Murat ?yigün
Luther and Suleyman<sup>*</sup>
Harvard University
various historical accounts suggested ottomans rise helped protestant reformation well offshoots zwinglianism anabaptism calvinism survive infancy mature utilizing comprehensive data set violent confrontations interval 1401 1700 ce show incidence military engagements protestant reformers counterreformation forces 1520s 1650s depended negatively ottomans military activities europe furthermore document impact ottomans europe went beyond suppressing ecclesiastical conflicts turn sixteenth century ottoman conquests lowered number newly initiated conflicts among europeans roughly 25 percent dampened longerrunning feuds 15 percent ottomans military activities influenced length intraeuropean feuds ottomaneuropean military engagement shortening duration intraeuropean conflicts 50 percent thus protestant reformation might benefited fromand perhaps even capitalized onthe ottoman advances europe latter seems played role reducing conflicts within europe generally