Episode 3: The Ottoman Empire

This episode traces the rise of the Ottoman Empire from a small frontier principality to a power that dominated three continents for centuries. It explores how geography, military innovation, and political pragmatism allowed the Ottomans to expand across Anatolia, the Balkans, and the Middle East, and how their adaptability shaped one of history’s most enduring empires. Rather than treating their ascent or decline as inevitable, the episode examines the structural forces, leadership decisions, and global shifts that fuelled their rise and later exposed their weaknesses. It follows the empire from its origins under Osman to its collapse after the First World War, showing how its legacy still shapes the borders and conflicts of the modern Middle East.