Islam
In
the 13th and 14th centuries the Ottoman empire (named after Osman I) emerged from
among these "Ghazi emirates" and established itself after a string of conquests that included
the Balkans, parts of Greece, and western Anatolia. In 1453 under Mehmed II the Ottomans
laid siege to Constantinople, the capital of Byzantium. The Byzantine fortress succumbed
shortly thereafter, having been battered by superior Ottoman cannonry.
Beginning in the 13th century, Sufism underwent a transformation, largely as a result of the
efforts of alGhazzali to legitimize and reorganize the movement. He developed the model of
the Sufi order--a community of spiritual teachers and students. Also of importance to Sufism
was the creation of the Masnavi, a collection of mystical poetry by the 13th century Persian
poet Rumi. The Masnavi had a profound influence on the development of Sufi religious
annaabi.ee 
