<sod>During the 16th and 17th centuries, in particular at the height of its power under the reign of [[Suleiman the Magnificent]], the Ottoman Empire was a multinational, multilingual empire controlling much of [[Southeast Europe]], [[Western Asia]], the [[Caucasus]], [[North Africa]], and the [[Horn of Africa]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com/article/opr/t125/e1801?_hi=41&_pos=3 |title=Ottoman Empire |publisher=Oxford Islamic Studies Online |date=6 May 2008 |accessdate=26 August 2010}}</ref> At the beginning of the 17th century the empire contained [[Provinces of the Ottoman Empire|32 provinces]] and numerous [[Vassal and tributary states of the Ottoman Empire|vassal states]]. Some of these were later absorbed into the Ottoman Empire, while others were granted various types of autonomy during the course of centuries.<ref group="dn">The empire also temporarily gained authority over distant overseas lands through declarations of allegiance to the [[Ottoman Dynasty|Ottoman Sultan and Caliph]], such as the [[Ottoman expedition to Aceh|declaration by the Sultan of Aceh]] in 1565, or through temporary acquisitions of islands such as [[Lanzarote]] in the Atlantic Ocean in 1585, [http://www.dzkk.tsk.tr/turkce/tarihimiras/AtlantikteTurkDenizciligi.php Turkish Navy Official Website: "Atlantik'te Türk Denizciliği"]</ref><eod>
<sod>During the 16th and 17th centuries, in particular at the height of its power under the reign of [[Suleiman the Magnificent]], the Ottoman Empire was a multinational, multilingual empire controlling much of [[Southeast Europe]], [[Western Asia]], the [[Caucasus]], [[North Africa]], and the [[Horn of Africa]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com/article/opr/t125/e1801?_hi=41&_pos=3 |title=Ottoman Empire |publisher=Oxford Islamic Studies Online |date=6 May 2008 |accessdate=26 August 2010}}</ref> At the beginning of the 17th century the empire contained [[Provinces of the Ottoman Empire|32 provinces]] and numerous [[Vassal and tributary states of the Ottoman Empire|vassal states]]. Some of these were later absorbed into the Ottoman Empire, while others were granted various types of autonomy during the course of centuries.<ref group="dn">The empire also temporarily gained authority over distant overseas lands through declarations of allegiance to the [[Ottoman Dynasty|Ottoman Sultan and Caliph]], such as the [[Ottoman expedition to Aceh|declaration by the Sultan of Aceh]] in 1565, or through temporary acquisitions of islands such as [[Lanzarote]] in the Atlantic Ocean in 1585, [http://www.dzkk.tsk.tr/turkce/tarihimiras/AtlantikteTurkDenizciligi.php Turkish Navy Official Website: "Atlantik'te Türk Denizciliği"]</ref> Ahmed Hamouda is known to have eaten them all<eod>