Ottoman Empire Founder

The Ottoman Empire founder was none other than the illustrious Osman Gazi. He was born in the year 1258 in the town of Sogut to Ertugul Gazi and Hayme Sultan. Osman Gazi was considered to be an exceedingly handsome man, being tall and broad shouldered. He had a dark complexion and a round face with hazel eyes and thick eyebrows.

He began his career at the age of twenty three when he filled in his father's shoes as he took over the leadership of the Kayi clan in Sogut in the year 1281. However, his young age didn't make much of a difference because he was a shrewd leader and an extremely agile fencer. During his rule, he married the daughter of Omer Bey, Mal Sultan and had a son by her named Orhan.

Roots

Osman often visited the home of the mystic Sheik Edebali and he often went over to his house. On one such night Osman had a dream. In the dream a moon appeared at the Sheik's breast, rose and finally descended to Osman's breast. It went down to his navel from where sprang a tree which grew and grew and then turned green. It became large and then its branches, covered with foliage covered the entire world.

He asked the Sheikh to decipher the meaning of the dream and was told that Osman and his son had been granted sovereignty by God himself. He also told him that he would promise his daughter's hand in marriage to Osman, which he promptly did.

Expansion

In the year 1299 the Ottoman Empire founder laid the, foundations of his own Empire in Bithynia which is in the northwestern part of Asia and he assumed the title of Sultan. He began to mint coins in his name and every Friday, the holy prayers were recited in his name alone. His younger son, Alaeddin Pasha became his grand vizier. He even went on to establish tax of 1 "akche".

He was given the title "black" which according to the tradition means brave and heroic. He was compassionate too and did much for the poor; often handing his own clothes over to poor people he met. He died of a bout of gout in 1326. But not before he had conquered a great part of Anatolia. The Ottoman Empire Founder was succeeded by Orhan I- his son by his first wife.