How the Mongols Accidentally Created the Ottoman Empire?

The rise of the Ottoman Empire is often told as a story of steady expansion and conquest. But its true origins lie in chaos—created by an empire that never intended to build it. In the 13th century, the Mongol invasions shattered the political order of Anatolia and the wider Islamic world, destroying old powers while leaving behind a fractured frontier. As the Seljuk Sultanate collapsed under Mongol pressure, Anatolia broke into dozens of small Turkic beyliks. Authority vanished. Borders dissolved. What remained was a power vacuum—one that favored mobile warriors, flexible leadership, and constant adaptation. In this unstable landscape, small frontier groups survived not by size, but by opportunity. Among them was a minor frontier principality led by Osman I. His domain was insignificant, surrounded by rivals and exposed to constant threat. Yet the Mongol disruption had erased larger, more rigid states, leaving room for something new to grow along the Byzantine frontier. This video explores how Mongol destruction unintentionally reshaped Anatolia, weakened old structures, and created the conditions that allowed a minor beylik to evolve into the Ottoman Empire—one of the most powerful states in history. #mongols #ottomanempire #medievalhistory