III. PROGRESS OF OTTOMAN CONQUEST UNDER THE FIRST FOUR SOVEREIGNS
Osman (1299-1326)
1299—Osman, local chieftain at Sugut, has extended his conquests from the valley of the Kara Su westward to Yeni Sheïr.
1308—Kalolimni, island in the Sea of Marmora, becomes first Ottoman maritime possession.
Ak Hissar, at the entrance to plain of Nicomedia, and Tricocca, which ensured land communication between Nicaea and Nicomedia, are captured.
1308-16—Sovereignty is extended over the peninsula between the Gulf of Nicomedia and the Black Sea, almost up to the Bosphorus.
1317—Fortresses are erected near gates of Brusa.
1326—Brusa surrenders.
Orkhan (1326-59)
1329—Occupies Nicaea.
1330-8—Conquest of shores of Gulf of Nicomedia up to Scutari on the Bosphorus.
1334-8—Conquest of emirate of Karasi.
1337-8—Occupies Nicomedia.
c. 1339—Acquires Mikhalitch, Ulubad, and Kermasti.
1353—Cantacuzenos cedes fortress on European shore of Hellespont.
1354—Gallipoli is occupied.
1354-8—The Osmanlis occupy the Thracian, Chersonese, and the European shore of the Sea of Marmora as far as Rodosto. Demotika is captured, and Constantinople cut off from Adrianople by the occupation of Tchorlu.
Murad (1359-89)
1360—Captures Angora and suppresses independence of village chieftains between Eski Sheïr and Angora.
1360-1—Conquers Thrace from the Maritza River to the Black Sea, including Adrianople.
1361—Lalashahin captures Philippopolis.
c. 1362—Creation of the corps of janissaries.
1362 or 1363—John V Palaeologos binds himself by treaty to recognize Murad’s conquest of Thrace, and to give him military aid against the emirs of Asia Minor.
1366-9—Conquest of Maritza Valley up to the Rhodope Mountains, and of Bulgaria, up to the main Balkan range.
1370-1—Occupies the fortresses and passes in the Rhodope and Rilo ranges.
1371-2—Conquers Macedonia up to the Vardar River.
c. 1376—Portion of emirate of Kermian, including Kutayia is annexed as dot of the emir’s daughter, in marriage arranged with Bayezid.
1377—Emir of Hamid sells to Murad territories between Tekke, Kermian, and Karamania. The acquisition of Ak Sheïr brings the Osmanlis to the frontier of Karamania.
1378—Conquers Tekke, except Adalia and Alaya.
1380—Conquers Macedonia, west of the Vardar. Prilep and Monastir become Ottoman frontier fortresses.
1385—Occupies Okhrida.
Plain of Sofia and upper valley of the Struma River are conquered.
1386—Valleys of the Morava and Nisava are conquered, and Nish falls.
1388—Invasion of northern Bulgaria reduces Sisman to more humiliating vassalage. The Osmanlis retain the fortresses of Shuman and Nicopolis.
Bayezid (1389-1403)
1391—Captures Adalia, first Ottoman seaport on the Mediterranean.
Ak Sheïr and Ak Seraï ceded by Karamania.
1393—Bulgaria, to the Danube, becomes Ottoman territory.
1393-5—Conquers Samsun, Caesarea, and Sivas, and annexes emirate of Kastemuni.
1397—Conquers Thessaly, Doris, Locris, and the north-eastern corner of the Peloponnesus.
1398-9—Gradually occupies Southern Albania and a part of Epirus.