My empire is better than yours - wrong

Submitted by Peter (Australia), Oct 26, 2011 at 08:01

I would have to go back to the books but I seem to remember many emperors in the Eastern Roman Empire as being of varied ethnic background including Armenians and Slavs. The positions of power it seems were open to all (as much as that can be said for the times) based on their ability, while in the case of the Ottomans, progression occured only after christian children were given up to the state (almost like a tax) whence they were converted (violently or not) to Islam. Only then were they able to climb the ladder. But not the whole way up of course. Only part of the way.

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