Murad I

Reign: 1362 – 1389
Life: 1326–1389

Murad I came to the throne after his elder half-brother Süleyman Pasha's death. Murad I conquered Adrianople in 1360s and made it the new capital of the Ottoman Sultanate. Then he further expanded the Ottoman realm in Southern Europe by bringing most of the Balkans under Ottoman rule, and forced the princes of Serbia, the emperor of Bulgaria as well as the Byzantine emperor John V Palaiologos to pay him tribute. Murad I administratively divided his sultanate into the two provinces of Anatolia (Asia Minor) and Rumelia (the Balkans).

During Murad I's reign, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu ruled Japan (Shogunate), Ferdinand I of Portugal ruled Portugal, and Edward III of England ruled England.

Want to learn more? Further reading

The Ottoman Centuries by Patrick Kinross

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The World During Their Reign

The most notable rulers who held power elsewhere at the same time, from European courts to Ottoman, Mughal, and Chinese thrones.

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The Ottoman Centuries

Patrick Kinross

Kinross on Murad I's victories at Kosovo and the institutionalising of Ottoman rule in Europe.

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