Ottoman History – A 3-Month Course with Dr. Yakoob Ahmed

Course Overview

Which empire was the longest ruling empire in the history of Islam? The Ottoman Empire!

Ruling over a period of around 600 years, at its largest extent the Ottoman Empire ruled all the major cities of the Muslim world, not to mention a significant portion of Europe.

Nonetheless, the legacy of this empire is hotly debated with some academics and orientalists, at times, presenting an inaccurate picture of how the empire came to rise, develop and end. In this incredible course, we’ll be studying an overview of how the Ottoman Empire was founded, how it became one of the most successful empires in human history and how it met its tragic end after World War 1.

With numerous negative tropes regarding the Ottomans from orientalists — with many of the academics being Israeli, this course is a MUST for traditional students and Ulama, especially those with a keen interest in Islamic history.

Course Instructor: Dr. Yakoob Ahmed

Start date: 28th April 2026

Course Duration: 3 months (12 lessons in total)

Lesson Length: 1 hour a week

Lesson Timings: Every Tuesday 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm UK time

Course fee: £80 one-time payment or £45 over 2 months or £32 over 3 months (note: one-time payment works out lower)

ALL RECORDINGS WILL BE PROVIDED IN YOUR ONLINE PORTAL WITH LIFETIME ACCESS

Detailed Course Outline:

Week 1 – Origins of the Ottoman State (c. 1299–1350)

• The frontier (ghazi) context in Anatolia
• Rise of Osman I
• Decline of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum
• Early expansion into Byzantine territory

 Week 2 – Expansion into Europe (1350–1453)

• Crossing into the Balkans
• Key battles: Kosovo (1389), Nicopolis (1396)
• Role of Bayezid I
• The Ottoman Interregnum

Week 3 – The Conquest of Constantinople (1453)

Week 4 – Imperial Expansion and Administration

• Expansion into the Middle East and North Africa
• Selim I and the Caliphate
• Administrative systems: timar, devshirme, Janissaries
• Legal and bureaucratic structure

Week 5 – Society, Culture, and Religion

• Millet system (religious communities)
• Daily life in the empire
• Role of Islam and coexistence with Christians and Jews
• Architecture: Mimar Sinan

Week 6 – Military Power and Challenges

• Structure of the Ottoman army
• Naval power in the Mediterranean
• Key conflicts
• Beginning signs of military stagnation

Week 7– Challenges and Transformation (17th–18th Centuries)

• Military stagnation narratives vs revisionist views
• Internal revolts and decentralisation
• European competition and trade shifts
• Reform attempts

Week 8 – Reform and Modernization (19th Century) – Selim III, Mahmud II, and Mehmed Ali Pasha

Week 9 – The Tanzimat

Week 10 – Abdulhamid II

Week 11 – Revolution

Week 12 – WWI and collapse