Constantinople

This 1739 print by Henri du Sauzet helps illustrate the relative sophistication of Ottoman civilisation. Unlike many of Britain's earliest colonies, this was no wilderness or underpopulated region with relativly primitive peoples. The Ottoman Empire was a powerful and established political entity whose size and wealth were considerable. Over time, the Ottoman Empire would fail to keep up with the industrial and technological developments in Europe, but she was still a powerful player right up until the Twentieth Century.