290 Ottoman Empire (1450–1750) The concubines’ (secondary wives’) rooms at Topkapi, built by Mehmed II the Conqueror The distinctive architectural style is reflected throughout the ancient buildings of the Ottoman Empire Sultan, exerted considerable political power during the 18th century They often conspired for their favorite sons to become the sultan Although early sultans received firsthand training leading military forces and administering Ottoman provinces, by the 17th century royal princes were educated totally within the palace Their lack of outside experience and isolation within the harem made them poorly equipped to rule Seventeenth-century sultans were often spoiled and selfindulgent with little or no awareness of the problems or corruption within ruling circles Ottoman Turkish was the language of the ruling elite and government But as the language of the Qur’an, Arabic enjoyed a special place and was spoken as the first language by the Arabs who composed the majority of the population The Ottomans eagerly assimilated the artistic forms and cultures of those they ruled and often synthesized a wide variety of artistic forms into new, vibrant ones A lavish court life with patronage of the arts evolved As with most nomadic societies the Ottomans had a rich tradition of textiles and Ottoman artisans were known for their luxurious textiles, carpets, enameled tile work, and armor OTTOMAN EXPANSION Following the collapse of Timurlane’s empire, Sultans Mehmed I (r 1413–21) and Murad II (r 1421–51) began the process of the reconquest and consolidation of the Ottoman Empire Mehmed enjoyed the support of the old Ottoman ghazi fighters and used that military support as the foundation for reestablishing Ottoman control over much of Anatolia and parts of the Balkans He was contemplating an attack on Constantinople, the famed Byzantine capital, when he died His young son Murad failed in his attempts