Who were the Ottomans?
The Ottomans were nomadic Turkish tribes that migrated to the Middle East from central Asia. The Ottomans were Muslims, and they spread their religion, Islam, throughout the empire.
In addition to Turks, people of the Ottoman Empire included many Arabs, Armenians, Greeks, and Slavs. The official language was Ottoman Turkish. The empire had two classes of people. The ruling class included the imperial family, owners of large estates, and military and religious leaders. These wealthy people lived in stone mansions. The rest of the people belonged to the rayah (protected flock). Most of the people of the Ottoman Empire worked as farmers. Craftworkers and merchants practiced their trade in the cities and towns.
Excerpt adapted from the "Ottoman Empire" article, The World Book Encyclopedia, © 1999