![ottoman empire victoria 2 ottoman empire victoria 2](https://i.redd.it/bn5jk5yq5oxx.png)
In the second module, we continue with the reign of Bayezid II, as well as those of Selim I (1512-20) and Suleiman the Magnificent (1520-66), thinking in particular about the Ottoman advance into Europe. We begin with the careers of Mehmed II (1451-81) and Bayezid II (1481-1512), focusing in Mehmed's never-ending thirst for military campaign and Bayezid's reform of both the army and the navy, as well as Ottoman law. Not a single pre-cannonry force has a snow-ball's chance in hell against a post cannonry major world power.In this course, Dr Colin Imber (University of Manchester) explores the rise of the Ottoman Empire from the conquest of Constantinople in 1453 to the Peace of Zsitvatorok in 1606. Roman empire wouldn't stand a chance against the Ottomans- they may've been richer per capita and had a bigger population to draw from, but that is like saying the Victorian era british empire, which had a bigger population than the Soviet Union at its peak and better living standards in 1800s CE, would win against the forces of the Soviet union. To those who say that Ottoman armies were less trained & capable, it is simple nonsense, as the Ottoman armies were perpetually in warfare for entire 16th and 17th centuries and were a finely honed fighting machine. They had far superior cavalry, heavy infantry that were similarly armed as legionaries but more versatile ( using swords and spears as situations called for it) and their cannons alone are enough to color the field with roman blood. Ottoman army circa 1600 CE had enough musket fire-power to make lorica segmentata look like perforated cheese. Roman empire would have its hiney handed to it on a platter. The Romans would learn to make guns quickly and after a few years will have more guns than the Ottomans, thanks to their superior resources. Roman military technology evolved during wars: the gladius was adopted during Punic War II, for instance. If the Roman Empire went to war with the Ottomans of 1500 AD they also would quickly learn gunpowder technology and start fielding forces with guns as well. The Roman army was about 5-6 times larger than the Ottoman army and much better trained and drilled as well. Bows were still effective weapons in 1500 AD. The Roman Empire only didn't have guns, but those were still not as remotely as effective in 1500 AD as they would become over the next few centuries. Wheat cost 0.5 gram of silver per kg, implying in real tax revenues around 2 million tons of wheat. Roman tax revenues were 1,000 tons of silver in the 1st century. Ottoman tax revenues were 250 tons of silver in the mid 18th century, wheat cost 1 gram of silver per kg in the Ottoman Empire, which means their real tax revenues were 250,000 tons of wheat. Vastly greater manpower, population, economic resources and tax revenues about 8 times larger in real terms. The Romans of 100 AD have vastly superior resources than the Ottomans in 1500 AD. The Ottoman Empire is from which year? Let's say from 1500 AD, when military technology was not much different from the Roman's.
![ottoman empire victoria 2 ottoman empire victoria 2](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yTSKO1TNHYM/maxresdefault.jpg)
Let's say 100 AD Roman Empire and the Ottoman Empire from 1500 AD.
![ottoman empire victoria 2 ottoman empire victoria 2](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nDDKUHxX8MU/hqdefault.jpg)
Ottoman Empire from what year? Roman Empire from what year?