Osman Gazi
The Sultan which conquered three
continents for about 600 years!
Photo of Osman Gazi
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A little bit of History
The father of the
Ottoman Empire
Osman Gazi was born in 1258 in the town of
Sogut.
His father was
Ertugrul Gazi and his mother was Hayme Sultan. Osman Gazi was a tall man with a round face,
dark complexion, hazel eyes, and thick eyebrows. His shoulders were fairly large and the upper part of
his body was longer than the other parts. He used to wear a Horasan crown in the style of Cagatay,
which was made of red broad cloth. Osman Gazi was a brilliant leader. He was fair, brave and gracious.
He helped the poor. Sometimes he gave his own cloths to the poor. Every mid-day, he gave a lavish meal to all people in his house.
Osman Gazi was just 23 when he succeeded the leadership of the Kayi Clan in Sogut, in 1281.
He was a very brilliant rider and a fencer. He married to Mal Sultana who was the daughter of famous Omer bey.
Mal Sultan gave birth to Orhan who succeeded the throne. After his ascension to throne, he gathered several Turcoman groups
around himself and fought against
Byzantines, collaborating with Alaeddin Keykubad I of the Seljuks.
When the Seljuk Empire remained rulerless after the exile of Alaeddin Keykubad, Osman Gazi reunited them under
his rule in 1299 marking the history as the foundation of the Ottoman Empire. Osman Gazi continued his campaigns against the
remaining Byzantine Empire in the area along with his brothers, sons, and close supporters. He cut the Byzantine trade
routes forcing local rulers to surrender. After 1320 he got sick so his sons continued to fight, capturing many towns
from the Byzantines. He died of gout at the age of 68 in Sogut and buried in
Bursa .
When he died, he left an horse armor, a pair of high boots, a few sun jacks,
a sword, a lance, a tirkes, a few horses,
three herds of sheep, salt and spoon containers.
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