“I’ve been thinking about this… There’s been
something that’s been going on for
centuries. At one point we had all of
these great conquerors. Alexander the
Great. Catherine the Great. And Peter the
Great! Genghis Khan, Atilla the
Hun! Julius Caesar! He kicked some serious [bleep]!!”
Link to the Youtube video and the rest of the series!
As her fans know, Siggie looks up to the Greats, the Terribles and even the Impalers of the past. She hopes to learn what it takes to someday make the history books herself! The Ottoman Empire (1299-1922) was one of the most famous and long- lasting in history. It held domain over much of Asia and parts of Africa and Europe. In episode 8, part II Siggie discusses the famous ruler, Suleiman.
And now Suleiman the Magnificent. Suleiman the Magnificent was the Ottoman Sultan
between 1520 and his death in 1566. He was the great grandson of Mehmed II.
Under his administration, the Ottoman Empire ruled over at least 25 million
people. Suleiman began his reign by launching wars against the Christian
powers of Hungary and Austria. Later he conquered other parts of Europe, the
Mediterranean, and even Africa. Suleiman finally broke the strength of the
Kingdom of Hungary at the battle of Mohacs in 1526.
He ruled during the peak of the Ottoman Empire’s strength
and became one of the most powerful monarchs of the 16th century in Europe.
He personally led Ottoman armies. Suleiman personally instituted major
changes in law and education. He was even known as a poet and was a patron of
fine culture. His rule became known as the Golden Age of the Ottoman Empire.
But in 1533, Suleiman broke with the Ottoman tradition by marrying a woman
from his imperial harem, Roxelana. After this, she became one of the most
powerful figures in the Ottoman Empire. Suleiman died in 1566 after a 46-year reign.
He was succeeded by his and Roxelana’s son Selim II. His son Mahmoud already died
from smallpox in 1543 and another son Mustafa had been executed by strangling
on Suleiman’s orders in 1553. Another son, Bayezid, was also executed
on his orders along with his four sons after a rebellion in 1561. This is more
like it. I wonder if Suleiman wrote a poem about that. After Suleiman, the
Ottoman Empire began to decline, but it still lasted another 357
years until it decided to join up with its old enemies, Austria and Hungary, on
the losing side of World War I. Looks like the Ottomans should have just
stayed enemies with those guys.
