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How did the Ottoman Empire recover after Timur defeated Bayezid I?

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This map shows the territorial expansion of the Ottoman Empire from 1300 to its greatest extent in 1683-99, highlighting different periods under rulers such as Mehmed II, Selim I, and Süleyman the Magnificent, and marking key cities, seas, and geographical boundaries in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. — Ottoman Empire Map showing the expansion of the Ottoman Empire from about 1300 to 1700. The empire reached its greatest extent between 1683 and 1699.

Following the defeat of Bayezid I by Timur at the Battle of Ankara in 1402, the Ottoman Empire faced a period of extreme vulnerability. However, the empire recovered through a combination of Timur’s strategic choices and the eventual resolution of internal power struggles.12

Timur did not seek to permanently occupy Ottoman lands; instead, he restored various Turkmen princes to power in Anatolia and soon withdrew to the east, leaving the Ottoman holdings in Europe largely untouched.12

The subsequent recovery was defined by the Interregnum (1402–1413), an 11-year civil war between Bayezid’s sons. While his son Süleyman held power in Europe, Mehmed I eventually secured the support of key Anatolian religious orders, artisan guilds, and Turkmen notables. By defeating his brothers, Mehmed I emerged as the undisputed sultan in 1413, effectively restoring the empire and setting the stage for its future rise as a world power.12