Orhan
Second monarch of the dynasty, who captured Bursa and brought Ottoman power into Europe.
Life
Bursa
Orhan, son of Osman I, succeeded c. 1324. In 1326 he captured the Byzantine city of Bursa and made it his capital, then took Nicaea and Nicomedia, gaining control of most of northwestern Asia Minor.
Byzantine marriage alliance
He intervened in the Byzantine civil war and married a daughter of the Byzantine emperor John VI. In 1354 an earthquake shattered the walls of Gallipoli, and Ottoman troops seized the chance to cross the sea and occupy it, gaining their first foothold in Europe.
Entry into Europe
He began minting coinage and established a standing army, and died in 1362.
Legacy
Orhan turned a small frontier principality into a state with a capital, its own currency, and a standing army.
Did you know? The tombs of Osman I and Orhan are still preserved in Bursa today.
Key dates
- 1326Captures Bursa
- 1331Captures Nicaea
- 1337Captures Nicomedia
- 1354Occupies Gallipoli, entry into Europe
- 1362Died