Compared with his father, Sultan Mohammad the Conqueror , Sultan Bayezid II
achieved little – in the military field- on the European front. However, strategically looked
at, they were of great importance. He managed to annex both cities Kilia and C
rimean.
Doing this the black sea became an Ottoman lake. He got involved in a war against
Venice, and captured some positions; that helped to advance in the eastern basin of the
Mediterranean Sea, and in its western basin as well. on the eastern front failure was
dominant. Mamluks' forces managed in defeating several Ottoman armies. His peaceful
policies and his slackness in front of the Safavids led to the eruption of several hostile anti-
Ottoman movements, and allowed more Safavids influence in Anatolia.
Finally to Sultan Bayzid II virtue is attributed for modernizing sea and land forces.
Relying on fire arms his son, sultan Selim I succeeded in scoring decisive victories against
the Safavids and Mamluks.
Struggle for the throne in the Ottoman State started since it was created. Ottoman
sultans tried by all available ways to protect their positions. This explains the various
preventive measures, they adopted, to protect their thrones. Relying on 're
ligious fatwa'
Mohammad the Conqueror issued his law which allowed him to kill his brothers in order to
prevent disfigurement of the national unity. This law stayed in use for a century, till it was
replaced by a new law: keeping all princes under repressive home arrest in the suites In
the palace, called cages. The children of the present sultan were exempted from this
treatment.
This struggle led to many civil wars which contributed to the decline of the
Ottoman State, like the ferocious conflict between the two sons of Sultan Mohammad the
Conqueror.
