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While not being among the most
celebrated sultans, Mehmed 1 is still among the most important ones in the
Ottoman Empire: It was him who succeeded in reunifying the dismembered
territories after the defeat to Timur Lenk at Ankara in 1402. After
defeating his 2 brothers, Süleyman and Isa, who had been handed the
territories in west, he still had other pretenders to face, first his
brother Musa and then Mustafa who also claimed to be his brother. Inside the
empire there was also unrest, which Mehmed successfully crushed.
BIOGRAPHY
1403: Following the death of Bayezid
1, Timur Lenk divided the defeated Ottoman Empire between 3 of Bayezid's
sons, Murad in Amasya
(centre of today's Turkey), Isa in Bursa (western Turkey) and Süleyman in
Rumelia (Balkans).
1404- 05: Isa is defeated and Mehmed takes control over Bursa. He
then sent another brother, Musa, against Süleyman.
1410: Musa defeats Süleyman, but betrays Murad and declares himself
sultan and starts reconquering the Ottoman territories in the Balkans.
1413: After joining forces with the Byzantine emperor, Mehmed
succeeds in defeating Musa at Camurlu. He declares himself sultan in both
Anatolia and Rumelia.
1416: Walachia (equals today's Romania) becomes a vassal state under
Mehmed.
A revolt led by Belreddin is crushed.
1417: Wins territories in Albania.
1421 May 26: Dies in Edirne.