1. Constantinople was conquered in 1453 ushering in another period of greatness in the history of the Muslims. Let us remember the Ottoman Caliphs considered themselves Caliphs of the Muslims. The official nationality, as appearing even in travel documents, of all peoples under the Ottoman Caliphs was "Muslim". I mention this because in the Arab world there are misgivings about Ottoman rule. There has never been a larger empire in history than that of the Ottomnas.
2. Eight centuries of Muslim rule over al-Andalusia ended in 1492 when Mohammad XII surrendered Grenada to the Christian king.
3. In Hindustan Muslims flourished till the death of Aurangjeb Alamgir, 1707. World has never seen a more magnificent dynasty than the Mughals.
4. Hulagu, the destroyer of Baghdad was hounded rest of his life by Genghis Khan's grandson Berke for this heinous act. Berke had accepted The Message. It was this tussle between the Hordes that in the end had prevented any Mongol plans of conquering Islam's holy lands. Moreover, many mongols now accepted Islam.
Yes, but you cannot compare the conquest of Constantinople (one city as significant as it might have been) which the 900 previous years of Muslim conquest that basically compromise to 90% of the current Muslim areas.
I know that they were Caliphs. I am just telling you that the Ottoman Empire was not comparable with the early Caliphates (Rashidun, Umayyad, Abbasid) who were the main powers not only of the region but the world for nearly 600 years. Militarily, economically, scientifically and in terms of size. After 1258 this changed forever. That does not mean that the Ottoman Caliphate was not the main Muslim power. It was for 2-3 centuries.
Lastly the Ottoman Empire was the smallest Caliphate in Islamic history (by far even) if you exclude the Fatimid Caliphate that only Shia's recognize.
For instance it was 2 times smaller than the 500 year long Abbasid Caliphate and 3 times smaller than the Umayyad Caliphate (5th biggest empire in human history).
List of largest empires - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Muhammad XII indeed ruled until 1492 but by 1258 most of Iberia came under Christian rule. The downfall in Al-Andalus began at that point as well.
The Mughals were only a local empire. Still most of their subjects were non-Muslims. Their influence is mostly only confined to South Asia. They were great patrons of the arts but in terms of conquests, science etc. they were pretty poor.
Yes, but that does never remove the criticism and all the faults of the Mongols. Nothing in terms of brutality was seen in the ancient world or Middle Ages and even today 90% of all Mongols are NOT Muslims.
1.Just look at the Wikipedia map of the Ottoman empire.It's not correct. In the Arab peninsula and Maghreb only the coastal belt has been shown.
2.Also to be noted is that the emperors of Hindustan used to owe allegiance to the Caliph at Baghdad,and later at Istanbul.Till1947 theMuslims of Hindustan continued to read the Friday khutba in the name of the Ottoman Caliph.
The data is 100% correct. Which was the only parts that were under de jure and de facto Ottoman control. Rest were independent empires (Oman), Kingdoms, Sheikdoms, Sultanates (KSA and Yemen). Some of those states were allied with the Ottomans but independent while others pursued a different path altogether. Oman being a good example since they were an empire with lands on 3 continents.
