KANUNİ SULTAN SÜLEYMAN HAN

Father : Yavuz Sultan Selim
Mother : Hafsa (Hafize) Hatun
Date of Birth : 1495
Accession to the Throne : September 30, 1520
Death : September 6/7, 1566

He ascended the throne in 916 A.H. (1520 A.D.), at the age of twenty-six, and found himself to be the sole ruler of a world empire. Beginning with the treasury, he organized the army and the administration, and issued laws. Hence, he was surnamed Kanuni (the LawMaker). The first city he conquered was Belgrade. This was followed in turn by the conquest of Rhodes and Budin. He launched military expeditions to Ger-many, and after exacting tribute from all his enemies, he returned to Istanbul the following year the keys of Algiers were presented to him, and Baghdad, the seat of the Caliphate was captured. He undertook altogether two expeditions to the country of Azerbaijan. He then marched towards Persia again and annexed the cities of Nahcivan, Erivan, Van and Şehrizör during the course of action. In the following years, he mounted campaigns in Roumelia to Temeşvar and in the East to Yemen and Ethiopia. Süleyman made his last important expedition to the fortress of Sigetvar, which was taken by his forces. In fact, no head was left unbowed before him and no heart, which did not tremble, with fear. He endowed countless charitable institutions and foundations not only in Istanbul but also in Mecca, Medina and Damascus. Among these the Süleymaniye mosque complex in Istanbul is perhaps the most distinguished.

Süleyman the Magnificent had a handsome and bright face, dark brown eyes, a ram-nose and thick and long moustache. His black eyebrows were joined together, his chest was broad and his arms were long and muscular. He resembled a lion with his majestic bearing and had a beautiful and clear voice. He was heroic, determined, and powerful, and was blessed with good fortune and luck for both for himself and for those around him.

His turban was wrapped around a mücevveze and he dressed elegantly. During his epoch many shops were opened in the capital where a variety of turbans were produced and sold.