What Is an Ottoman?

Ottoman as in Furniture

• As a piece of furniture, an ottoman is a padded, upholstered footstool, sofa or divan without arms or back. Ottomans may be round, rectangular or square. They may be built with a box base or four-legged base. The footstool is what most people think of when they hear the word ottoman. Ottomans come in a wide range of sizes, styles and fabrics to complement any style of furnishing and interior decor. Some are built as storage boxes with a padded seat.

Ottoman as in Fabric

• Ottoman may refer to a heavyweight ribbed fabric used for upholstery, draperies and women's outerwear. This fabric, known as Ottoman cord or Ottoman rib, originated in Turkey. It's made by interweaving fine yarn with a heavy filler yarn, creating a ribbed corduroy appearance. Because it is a stiff, heavy fabric, it can't be gathered or shirred. It can contain silk, wool, cotton or polyester fibers and comes in a wide range of colors.

Ottoman as in Empire

• The word ottoman may refer to the Ottoman Turks, who created a Muslim empire that, at its height in the 16th century, ruled southeastern Europe, ancient Turkey, the entire Middle East and parts of north Africa. The Ottoman Empire existed from 1453 to 1919. The Ottoman Turks ruled their sprawling empire from Istanbul, formerly Constantinople. By the 20th century, the empire had shrunk greatly but still controlled Turkey, parts of the Balkans and the Middle East. The Ottoman Empire entered the First World War on Germany's side in hopes of gaining Balkan territory while keeping its historic enemy Russia at bay. It met defeat and was dismembered by the victorious Allies in 1919. The former Ottoman province of Anatolia in 1923 formed itself into the modern state of Turkey.

Ottoman as in Rug

• The Ottoman Empire developed some unique rug styles prized by collectors as Ottoman rugs. Most of these styles were developed in the 15th through 17th centuries. One distinctive Ottoman rug style features highly stylized depictions of animals inside geometric medallions arranged symmetrically within an outer border. Another distinctive style features stylized eight-pointed and four-pointed stars made up of sinuous arabesque vine scrolls, symmetrically arranged within a wide outer border. Ottoman rug production was centered in western Anatolia province. Ottoman rug-weaving traditions have survived in modern Turkey.