empire (c. 1300-1918) of the Turks, including at its peak much of SE Europe, SW Asia, & NE Africa: cap. (after 1453) Constantinople
See Ottoman Empire in American Heritage Dictionary 4
also Turkish Empire
A vast Turkish sultanate of southwest Asia, northeast Africa, and southeast Europe. It was founded in the 13th century by Osman I and ruled by his descendants until its dissolution after World War I. Originally a small state controlled by Ottoman or Osmanli Turks, it spread rapidly, superseding the Byzantine Empire in the east.