THE OTTOMANS IN THE BALKANS
THE OTTOMANS IN THE BALKANS

Summary/Abstract: The paper deals with some aspects of the history of the Balkans under the rule of Ottomans. Undoubtedly the great civilizations (Greek, Roman, Byzantine) left deep traces in this part of Europe. But the Ottoman civilization perfected the Balkan civilization in a completely remarkable way, influencing it as no other civilization did. The word Balkan has a Turkish origin and means “mountain”. Its earliest mention appears in a 14th-century Arab map, in which the Haemus Mons are referred to as Balkan. At the beginning of the 14th century the leaders of various Balkan states fight among themselves for domination in the area, and they don't realize that a new danger appeared in the south. In 1362 the Ottoman Turks conquer Adrianople; this would be the beginning of their conquest in the Balkan Peninsula which will end after a century. The impact of Ottoman Turkish rule upon all sectors of Balkan society was profound. In the Balkans especially the big cities become Islamic, although the Ottoman Empire has a relative tolerance for other religious confessions. This happened as a result of a deliberate forced migration state policy, but also due to the large number of converts to Islam. Under Ottomans the economic life in the Balkans was controlled by guilds. Taxes on production and on commercial activities provided the bulk of the money needed for the Empire's operation. Centuries of Ottoman rule marked the urban landscape of the Balkans as well as the everyday life of the Balkan people. The influence of Ottoman rule is often viewed with hostility, especially in the Balkan world. Sometimes it is about prejudices without a real historical basis or real arguments.

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