TRENDEAtlas of the Sultans · 10 / 38 · sultan
Suleiman I
Kanuni (“the Lawgiver” / “the Magnificent”)
With a reign of forty-six years he ruled longer than any other sultan. He brought the state to its military, legal and cultural peak; yet the executions of his sons Mustafa and Bayezid are the gravest instances of violence within the dynasty.
Open the reign of Suleiman I on the mapFamily
| Father | Selim I |
|---|---|
| Mother | Ayşe Hafsa Sultan |
| Consorts | Mahidevran Sultan, Hürrem Sultan (Roxelana) |
| Children | Şehzade Mustafa, Şehzade Mehmed, Mihrimah Sultan, Şehzade Abdullah, Selim II, Şehzade Bayezid, Şehzade Cihangir |
Major achievements
- Conquest of Belgrade (1521), Rhodes (1522), Buda (1541), Baghdad (1534), Tripoli (1551), Temesvár (1552)
- Victory at Mohács (1526) and the annexation of Hungary
- Supremacy in the Mediterranean after the naval Battle of Preveza (1538)
- Laws compiled and codified — the origin of the name ‘Lawgiver’
- The Süleymaniye complex and the age of the architect Sinan
- Alliance with France and the first trade capitulation (1536)
- Indian Ocean campaigns and the struggle with Portugal
- Marriage to Hürrem Sultan, changing palace tradition
Treaties
- Treaty of Constantinople (1533, Austria)
- Peace of Amasya (1555, Persia) — the first formal treaty between the Ottomans and Persia
- Trade capitulation with France (1536)
Grand viziers
| Name | From | To | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pîrî Mehmed Pasha | September 30, 1520 | June 27, 1523 | 2 years, 270 days |
| Pargalı İbrahim Pasha | June 27, 1523 | March 14, 1536 | 12 years, 261 days |
| Ayas Mehmed Pasha | March 14, 1536 | July 13, 1539 | 3 years, 121 days |
| Lütfi Pasha | July 13, 1539 | April 1541 | 1-2 years |
| Hadım Süleyman Pasha | April 1541 | November 28, 1544 | 2-3 years |
| Damat Rüstem Pasha | November 28, 1544 | October 6, 1553 | 8 years, 312 days |
| Kara Ahmed Pasha | October 6, 1553 | September 29, 1555 | 1 year, 358 days |
| Damat Rüstem Pasha (term 2) | September 29, 1555 | July 10, 1561 | 5 years, 284 days |
| Semiz Ali Pasha | July 10, 1561 | June 28, 1565 | 3 years, 353 days |
| Sokollu Mehmed Pasha | June 28, 1565 | September 7, 1566 | 1 year, 71 days |
Battles and treaties
| Year | Event | Result / parties |
|---|---|---|
| 1521 | Siege: Conquest of Belgrade | Ottoman victory |
| 1522 | Siege: Siege of Rhodes | Ottoman victory |
| 1526 | Battle: Mohács | Ottoman victory |
| 1529 | Siege: First Siege of Vienna | Habsburg victory |
| 1533 | Treaty: Treaty of Constantinople | |
| 1534 | Campaign: Conquest of Baghdad | Ottoman victory |
| 1536 | Treaty: Trade capitulation with France | |
| 1538 | Naval battle: Preveza | Ottoman victory |
| 1551 | Siege: Conquest of Tripoli | Ottoman–French victory |
| 1552 | Siege: Conquest of Temesvár | Ottoman victory |
| 1555 | Treaty: Peace of Amasya | |
| 1566 | Siege: Siege of Szigetvár | Ottoman victory |
Full infoboxes are in the site’s “Battles and Treaties” tab; source: English Wikipedia.
Death
He died of natural causes in his tent during the siege of Szigetvár in 1566. Grand Vizier Sokollu Mehmed Pasha kept his death secret for days so that the army would not disband.
Territorial change
The lands that changed hands in this period, and the battles or treaties that brought the changes, can be seen on the map: map of the reign of Suleiman I.