The Ottoman Conquest of Yemen: Suleiman's Forgotten War

In 1538, the Ottoman Empire set its sights on Yemen, a distant land of incense, coffee, and strategic ports. This episode follows the dramatic campaign that brought Suleiman the Magnificent's forces to the Red Sea, the fierce resistance of the Zaydi imams, and the brutal siege of Sanaa. We explore the motives behind the Ottoman expansion—from securing trade routes against the Portuguese to controlling the lucrative coffee trade—and the legacy of Ottoman rule that still shapes Yemen today. Along the way, we meet key figures like Özdemir Pasha, the empire's cunning general, and the Zaydi leader al-Mutahhar, who turned the highlands into a quagmire for the invaders. Drawing on recent scholarship and Ottoman chronicles, we separate myth from fact and ask whether this forgotten war was ever truly won. This is the story of a conquest that was supposed to be quick but became a century-long occupation, leaving a blueprint for foreign interventions in Yemen that echoes into the present.

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