Bursa

An early Ottoman capital and dynastic burial city in northwestern Anatolia, traditionally associated with Murad I’s birth.

Overview

Bursa in northwestern Anatolia became the first major Ottoman capital after its capture from Byzantine control in 1326 by Orhan I. As the early Ottoman center, it was where the dynasty built its first major mosques, tombs, and administrative foundations before expansion further west and north.

Historical significance

Bursa's capture by the early Ottomans represented a significant step in the reduction of Byzantine territorial control in Anatolia, which had been ongoing since the Seljuk victory at Manzikert in 1071. The city remained an important Ottoman commercial and religious center even after Constantinople became the empire's capital in 1453.