İSTANBUL AFTER THE CONQUEST

Istanbul was troubled with chaos and anarchy during the first three days after the conquest. After the third day, the city calmed down and dazzling celebrations of the conquest took place. After the celebrations, Sultan Mehmed, the Conqueror issued an order keeping the soldiers off the streets of the city. The city was immediately taken under control. A public announcement was made regarding the freedom of religion. Romans were free to practice their religion and live according to their tradition, Fatih requested Roman Orthodox population to elect someone to fill the empty position of their Patriarchy.
The Jewish community retained the possession of their synagogues because of their good behavior during the conquest and the chief Rabbi received compliments from Ottoman statesmen. A place of worship was dedicated to Turkish-Jewish Karayım Community around the Arpacılar Mosque. Later, a new Patriarch was appointed for the Armenian Community. An inter-faith balance and impartial justice was observed.
Soon after establishing order and authority in the city, the Conqueror started a massive reconstruction project. Priority was given to restoration of the fortresses around the city. Sultan Mehmed, the Conqueror bought Haghia Sophia Church which was impoverished and neglected. After restoration, the church was converted to a mosque. During this restoration era many new buildings were erected by the Ottoman government officials and were devoted to pious foundations for social and religious use. Some of those buildings are: Sheikh Ebu'l-Vefa Mosque in Vefa neighborhood, the tomb of Ebu Eyyub el-Ensari and surrounding annexes, Yedikule (The Seven Towers) used as state treasury, Fatih Mosque and annexes which were built on one of the seven hills of the city, and Topkapt Palace.
Among the prominent monuments of the era are Mahmud Pasha Mosque, Gedik Ahmed Mosque, Karamani Mehmed Nişanca Mosque, Rum Mehmed Pasha Mosque, Has Murad Pasha Mosque, Ibrahim Pasha Mosque and their annexes. Also, the water system which links the springs of Belgrade Woods to the city, numerous hospitals, kitchens for feeding the poor, inns, caravanserais and today's famous Kapalıçarşı (the Grand Bazaar) were built during the reign of Fatih Sultan. To develop the city, new residential zones were created. Empty lands were given away for free to veterans and to almost everyone who wanted them. The Muslim population of Anatolia and Rumeli was encouraged to immigrate to Istanbul. When the immigration was below the anticipated number, a ferman (Sultan's decree) was issued to counties to exile some of their residents to Istanbul according to a quota that reflected a diverse population of different classes, religions and ethnicity.
The neighborhoods that were created through the enforced immigration became the administrative foundation of Istanbul. In 1459 Istanbul was divided to four administrative units each carrying different demographic characteristics. One of those administrative districts was Suriçi (inside the fortresses), the one that was outside the fortresses was called "Bilad-i Selase" (today's Eyüp district, including Çekmeceler, Çatalca and Silivri), the third district was Galata and the forth was Üsküdar. After the devastating fire in the old capital, Edirne, İstanbul became jubilant with the flood ol new immigrants.
While the abandoned religious buildings of Byzantine, as well as the ones still in use were converted to mosques, the newly created Muslim neighborhoods centered around the newly constructed mosques. The Ottoman statesmen followed a tradition of constructing or restoring buildings and granting them lor public use. Wealthy people joined this tradition of constructing buildings for social and religious purposes.
By 16th century, now a growing and developing big city, Istanbul received a great damage from the earthquake of 14 September 1509 which was called "the Small End of the World". Thousands of buildings were damaged by the 45-day long earthquake. Not one single minaret survived the earthquake and its aftermath.
Istanbul was almost completely re-constructed in 1510 by 80,000 workers employed by Sultan Bayezıd II. Therefore, most of the historical monuments we have today belong to this era. (s2)

SULEYMAN THE MAGNIFICENT

Selim's one surviving son was Suleyman I, "the Magnificent" (1520-66), tinder whose rule the Ottoman Empire reached its maximum extent. At the time of his death the empire stretched
from Algiers to the Caspian Sea and from Hungary to the Persian Gulf. Much of western Europe only just escaped conquest when an Ottoman army was driven back from the gates of Vienna in 1529. Siileyman's reign was a time of great artistic and architectural achievements. The architect Sinan designed many mosques and other great buildings in the city, while the Ottoman arts of ceramics and calligraphy also flourished.

THE SULTANATE OF WOMEN

Süleyman's son Selim II (1566-74), "the Sot", was not such a capable ruler, although he added Cyprus to the empire. The defeat of his navy by the Venetians at the Battle of Lepanto was a heavy blow to Ottoman ambitions to be a seafaring power. This era was also the start of the so-called "Sultanate of Women", when Selim's mother (the valide sultan ) and Nur Banu, his principal wife (the first kadın), effectively took over power and exercised it for their own ends. Corruption and intrigue became endemic, and after Selim's death Nur Banu kept her son, Murat III (1574— 95), distracted by the women of the harem so that she could maintain her control over imperial affairs.
Osman II (1618-22) was the first sultan to try to reverse the decline of the empire.  But when the Janissaries learnt of his plans to abolish their corps, they started  a  revolt which eventually led to his assassination. Murat IV (1623-40) enjoyed more success in his attempts at reform and significantly reduced corruption during his stable period of rule.
The late 17th century saw many years of capable government by a succession of grand viziers from the Albanian Köprülü family. Yet their efforts were not sufficient to stem the decline in imperial fortunes, symbolized by a failed attempt to capture Vienna in 1683- The Treaty of Karlowitz in 1699 marked the start of the Ottoman withdrawal from Europe.

THE TULIP PERIOD

Ahmet III (1703-30), on his succession to the throne, left power in the hands of his capable grand vizier, Ibrahim Pa§a. The sultan preferred pleasure to politics. During his reign, beautiful Baroque palaces, such as Aynah Kavak Palace fountains, mosques and yalis were built. Formal gardens were laid out and filled with tulips, Ahmet's favourite flower, which lent their name to the period of his rule. The sultan even ordered tulips to be scattered over the floor at the lavish festivals and entertainments that he staged for the Ottoman elite. He also sent an ambassador, Mehmet Celebi, to France to investigate Western civilization and culture. On his return, Western clothes and costumes became not only acceptable for the first time, but fashionable. (s1)