from 1354Reputable sourceWell documented
The Ottoman Advance into Europe
On the timeline · around from 1354 ·
What happened
As Byzantium tore itself apart in civil wars, a new power rose on its eastern frontier: the Ottoman Turks. In 1354 the Ottomans seized Gallipoli and gained their first foothold in Europe, then swept across the Balkans — taking Adrianople around 1362 and encircling Constantinople. The emperors were reduced to vassals and tribute-payers of the sultan.
Why it matters
The Ottoman crossing into Europe doomed the Byzantine Empire, which was steadily surrounded and cut off. Within a century the Ottomans would swallow it whole and press on toward the heart of Europe.
Sources
Related timelines
- The Ottoman Empire → — The Turks gain their first foothold in Europe