sultans** during the reign of **Isabella I of Castile (1474–1504)** and **Ferdinand II of Aragon (1479–1516)**:
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Mehmed II “the Conqueror” (Reigned 1451–1481)
Key Achievement
Captured Constantinople in 1453, ending the Byzantine Empire and making the Ottomans a truly imperial power.
Relation to Spain
While Isabella and Ferdinand were still consolidating their separate thrones, Mehmed was turning the Ottomans into a multi-continental empire. He was a brilliant military strategist and a ruthless reformer.
Death: Died in 1481, just as the Catholic Monarchs were beginning to act in unison.
Bayezid II (Reigned 1481–1512)
Son of Mehmed II, Bayezid inherited the empire and focused on internal consolidation rather than conquest.
Diplomatic Relations
He famously welcomed the Sephardic Jews expelled from Spain in 1492, dispatching the Ottoman fleet to rescue them from Iberian ports. These Jewish communities brought literacy, trade, and expertise, enriching the empire.
Famous Quote: Upon hearing that Spain had expelled its Jews, Bayezid reportedly said:
“You call Ferdinand a wise king, he who makes his land poor and ours rich.”
Contextual Importance: While Spain launched into empire-building in the Americas and finalized the Reconquista with the fall of Granada, Bayezid was fostering a multicultural empire and maintaining Ottoman dominance in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Selim I “the Grim” (Reigned 1512–1520)
Relation to Spain: He came to power four years before Ferdinand’s death, so their reigns barely overlap—but significantly.
Character: A fierce and militaristic ruler, Selim overthrew his father Bayezid in a bloody conflict. He expanded the empire immensely, defeating the Safavids at Chaldiran (1514), and then conquering the Mamluk Sultanate (1516–1517), bringing Egypt, Syria, Hejaz, and the holy cities of Mecca and Medina under Ottoman control.
Legacy: He positioned the Ottoman Empire as the **leading Sunni Islamic power**, and his reign marked the beginning of direct Ottoman rivalry with the European empires—including Spain.
Summary Table
| Sultan | Reign | Overlaps with Isabella/Ferdinand | Notable Acts |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Mehmed II** | 1451–1481 | Early years | Took Constantinople (1453) |
| **Bayezid II** | 1481–1512 | Majority of their joint reign | Welcomed expelled Spanish Jews |
| **Selim I** | 1512–1520 | Final years of Ferdinand | Conquered Egypt, claimed caliphate |
These three sultans—**a conqueror**, **a consolidator**, and **an empire-expander**—represent the evolution of the Ottoman Empire during the same critical era in which Spain transformed itself into a global power under Isabella and Ferdinand. Their overlapping timelines help illuminate the early fault-lines of what would become a fierce Mediterranean rivalry in the 16th century.
| Mehmed II “the Conqueror” | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Bayezid II ibn Mehmed ex Criamon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Selim I “the Grim” | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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