Editing Greeks (section)

===Ottoman Empire===
{{Main|Ottoman Greeks|Phanariotes}}
[[File:Basilius Bessarion - Imagines philologorum.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|The Byzantine scholar and cardinal [[Basilios Bessarion]] (1395/1403–1472) played a key role in transmitting classical knowledge to Western Europe, contributing to the Renaissance.]]
Following the [[Fall of Constantinople]] on 29 May 1453, many Greeks sought better employment and education opportunities by leaving for the [[Western world|West]], particularly [[Italy]], [[Central Europe]], [[Germany]] and [[Russia]].<ref name=BritRen/> Greeks are greatly credited for the European cultural revolution, later called the Renaissance. In Greek-inhabited territory itself, Greeks came to play a leading role in the [[Ottoman Empire]], due in part to the fact that the central hub of the empire, politically, culturally, and socially, was based on [[Western Thrace]] and [[Macedonia (Greece)|Macedonia]], both in [[Northern Greece]], and of course was centred on the mainly Greek-populated, former Byzantine capital, [[Constantinople]]. As a direct consequence of this situation, Greek-speakers came to play a hugely important role in the Ottoman trading and diplomatic establishment, as well as in the church. Added to this, in the first half of the Ottoman period men of Greek origin made up a significant proportion of the Ottoman army, navy, and state bureaucracy, having been levied as adolescents (along with especially [[Albanians]] and [[Serbs]]) into Ottoman service through the [[devshirme]]. Many Ottomans of Greek (or Albanian or Serb) origin were therefore to be found within the Ottoman forces which governed the provinces, from Ottoman Egypt, to Ottomans occupied [[Yemen]] and [[Algeria]], frequently as provincial governors.

For those that remained under the [[Ottoman Empire]]'s [[Millet (Ottoman Empire)|millet system]], religion was the defining characteristic of national groups (''milletler''), so the [[exonym]] "Greeks" (''Rumlar'' from the name Rhomaioi) was applied by the Ottomans to all members of the [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox Church]], regardless of their language or ethnic origin.<ref name=Mazower/> The [[Greek language|Greek]] speakers were the only ethnic group to actually call themselves ''Romioi'',<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |year=2008 |title = History of Europe, The Romans |encyclopedia= Encyclopædia Britannica |publisher= Encyclopædia Britannica Inc. |location=United States |id=Online Edition }}</ref> (as opposed to being so named by others) and, at least those educated, considered their ethnicity (''genos'') to be Hellenic.<ref>{{cite book|last=Mavrocordatos|first=Nicholaos|year=1800|title=Philotheou Parerga|publisher=Grēgorios Kōnstantas (Original from Harvard University Library)|quote=Γένος μεν ημίν των άγαν Ελλήνων}}</ref> There were, however, many Greeks who escaped the second-class status of Christians inherent in the Ottoman [[millet]] system, according to which Muslims were explicitly awarded senior status and preferential treatment. These Greeks either emigrated, particularly to their fellow Orthodox Christian protector, the [[Russian Empire]], or simply converted to Islam, often only very superficially and whilst remaining [[crypto-Christian]]. The most notable examples of large-scale conversion to Turkish Islam among those today defined as [[Greek Muslims]]—excluding those who had to convert as a matter of course on being recruited through the [[devshirme]]—were to be found in [[Crete]] ([[Cretan Turks]]), [[Greek Macedonia]] (for example among the [[Vallahades]] of western [[Macedonia (Greece)|Macedonia]]), and among [[Pontic Greeks]] in the [[Pontic Alps]] and [[Armenian Highlands]]. Several Ottoman sultans and princes were also of part Greek origin, with mothers who were either Greek concubines or princesses from Byzantine noble families, one famous example being sultan [[Selim I|Selim the Grim]] ({{reign}} 1517–1520), whose mother [[Gülbahar Hatun (mother of Selim I)|Gülbahar Hatun]] was a [[Pontic Greek]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Manastırlar|url=http://www.macka.gov.tr/manastirlar|url-status=live|access-date=2021-06-24|website=www.macka.gov.tr|language=tr|archive-date=9 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609203125/http://macka.gov.tr/manastirlar}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Bahadıroğlu |first=Yavuz |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/235010971 |title=Resimli Osmanlı tarihi |date=2007 |publisher=Nesil yayınları |isbn=978-975-269-299-2 |edition=[10.baskı : Eylül 2007] |location=İstanbul |pages=157 |oclc=235010971}}</ref>

[[File:Adamantios Korais.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|[[Adamantios Korais]], leading figure of the [[Modern Greek Enlightenment]]]]
The roots of Greek success in the Ottoman Empire can be traced to the Greek tradition of education and commerce exemplified in the [[Phanariotes]].<ref name=BritB>{{cite encyclopedia|title=Phanariote|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|year=2016|publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica Inc.|location=United States|id=Online Edition|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Phanariote|access-date=21 June 2022|archive-date=23 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191023110209/https://www.britannica.com/topic/Phanariote|url-status=live}}</ref> It was the wealth of the extensive merchant class that provided the material basis for the intellectual revival that was the prominent feature of Greek life in the half century and more leading to the outbreak of the [[Greek War of Independence]] in 1821.<ref name=BritMerchant/> Not coincidentally, on the eve of 1821, the three most important centres of Greek learning were situated in [[Chios]], [[Smyrna]] and [[Ayvalık|Aivali]], all three major centres of Greek commerce.<ref name=BritMerchant/> Greek success was also favoured by Greek domination in the leadership of the [[Eastern Orthodox]] church.