They needed to find a way to maintain peace and stability among the dozens of different peoples, of different races, religions, tribes, languages, and customs. The Ottomans accomplished this primarily by allowing each group of people a certain amount of respect. There was a "live and let live" policy directed toward the varying peoples of the empire. "This live and let live policy was in striking contrast to the fanatical bigotry of Christian states at the time." (Goldschmidt, p. 126) What seemed to matter more to the Ottomans was a people's ability to contribute to the peace and prosperity of the empire as a whole, rather than some religious or ethnic restrictions. The Ottoman Empire began in the 1300's and lasted more than 600 years, until the end of the First World War. This was an empire where a small number of Turkish elites ruled over millions of people of varying races, religions, cultures, etc., complete homogeneity. However, the Ottoman Turks tolerated different groups and their different ways, as long as they contributed to the peace and prosperity of the empire. They even...

The Turks also maintained a well organized, supplied, trained, and disciplined military force that was the best in its day. By utilizing the variations of the make up of the empire to their advantage, the Ottomans were able to build and maintain a stable empire for over six centuries.
References

Burbank, Jane and Frederick Cooper. (2010). Empires in World History: Power and the Politics of Difference. New Jersey: Princeton UP. Print.

Goldschmidt, Arthur. (1996). A Concise History of the Middle East. Colorado: Westview

Press, Harper Collins. Print.

Pamuk, Sevket. (2004, Autumn) "Institutional Change and the Longevity of the Ottoman

Empire, 1500-1800. The Journal of Interdisciplinary History 25(2). Retrieved

http://www.ata.boun.edu.tr/faculty/sevket%20pamuk/publications/pamuk,%20sevket_institutional%20change%20and%20the%20longevity%20of%20the%20ottoman%20empire.pdf

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