Were the Ottomans a European empire?

Were the Ottomans European?

  • Yes

    Votes: 50 37.3%
  • No

    Votes: 84 62.7%

  • Total voters
    134
Not to mention, where are all the people claiming Asia Minor as some great disqualifier of 'European-ness' when the Byzantines or the Romans controlled it? Let's face the fact that Asia Minor has and always has been extremely relevant to the European politics, alongside a large chunk of the Mediterranean.

Neither the Romans nor the Byzantines started their empire from Asia Minor, though. Just saying.
 
I go with yes, on geopolitical grounds.

Admittedly the Ottomans also conquered big in Asia, and to them Persia was as relevant as Europe, but to Europe, Russia and the Ottomans were relevant in a way (say) Morocco and Algeria weren't. The Ottomans and Russians could conquer European land and get away with it, because they were part of the European 'scene'.

In an era characterized by Europeans going where-ever they liked and going for conquering places (sometimes, admittedly, unsuccesfully) I find that the main factor.
 
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