Süleyman was born in Trabzon, Anatolia, where the lush mountain valleys met the Black Sea around November 6, 1494. He was the son of Selim I, also known as Selim the Grim, the powerful and ruthless sultan of the Ottoman Empire. Süleyman’s father was known for his intelligence and brutality, expanding his empire using the bloodiest war tactics. Selim made it clear he was not to be played with. If any of his officials, servants, or messengers made any mistakes, their life could be over with a finger snap. As a boy, Süleyman witnessed his father’s cruelty and unforgiving attitude toward his men. It compelled him to make a vow to be a different type of ruler.

Süleyman spent his childhood in the breathtaking Topkapi Palace in Constantinople, the capital city of the Ottoman Empire. He began receiving an education at the age of seven, studying the Koran, writing, mathematics, and music. His teachers were some of the greatest tutors in the empire. He was close friends with Ibrahim Pasha, an enslaved young boy who would eventually become Süleyman’s trusted advisor and grand vizier. By the time he was a teenager, Süleyman was appointed the governor of Caffa (Theodosia), then Manisa soon after. These roles would give him important military and political experience.

One day, while Süleyman was in Manisa, a man who had ridden from Constantinople approached him with a scroll. Sensing that something was wrong, Süleyman stopped what he was doing and faced the man.

This came as a great shock to Süleyman. At first, he didn’t know
how to respond or how to feel. Those who knew of Selim’s death decided to keep it a secret. They didn’t want anyone to form an uprising against the empire in the absence of a ruler.
 
Süleyman packed some clothes and provisions and set out for Constantinople. When he finally arrived, the royal officials quickly appointed him the tenth sultan of the Ottoman Empire. To pay homage to his father, Süleyman had workers build a mosque where his father was buried to honor him. Süleyman had turned twenty-five when he inherited his father’s throne. He was described as tall, lean, and fair-skinned, with a slim face, a curved nose, and a short beard. Several historians believe Süleyman was inspired by Alexander the Great. He dreamed of building an empire that would impact the world in a way never seen. This dream of Süleyman’s led him to go on war campaigns throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Süleyman was known for his tolerance and generosity. He gave large donations to the Janissary corps, the elite infantry of troops who guarded the Sultan’s household. He also made sure that his officials, advisers, and servants were taken care of and well paid. Many of Süleyman’’s men regarded him with fondness, for he was not a cruel ruler. He lifted bans his father had set, gave out official pardons, and let many captives return to their homelands.

As revered as he was, Süleyman still made it a point to display his strength and standing over his military. Like his father, Sultan Selim, Süleyman could also be ruthless, so much so that later in life he had his closest friend and trusted adviser, Ibrahim Pasha, executed for supposed betrayal.

Not long after Süleyman became the sultan of the Ottoman Empire, the governor of Syria tried to revolt against him. This governor did all that he could to ban the Ottomans from his provinces, while trying to convince other cities to join in the rebellion. He even tried to enlist support from Hayır Bey, the
Ottoman governor of Egypt, but quickly failed. In fact, Hayır Bey sneakily told Süleyman what was happening.

Despite failing to garner forces from Egypt, the governor of Syria marched toward Aleppo with the mind to conquer it. Aleppo was besieged for a month and a half, and hundreds of people were killed, including Ottoman soldiers. But the rebel governor did not win the battle, deciding to leave and return to his home in Damascus to gather more troops.

Süleyman sent his army to the borders of Damascus and confronted the Syrian governor. The Ottomans quickly defeated the rebel forces and killed their rebellious leader. Many chroniclers believe that the revolt against Süleyman was one of the first major victories in his reign. This only solidified his competence and strength as a ruler. While Selim had conquered regions in the south (Middle East), Süleyman expanded northward, toward Europe.

Süleyman plotted his next conquest. Belgrade, a fortified city in today’s Serbia, was first on his list. It was his gateway to Hungary and the Christian countries around the Danube River. Süleyman’s great-grandfather, Mehmed II, had failed to conquer Belgrade during his reign and had no choice but to withdraw ashamedly. Mehmed’s defeat taught Süleyman that the Hungarian army would not go down without a fight. He and his soldiers surrounded Belgrade and unleashed attacks like never before. They used cannons with boulders as projectiles, along with other mighty firearms. Still, the Hungarian army did not surrender, despite only having 700 men for protection. Eventually, they were forced to surrender by the unrelenting Ottomans.

This was only the beginning of many conquests and battles that Süleyman championed. Within the forty-six years that he ruled as sultan, he expanded his empire from Europe to Asia to North Africa. Süleyman used the navy he inherited from his father to vanquish the Mediterranean Sea. He also fought the Safavids in today’s Iran and brought other Islamic empires under Ottoman rule.

Süleyman had many accomplishments throughout his life that
didn’t pertain to military campaigns. While he was a man of arms, he also had a passion for justice, poetry, and art. Süleyman was called “the Magnificent” in Europe, but the Ottomans knew him as “the Lawgiver.” Where other rulers in the past were
steadfast to the existing laws, Süleyman was more inclined to edit and add laws. He abolished and reformed rules, lifted bans, and reshaped the tax system. He created a specifically Ottoman legal code that better suited his diverse empire.

Under Süleyman’s influence, the Ottoman Empire became a global power. It also became a center for the arts. The Ehl-i Hiref, translated as the “Community of the Talented,” was a group of artists and craftsmen. Many of the artisans were writers, painters, jewelers, bookbinders, goldsmiths, and weavers. The Ehl-i Hiref also included the makers of weapons, surgeons, and even wrestlers. By the end of Süleyman’s reign, the Ehl-i Hiref almost doubled in size. Süleyman himself was a renowned poet who wrote in Persian and Turkish. Some of his works have been converted to Turkish proverbs, such as,

Süleyman was also known for his massive building projects, including mosques, bridges, palaces, and centers for social gatherings. Mimar Sinan was Süleyman’s chief architect. Sinan built the Süleymaniye and Selimiye mosques in honor of the Ottoman Empire’s famed sultans. Süleyman also funded projects to restore historical buildings throughout his expansive empire, most notably the walls around the holy city of Jerusalem.

Süleyman was a powerful sultan, but he did not work alone. The women in Süleyman’s life played important roles during his rule. The sultan’s wife Hürrem (known in Europe as Roxelana) wielded incredible power and influenced many of Süleyman’s decisions about the empire. Hürrem also commissioned mosques, schools, and hospitals. Süleyman’s daughter Mihrimah played a similar role, advising her father on political decisions, funding expensive building projects, and even rebuilding the Ottoman Navy.

Süleyman paved the way for art, justice, economic growth, and expansion throughout the Ottoman Empire. Under his control, he ruled over major cities like Mecca, Jerusalem, Medina, Baghdad, Belgrade, Damascus, and areas of North Africa. Süleyman died from an illness while he was on a military campaign on September 6 or 7, 1566, after ruling for almost forty-six years.