Ottoman Empire

The Ottomans conquered the Land of Israel from the Mamluks in 1517 and ruled it for about 400 years, until 1917. Under the Ottomans, Jewish communities grew in cities like Jerusalem, Safed, Hebron, and Tiberias. Safed became a major center of Jewish mysticism and law in the 16th century, connected with figures like Rabbi Yosef Karo and the Ari. Later Ottoman rule saw increased Jewish immigration, land purchases, and the beginnings of modern Zionist settlement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The period ended when the British captured Jerusalem during World War I.