Suleiman the Magnificent

Suleiman I (also called Süleyman I), the Lawgiver or the Magnificient, was emperor of the Ottoman Empire from (1520-1566) and successor to Selim I. The Ottoman Empire reached its zenith and became a world power during his reign. Although the expansion of the empire continued one century after his death, his period was then followed by a very long decline.

He captured Belgrade in 1521 and Rhodes in 1522. The Ottoman victory at the [Battle of Mohacs]? opened the doors of Hungary and Vienna, which was besieged unsuccessfully in 1529. In the following two decades, huge territories of North Africa up to Morocco and all Middle East up to Persia were annexed. This quick expansion provided a naval dominance for a short period in Mediterranean Sea and Persian Gulf.

When Süleyman died in 1566, major Muslim cities (Mecca?, Medina?, Jerusalem, Damascus, Baghdad), many Balkan? provinces up to today’s Austria and most of North Africa were under the control of the empire.

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previous emperor: Selim I (1512-1520)

following emperor: Selim II (1566-1574)

see Ottoman Emperor