The Ottoman Empire was one of the most powerful political entities in history. At its height, it spanned from Hungary in the north to Somalia in the south, and from Algeria in the west to Iran in the east. The empire's administration was originally based in the city of Bursa in Anatolia, but after the rise of the House of Medici in Florence in the mid-15th century, the seat of the government was moved to Edirne.

In the 16th century, the sultanate was attacked by the armies of France and Spain. The French occupied the territory of the former Ottoman Empire, and the Spanish established a small empire of their own in the south. In the war that followed, the Ottomans managed to defeat the French and their allies, with the aid of the Janissaries, a group of elite troops who fought for the sultan. The defeat of the French in the battle of Narbonne in 1666 and the subsequent accession of Louis XIV to the throne of France resulted in the re-estimation of the Ottoman Empire as a major power in Europe.

In the 18th century, the Ottomans again faced a major war, this time with the Russians. The latter invaded the former Ottoman territories, and after a series of battles, the Russians were forced to abandon the city of Istanbul.