The narrow waterway known as the Bosporus, which connects the Black Sea to the Mediterranean, represents the geographical dividing line between Europe and Asia. Here the ancient city of Constantinople, the jewel of the Byzantine Empire, became the capital city of a Muslim empire ruled by invaders from Asia Minor. These invaders were the followers of Sultan Osman I, the founder of what came to be known as the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Turks settled in Asia Minor in the late 13^th Century, crossed the Bosporus in 1345, and built one of the most extensive empires in recorded history. Conquering Constantinople in 1453 and renaming it Istanbul, they presented a constant threat to Christian Europe throughout the late middle ages and the Renaissance. Even after the power of this empire began to decline, the territories controlled by it were immense, and the strategic importance of Ottoman lands to the rising powers of Europe kept Ottoman Turkey in the center of world politics until the end of the First World War.

The study of Ottoman medals, orders and decorations offers an insight into the declining years of the empire. The first known Ottoman medal dates from 1730, but it wasn't until Napoleon's invasion of Egypt that the first wearable medal was established. The vast majority of Ottoman orders and medals were created in the 19^th century, as the Empire struggled to modernize and fought to retain its distant territories and diverse people. These decorations are symbols of the fierce pride, the fading glory and the inevitable fragmentation of this ancient regime.

By clicking the buttons at the left, you will be able to see a variety of Ottoman Turkish orders, medals and decorations. There are numerous other Ottoman medals and decorations that have not been included for one reason or another, but I hope that this provides a useful overview.   

This site is non-political, and does not endorse or denounce any race, nationality, religion, or ethnic group.  Historical representations made in these pages are drawn from sources quoted in the bibliography, and do not represent the opinions or ideas of the author or contributors.