Page 25 - The Age of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent
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sultan  was  present.  He had  an  officer  who  resembled  Süley-  lamic,  and  Turkish  traditions,  giving  birth  to  an  artistic
    man  impersonate the  sultan and  stalled  for more  than  forty  vocabulary  that was  unique to the  Ottoman world.
    days  in  Szigetvár,  moving out  only when  he  was  assured that  It  was  an  age  of giants among  architects and  artists, includ-
    Selim  had  arrived  at  Belgrade and  was  ready to  take over.  ing  Sinan,  the  master  of monumental  buildings and  com-
    The  army finally  arrived in  Istanbul  in  November and  Süley-  plexes;  Haydar Reis,  who  used  the  pseudonym  Nigari, the
    man's  body  was  laid  to  rest behind  the  Süleymaniye Mosque,  portraitist;  Nasuh, known  as Matrakci, the  initiator of the
    next  to  the  mausoleum of Hürrem.                        topographic genre  of painting; Piri  Reis,  the  cartographer  and
      Süleyman  must  have  known  that  Szigetvár would be his  author  of naval guides;  §ahkulu,  the  creator  of exquisite
    last  campaign. He was  seventy-two years old  at  the  time, ail-  drawings;  Kara Memi,  the  illuminator of imperial  manu-
    ing,  and  had  not  led the  army  for more  than  ten  years,  but  scripts;  and  Osman,  the  master  of illustrated histories.
    he  insisted  on  commanding  the  Ottoman  forces  himself. If he  Süleyman's  reign  is probably best known  for  its prolific  ac-
    wanted  to  die  on  the  field  as  a true gazi  (warrior of the  faith),  tivities  in  literature and  history.  The greatest  intellects of  the
    his  wish  was  fulfilled.                                 sixteenth  century  belonged  to the  ulema,  the  most  renowned
      Süleyman,  who  gave so much  to  his world—in  legislative  member  of which  was Ebussuud (1490-1575),  who  served
    acts,  international  prestige, expansion  of the  frontiers,  glo-  as  §eyhulislam  for close  to  three  decades  and  issued  thou-
    rious  conquests,  increased  national wealth, patronage  of the  sands  oifetvas  (responses  to  legal  questions  in  accordance
    arts—died  alone,  having lost his beloved  wife  and  favorite  with  Islamic jurisprudence)  as well as sanctioning  the  open-
    sons.  He was  truly  a sultan who  served  the  state,  devoting his  ing  of the  first  Turkish coffeehouses and  performances  of  the
    life  and  sacrificing  those  of  his  loved  ones  for  the  welfare of  Karagôz  shadow  theater.  The central administration also pro-
    the  empire.  It was  extraordinary that  he  found time  to in-  duced  famous scholars, authors,  and  artists, including Nasuh
    dulge  in  the  arts and  to  support  the  activities  of the artists.  (died  1564?),  an  officer  in  the  Enderun  who  was  a  mathema-
                                                               tician,  swordsman,  inventor  of athletic games,  historian,  and
                                                               illustrator;  Ahmed  Feridun  Pa§a  (died  1583), commander,
    Süleyman    the  Patron                                    governor,  and  member  of the  Divan-i  Hümayun who  was
                                                               known  for his  histories, one  of which  describes  Süleyman's
    The  reign  of Süleyman was  the  golden  age  of Ottoman cul-  last  campaign  at  Szigetvár; Mustafa Ali  (1541-1599),  the
    ture,  which  flourished  under  the  sultan's personal involve-  statesman  and  historian  who  wrote an  account  of the artists;
    ment  and  ardent  support.  Süleyman  was  by training a gold-  and  Piri  Reis  (14657-1554)  and  Haydar Reis (14927-1572),
    smith, following the  tradition of the  Ottoman  house  that  both  naval  officers  who  practiced writing and  painting.
    every  ruler had  to have  a practical trade. He spoke Arabic,  Poetry  was  by  far the  most  popular  of the  court  arts,  en-
    Persian,  and  Çagatay  (Eastern Turkish), and  was  an  accom-  couraged  and  practiced by the  sultan  and  his  sons  as well as
    plished  poet,  writing in  Persian and  Turkish under  the  pseu-  his grand  vezirs  (Ibrahim and  Rüstem in particular) and  other
    donym  Muhibbi, meaning  "beloved  friend"  or "affectionate  members  of the  court.  Süleyman  belongs  to  a  long  list of poet
    lover."  In addition he  was  a great  patron  of art  and  architec-  sultans, including Mehmed  II, Bayezid II,  Selim I,  Selim II,
    ture,  which  during his long and  glorious reign reached  the  and  Murad III.
    most  innovative and  productive level in  Ottoman  history. The  The  sultan's passion  for poetry  was  matched  only  by his
    members  of his court  also  supported  and  practiced  the  arts;  zeal  for  sponsoring  art  and  architecture.  During his  reign
    many  excelled  in  writing poetry,  literature, and  history,  and  Istanbul became  a bustling metropolis  with flocks of  mer-
    several  became  celebrated  calligraphers and  painters.  chants  and  artisans  arriving daily  to  reap  its bounty.  The city
      The  age  of Süleyman was  renowned  for the  construction of  was  enhanced  with  the  construction  of religious, charitable,
    monumental  architecture, with  the  sultan, his family,  and  and  social establishments  designed  and  built by  Sinan
    high  administrative officials  commissioning one spectacular  (14907-1588), under  whom  Ottoman  architecture  reached
    complex  after  another.  It was  also  a  most  prolific  period  for  its greatest  monumentality.  Appointed  the  royal  architect by
    the  production of religious, literary, and  historical manu-  Süleyman,  Sinan  was  responsible  for over  three  hundred
    scripts,  their bookbindings, calligraphy, illuminations, and  il-  monuments  scattered  throughout  the  empire; 10  he  continued
    lustrations outstanding as works  of art. The high aesthetic  to  work  for the  succeeding  sultans, achieving his ambition of
    and  technical achievements  of these  artists were  matched  by  building  the  largest and  highest  dome in  Ottoman  history
    the  goldsmiths, jewelers,  arms  and  armor  makers,  wood-  with  the  Selimiye Mosque  in Edirne, completed  in  1575.
    workers,  cloth  makers,  embroiderers,  rug weavers,  and  pot-
    ters,  who  produced the  most  exquisite  pieces for Süleyman.
    The  imperial  studios employed  hundreds of  men  from  all
                                                               Fig.
                                                                  7. Portrait of Sultan
                                                                                Süleyman with the
                                                                                                              in
                                                                                                                the
                                                                                              Süleymaniye Mosque
    parts  of the  empire, their origins as diverse as the  lands  ruled  background  (detail), engraving  by Melchior  Lorichs, dated  1559 (London,
    by  the  sultan. This period  saw  the  synthesis of European, Is-  The  British Museum,  1848  11-25  24)
    24
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