“Our empire is the home of Islam; from father to son the lamp of our empire is kept burning with oil from the hearts of the infidels.”

Mohammed II, the Conqueror.

“A lord and his bondsmen.”

Ranke.

“Les Turcs ... nées de la guerre et organisées pour la conquête.”

Cahun.

“The Ottoman government ... seems to have attained during the sixteenth century the highest degree of perfection of which its constitution was capable.”

Robertson.