VARIA. THE CONTROL OF GALLIPOLI AND THE EARLY OTTOMAN FLEET
VARIA. THE CONTROL OF GALLIPOLI AND THE EARLY OTTOMAN FLEET

Summary/Abstract: The article reconsiders the popular theories in modern historiography that the Ottoman Turks did not have their own fleet from the early 14th century until the Battle of Maritsa (Chernomen) in 1371, and that the Christian occupation of the port fortress of Gallipoli prevented the Ottomans from crossing the Strait of the Dardanelles in 1366 – 1376. The text provides a lot of evidence taken from contemporary historical sources, such as the Histories of John Kantakouzenos, Nikephoros Gregoras, George Pachymeres, and others, demonstrating that the Ottoman beylik had had ships capable of crossing the Straits of Bosphorus and Dardanelles from 1337, at least. Moreover, after conquering the neighboring Turkish state of Karasi in the 1340s, the Ottomans likely inherited its fleet, which had been a formidable naval power in the Marmara and Aegean Seas. Military units of the Karasids and the Ottomans crossed the Straits with their ships and invaded Thrace too many times, while Gallipoli was firmly in Byzantine hands (1307 – 1354). After examining the available source information, the author concludes that the Ottomans managed to keep their fleet and the ability to cross the Dardanelles in 1366 – 1376, regardless of who occupied the fortress of Gallipoli.

• Details
• Contents