Orhan Ghazi (reigned c. 1323/24–1362) is the ruler who turned a small frontier principality into a real state. The turning point was the conquest of Bursa in April 1326, which became the first Ottoman capital. From there he went on to take Iznik, where the first Ottoman madrasa was founded in 1331, and his son’s capture of Gallipoli in 1354 gave the Ottomans their first lasting foothold in Europe. This article walks through that story, noting where historians disagree.
Watch the full video: Orhan Ghazi & Bursa | Entire History of the Ottoman Empire Ep. 2 on the Ruhani Dua YouTube channel.
Quick facts
| Topic | What the sources say |
|---|---|
| Reign | c. 1323/24 to March 1362 |
| Father | Osman I (Osman Ghazi) |
| Bursa | Besieged from about 1317; fell on 6 April 1326 |
| Iznik (Nicaea) | Siege 1328–1331; city fell 2 March 1331 |
| Battle of Pelekanon | June 1329, against Emperor Andronikos III |
| Gallipoli | Taken by his son Süleyman Pasha, 1354 |
| Death | March 1362, in Bursa |
The world Orhan inherited
Orhan was the son of Osman I, founder of the dynasty. Sources differ on exact dates: some give his birth as c. 1281 and his accession as 1323/24, while others place the start of his sole rule right after the fall of Bursa in 1326. This is a common problem for early Ottoman history, since the earliest chronicles were written well after the events. Historians therefore treat many early details with caution.
What is clear is the setting. Anatolia in the early 1300s was divided among many small Turkish principalities (beyliks), and the Byzantine Empire was weakened by internal quarrels. Osman’s small beylik sat on the Byzantine frontier, and it needed a city, an administration and a steady army to become more than a raiding power.
The siege and fall of Bursa (1326)
According to the standard account, the Siege of Bursa ran from 1317 until 6 April 1326, and the Ottomans had no experience taking a city and lacked proper siege equipment, so it fell only after six or nine years (the sources give both figures). Another account notes that Bursa surrendered under threat of starvation after a long blockade rather than falling to an assault.
Osman began the siege but did not live to see its end, and Orhan completed it. Bursa then became the first official Ottoman capital, and it remained so until the capital moved to Edirne in the 1360s (sources give 1365 or 1366). Orhan is also credited with building mosques, madrasas, baths and markets there, and he was buried in Bursa.
Iznik, Pelekanon and the first Ottoman madrasa
With Bursa secured, Orhan turned to Nicaea (Iznik), once a major imperial city. Emperor Andronikos III tried to relieve the region and the two armies met at Pelekanon near Nicomedia in June 1329. The Byzantines failed to break the Ottoman position, and Iznik fell on 2 March 1331. Nicomedia followed in 1337.
Soon after the conquest, Orhan established what is described as the first Ottoman madrasa in Iznik. He endowed it with waqf (charitable endowments) to fund its needs and appointed Dawud al-Qaysari as its first teacher. The madrasa taught the religious sciences, and over the following century many more were founded: one study counts 82 madrasas established between 1331 and 1451. Scholars from the wider Muslim world were also drawn to serve as administrators and judges in the growing state.
Coins, a regular army and a settled state
Orhan is traditionally credited with striking the silver akçe, the main Ottoman coin, in his own name. It was a small silver coin of about 1.15 grams with a purely calligraphic design. Note one caveat: some historians now say a coin bearing Osman’s name has been found, so “first Ottoman coin” is not settled, and the exact date (often given as 1326/27) is debated.
Orhan is also remembered for organising a paid, permanent force. His brother and vizier Alaeddin is credited with forming paid infantry called yaya, which could stay ready for service and sustain longer sieges than seasonal tribal fighters. Many accounts describe this as a major step toward a standing army, though the details of these early reforms come from later chronicles and should be read cautiously.
What a traveller saw
The Moroccan traveller Ibn Battuta visited Bursa in the early 1330s (sources say 1331, 1332 or 1333). He described a city with fine bazaars, wide streets, and gardens and springs all around. He wrote that Orhan was the greatest of the Turkmen rulers in wealth, land and military strength. Because this is an eyewitness report from only a few years after the conquest, it is one of the more reliable pictures we have of the new capital.
The first step into Europe
In 1354 a major earthquake damaged the walls of Gallipoli. Orhan’s eldest son, Süleyman Pasha, occupied the town and settled Turkish families there, giving the Ottomans a bridgehead on the European side of the straits. From there they expanded into Thrace.
Süleyman did not outlive the gains. He died after a hunting accident, with most sources placing his death around 1357, and he never became sultan. When Orhan died in March 1362, his son Murad I succeeded him.
Lessons for us today
- Great changes are often built over many years. Bursa took close to a decade to win, and Osman never saw it fall.
- Institutions outlast conquests. The madrasa, waqf, coinage and regular army mattered as much as any battle.
- Read history with care. Early Ottoman dates and stories vary between sources, and honest readers say so rather than choosing the most dramatic version.
- Learning and endowments serve society for generations, a lesson that applies to any community.
FAQ
When did Orhan Ghazi conquer Bursa?
Bursa fell on 6 April 1326 after a siege that began around 1317. Osman started the siege, and Orhan completed it.
Was Iznik’s madrasa really the first Ottoman madrasa?
Most modern sources say so, dating it to 1331, shortly after Iznik was conquered. Orhan funded it through endowments.
Who captured Gallipoli?
Orhan’s son Süleyman Pasha took Gallipoli in 1354, after an earthquake damaged its defences. It became the first lasting Ottoman base in Europe.
Read more:
- Al-Kindi (Alkindus): The Philosopher of the Arabs Who Cracked Secret Codes
- Al-Jazari: The Engineer Who Built Early Robots
Sources: Siege of Bursa; Siege of Nicaea (1328–1331); Orhan; Muslim Heritage: Madrassa Education during the Early Ottoman Period; Silk Road Seattle: Bursa; CoinWeek: Coins of the Medieval Ottoman Sultans; Orhan Ghazi and the First Ottoman Step into Europe; Süleyman Pasha (son of Orhan).
Discover more from ImranJalna
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Leave a Reply