This part of the Ottoman Empire refers to their geographical size, how the land was obtained, and how the land was lost.
At the Ottoman Empire's height (1299-1922) Turkey, Egypt, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Macedonia, Hungary, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon Syria, and parts of Arabia and the North Coast of Africa were included in the empire. The empire started out as only a few states, but several years and 2 million square miles coming under their control made them a force to be reckoned with. To organize groups, usually the Muslim groups, the Ottoman Empire used the Millet System. This system gave minority groups some power to regulate their own affairs. However, they were always under supreme rule of the Ottoman Empire.
Much of the success was due to military technology, including gunpowder based weapons. However, like all empires, several factors contributed to a brutal fall from power. Some of the reasons for decline were poor leading and corruption in government. Rival leaders from other societies began to be threats. The Ottoman Empire was cut off from global trade, cutting them off from new ideas and technology. This cut from the world allowed European technology to surpass them. Another major factor was their decision to remain an agricultural society, rather than becoming an industrial society.