Home Region:  Anatolia-Caucasus (Southwest Asia)

Ottoman Empire I

1402 CE 1517 CE
EQ 2020  tr_ottoman_emp_1 / TrOttm2
Preceding Entity: Add one more here.
1299 CE 1402 CE Ottoman Emirate (tr_ottoman_emirate)    [continuity]

Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.
1517 CE 1683 CE Ottoman Empire II (tr_ottoman_emp_2)    [continuity]

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  General Description  
During the fifteenth century the Ottomans reconstructed the state following the damaging civil war (which ended 1412 CE) and the devastating Mongol invasion under Timur (in 1402 CE). The period ends with the Ottoman conquest of Mamluk Egypt and Syria, which began a "stronger Islamisation of the Empire." [1]
Ottoman government had an elaborate set of institutions but was ultimately highly autocratic, run out of the court of the Sultan [2] who would frequently execute men of high rank in rituals of death that "symbolised the absolute power of the sultan within his own household, and the abject status of even his most powerful counsellors." [3] The court often "by-passed formal structures of government such as in diplomatic negotiations" and Colin Imber notes that there was an informal aspect to policy making that depended a great deal on the personality of the Sultan "and the individuals or factions who had his ear." [4]
The main institution of government was the Imperial Council (divan) which was under the presidency of the Grand Vizier. [4] In the regions provinces were run by governors (beylerbeyi). [5] The Ottoman army was financed by land grants: between 1400-1590 CE army officers were assigned timar holdings from which they could raise revenue as a form of salary. Numbering 27,500 in 1527 CE they "formed the most important element in the Ottoman army." [6] [7]
At this time the Ottoman Empire was very heterogeneous in language and culture and while Islam predominated as the state religion the Greek and Armenian Orthodox Churches retained some influence within the Ottoman government and served large concentrations of Christians. After their expulsion from Spain in 1492 CE there were also many Jews, in addition to Maronites and Druzes. [8] After the final conquest of Byzantine Constantinople in 1453 CE, the city became the Ottoman capital, now called Istanbul, and boomed in size again from about 50,000 to perhaps as many as 400,000 residents.

[1]: Personal communication. Johannes Preiser-Kapeller. 2016. Institute for Medieval Research. Division of Byzantine Research. Austrian Academy of Sciences.

[2]: (Lapidus 2012, 437) Ira M. Lapidus. 2012. Islamic Societies to the Nineteenth Century: A Global History. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge.

[3]: (Imber 2002, 156) Colin Imber. 2002. The Ottoman Empire, 1300-1650. The Structure of Power. PalgraveMacmillan. Basingstoke.

[4]: (Imber 2002, 154) Colin Imber. 2002. The Ottoman Empire, 1300-1650. The Structure of Power. PalgraveMacmillan. Basingstoke.

[5]: (Imber 2002, 177-178) Colin Imber. 2002. The Ottoman Empire, 1300-1650. The Structure of Power. PalgraveMacmillan. Basingstoke.

[6]: (Imber 2002, 256-257) Colin Imber. 2002. The Ottoman Empire, 1300-1650. The Structure of Power. PalgraveMacmillan. Basingstoke.

[7]: (Lapidus 2012, 440) Ira M. Lapidus. 2012. Islamic Societies to the Nineteenth Century: A Global History. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge.

[8]: (Imber 2002, 1-2) Colin Imber. 2002. The Ottoman Empire, 1300-1650. The Structure of Power. PalgraveMacmillan. Basingstoke.

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.
Religion Variables Coding in Progress.

NGA Settlements:

Year Range Ottoman Empire I (tr_ottoman_emp_1) was in:
 (1421 CE 1516 CE) Konya Plain
Home NGA: Konya Plain

General Variables
Identity and Location Ottoman Empire I (tr_ottoman_emp_1)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Utm Zone 35 T Expert 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Original Name Ottoman Empire I Expert 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Capital 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Capital 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Capital 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Alternative Name 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Alternative Name 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Alternative Name 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Temporal Bounds Ottoman Empire I (tr_ottoman_emp_1)
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Peak Years
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Duration
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Political and Cultural Relations Ottoman Empire I (tr_ottoman_emp_1)
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Suprapolity Relations none Expert 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Supracultural Entity 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Supracultural Entity 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Succeeding Entity Ottoman Empire II Expert 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Scale of Supracultural Interaction 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity continuity Expert 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Succeeding Entity
1517 CE 1683 CE
Ottoman Empire II (tr_ottoman_emp_2)   [continuity] 
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Preceding Entity
1299 CE 1402 CE
Ottoman Emirate (tr_ottoman_emirate)   [continuity]  Expert
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Degree of Centralization unitary state Expert 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Language Ottoman Empire I (tr_ottoman_emp_1)
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Linguistic Family Turkic Expert 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Language 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Language 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Religion Ottoman Empire I (tr_ottoman_emp_1)
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Religion Genus Islam Expert 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Religion Family Sufi Expert 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Religion Mevlevi Expert 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Religion Bektasi Expert 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Alternate Religion Uncoded Undecided Expert 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Social Complexity Variables
Social Scale Ottoman Empire I (tr_ottoman_emp_1)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Population of the Largest Settlement 1453 CE
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Population of the Largest Settlement 1478 CE
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Population of the Largest Settlement 1500 CE
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Polity Territory 1420 CE
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Polity Territory 1440 CE
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Polity Territory 1460 CE
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Polity Territory 1480 CE
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Polity Territory 1500 CE
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Polity Population 1450 CE
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Polity Population 1500 CE
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Hierarchical Complexity Ottoman Empire I (tr_ottoman_emp_1)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Settlement Hierarchy 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Religious Level 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Military Level 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Administrative Level 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Professions Ottoman Empire I (tr_ottoman_emp_1)
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Professional Soldier 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Professional Priesthood 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Professional Military Officer 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Ottoman Empire I (tr_ottoman_emp_1)
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Specialized Government Building Present 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Merit Promotion 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Full Time Bureaucrat 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Examination System 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Law Ottoman Empire I (tr_ottoman_emp_1)
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Professional Lawyer 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Judge 1402 CE  1517 CE
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1402 CE  1517 CE
Court 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Ottoman Empire I (tr_ottoman_emp_1)
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Market 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Irrigation System 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Food Storage Site 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Drinking Water Supply System 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Transport Infrastructure Ottoman Empire I (tr_ottoman_emp_1)
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Road 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Port 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Bridge 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Special-purpose Sites Ottoman Empire I (tr_ottoman_emp_1)
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Mines or Quarry 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Information / Writing System Ottoman Empire I (tr_ottoman_emp_1)
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Written Record 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Script 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Nonwritten Record 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Mnemonic Device 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Ottoman Empire I (tr_ottoman_emp_1)
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Scientific Literature 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Sacred Text 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Religious Literature 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Practical Literature 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Philosophy 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Lists Tables and Classification 1402 CE  1517 CE
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History 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Fiction 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Calendar 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Information / Money Ottoman Empire I (tr_ottoman_emp_1)
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Precious Metal Present Inferred 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Paper Currency Absent 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Indigenous Coin 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Foreign Coin 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Article Present 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Information / Postal System Ottoman Empire I (tr_ottoman_emp_1)
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Postal Station 1402 CE  1517 CE
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General Postal Service 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Courier 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Information / Measurement System Ottoman Empire I (tr_ottoman_emp_1)
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Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)
Fortifications Ottoman Empire I (tr_ottoman_emp_1)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Wooden Palisade 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared Present 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Stone Walls Mortared 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position Present 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Modern Fortification 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Moat 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Fortified Camp 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Earth Rampart 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Ditch 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Complex Fortification 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Military use of Metals Ottoman Empire I (tr_ottoman_emp_1)
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Steel 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Iron 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Copper Present 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Bronze Present 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Projectiles Ottoman Empire I (tr_ottoman_emp_1)
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Tension Siege Engine 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Sling Siege Engine 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Sling 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Self Bow Unknown Suspected 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Javelin 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Handheld Firearm 1402 CE 1440 CE
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Handheld Firearm 1440 CE 1517 CE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery 1402 CE 1422 CE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery 1422 CE 1517 CE
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Crossbow 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Composite Bow 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Atlatl 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Handheld weapons Ottoman Empire I (tr_ottoman_emp_1)
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War Club 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Sword 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Spear 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Polearm 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Dagger 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Battle Axe 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Animals used in warfare Ottoman Empire I (tr_ottoman_emp_1)
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Horse 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Elephant Absent 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Donkey 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Dog Absent 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Camel 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Armor Ottoman Empire I (tr_ottoman_emp_1)
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Wood Bark Etc 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Shield 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Scaled Armor 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Plate Armor 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Limb Protection 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Leather Cloth 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Laminar Armor 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Helmet 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Chainmail 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Naval technology Ottoman Empire I (tr_ottoman_emp_1)
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Specialized Military Vessel 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)
Religion Variables
Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Ottoman Empire I (tr_ottoman_emp_1)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners Present 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites Present 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain 1402 CE  1517 CE
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Human Sacrifice Ottoman Empire I (tr_ottoman_emp_1)
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Instability Data
Power Transitions