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The narrative of the Ottoman advance in Europe always struck me as anti-Islamic propaganda on the part of Western European historians working for Britain and other European colonial empires and on the part of Romantic-era ultra-nationalists who would evolve into far-right monarchists and fascists in the 20th century. How much did the Ottomans actually conquer and control in the Balkans? For instance, was Bulgaria actually conquered, or was it only forced into a kind of vassal state?

I ask this because for all the narratives of Ottoman conquest, rule and brutality, the Balkans remain predominantly with their European cultural identities. The peoples of the Balkans don't identify as Turkish or Arabic, they don't speak said languages either and Islam is a very insignificant minority overall, which is very strong evidence against the traditional Romantic ultra-nationalist narrative of Ottoman conquest and tyranny in the region.
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