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HISTORICAL REVIEW TO SULEIMAN

Thesis · April 2021

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.25742.28484

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HISTORICAL REVIEW TO SULEIMAN’S POLICY.
Theodore J. Drizis PhDHI
Kalamata – Greece

The aim of this work is to criticize Sultan Suleiman, the lawgiver, in some
points of his policy.
Material of the work is various bibliographic data, exposed at the end.
Method is the textual criticism of the accessible to us bibliography.
On the results, at first, Suleiman the magnificent lived from 1494 CE until
1566 and reigned from 1520 until his death 1566 CE1. He was the tenth
and longest – reigning sultan of the Ottoman Empire and he presided over
the apex of the Ottoman Empire’s military, economic and political power.
Also, he was known for his judicial changes relating to society, education,
taxation and criminal law, harmonizing the relationship between the two
forms of Ottoman law: sultanic (kanun) and religious (sharia), as they are
known his campaigns against Central Europe, Middle East, North Africa,
Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea and Persian Gulf2, such as his contribution to
artistic, literary and architectural development3.
On all these Suleiman’s activities, after personal discussing, by studying
bibliographic data in regards to him, I have taken out some deductions.
To begin with his military and martial campaigns against various people, I
think, these campaigns had an imperialistic character that is to conquer as
many as nations and people, continuing his father’s military policy. This
character was not religious, jihad, due to the fact that Suleiman conquered
Mohammedians people too, as Persia, Mesopotamia – Bagdad, the Somali
Adal Sultanate, as and huge Mohammedian territories in North Africa were
annexed4 and due to the fact that Suleiman himself did not made campaign
to conquer Cyprus, Crete, Ionian and Aegean Islands, being all Christian.
It is said, some historians claim that Suleiman was fascinated and
influenced by Alexander the Great in his youth and would later program
military expansion inspired in part by Alexander’s conquest5.
Nevertheless, I considerate the Great Alexander’s expedition had a

1
New Encyclopedia, v. 26, p. 148 – 149. Edition “Malliaris – Pedia”. Thessaloniki – Greece, 2006.
2
Finkel, Caroline (2005). Osman’s Dream: The Story of the Ottoman Empire 1300 – 1923. Basic Books,
p. 145.
3
Atil, Esin (1987), “The Golden Age of Ottoman Art”. Saudi Aramco World. Houston, Texas: Aramco
Services Co. 38 (4): 24 – 33.
4
Kinross, Patrick (1979). The Ottoman centuries: The Rise and Fall of the Turkish Empire, p. 227. New
York: Morrow.
5
Kallie Szczepanski, PhD History, Boston University. Biography of Suleiman the Magnificent, Sultan of
the Ottoman Empire, https://www.thoughtco.com/suleiman-the-magnificent-195757
Berber, Noel (1976), Lords of the Golden Horn: From Suleiman the Magnificent to Kamal Ataturk, p. 23.
London, Pan Books.
Lamb, Harold (1951). Suleiman, the Magnificent, Sultan of the East, p. 14. Garden City, N. Y.: Doubleday.

1
defensive character due to the previous Persian expeditions to Greece6 and
the conquest as the persecutions of the Greek regions in Asia Minor7.
In addition, Suleiman legislated legal and political reforms, known as the
“kanuns”, in criminal law, land tenure and taxation8, carefully, without to
violate the basic parts of Mohammedian law “shariah”9, in cooperation
with the at that time religious chief. By these reforms, “Suleiman gave
particular attention to the plight of the rayas, Christian subjects who
worked the land of the Sipahis. His kanune raya, or code of the rayas,
reformed the criminal law and the law governing land tenure, levies and
taxes to be paid by the rayas, raising their status above serfdom to the extent
that Christian serfs would migrate to Turkish territories to benefit from the
reforms, all them by the Grand Mufti Ebussuud’s support10. Sipahis in
Ottoman Empire, were two types of Ottoman cavalry corps, the regular
kapikuli sipahi, who were a palace troop and the fief – holding provincial
timarli sipahi (c. feudal lords), who had the right to govern and collect taxes
in a timar (c. feud/fief) and responsible for the security of the people, in
their timar, and enlisting and training soldiers for the army11. Due to this
code of the rayas Greek Christians migrated in other parts of the Ottoman
Empire where the conditions of life were better in order to avoid high taxes,
religious persecutions, and enlisting and training soldiers for the army.
Personally, I became earwitness on Christians’ migration from Epirus to
Macedonia.
Also, Sultan Suleiman played a role in protecting the Jewish subjects of his
empire for centuries to come. In 1553 – 1554 CE, Suleiman issued a law –
edict denouncing blood libels against the Jews12. This edict together with

6
Herodotus, The Persian Wars. Translated by A. D. Godley, Harvard University Press, Cambridge (MA)
– USA, London (EN) – UK, 2006. Loeb Library.
7
Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander I. 16. 6 – 17. 2. Translated by P. A. Brunt, v. I, pp. 69 – 75. Harvard
University Press, Cambridge (MA) – USA, London (EN) – UK, 1976. Loeb Library.
8
Imber, Colin (2002). The Ottoman Empire, 1300 – 1650: The Structure of Power, p. 244. Palgrave
Macmillan, New York.
9
Greenblatt, Miriam (2003), Suleyman the Magnificent and the Ottoman Empire, pp. 20 – 21. New York:
Benchmark Books.
10
https://military.wikia.org
Imber, Colin (2002). The Ottoman Empire, 1300 – 1650: The structure of Power, p. 244. New York:
Palgrave Macmillan.
Greenblatt, Mirriam (2003). Suleyman the Magnificient and the Ottoman Empire, pp. 20 – 21. New York:
Benchmark Books.
Kinross, Patrick (1979). The Ottoman centuries: The Rise and Fall of the Turkish Empire, p. 210. Morrow,
New York.
11
http://en.wikipedia.com
Geza David, Pal Fodor. Changesin the structure and strength of the timariot army from the early sixteen
to the end of the seventeen century in: The timariot army, p. 157. Academia edu.
Encyclopedia Papyros – Larousse – Brittanica, v. 47, p. 560. Editions “Papyros”, Athens 2007.
12
https://military.wikia.org; http://en.wikipedia.org
Mansel,Philip (1998). Constantinople: City of the World’s Desire 1453 – 1924, p. 124. New York, St.
Martin’s Griffith.

2
the code of the rayas, I think, was a great opportunity to Jewish people of
the Ottoman Empire to migrate in their country and to be avoided
subsequently holocausts.
Concerning the referred legal and political reforms, mainly the code of
rayas, I think these reforms became by influences, which Suleiman had got
from childhood by his mother, Aishe Sultan Hafsa, who was a Christian
slave woman converted to Mohammedian religion13, secondly perhaps by
the Christian inhabitants of Trabzon, where he was born14 and lived until
his seven years old; thirdly from his befriended, in youth, Pargali Ibrahim,
a Christian Greek from Epirus – Parga slave15, converted to Mohammedian
religion16, who later became one of his most trusted advisers17, and last but
not perhaps least, in contrary mainly, by his legal wife Hürrem Sultan, a
harem girl from Ruthenia in Ucrainia, then part of Poland, for whom
Western diplomats, taking notice of the palace gossip about her, being a
daughter of an Orthodox priest18, captured by Tatars from Crimea and sold
as a slave in Constantinople and becoming Suleiman’s favorite, called her
“Russelazie” or “Roxelana”19 referring to her origins, where Russe means
Russian and Lazie means descent from Laz people who live between
Georgia – Batumi and Turkey – Erzurum, where there was a Greek
minority, too20. Consequently, I consider Suleiman’s mother, wife and
friend influenced him to break the tradition of Saria and to establish his
reforms concerning the Christians rayas, in spite of their conversion to
Mohammedian religion, due to their Christian substratum which would
press them psychologically.
On the same hand also, in respect of the protection of his Jewish subjects,
I consider, Suleiman was influenced from the Moses Hamon’s suggestion,
a Spanish Jew and his favorite doctor and dentist, with his denounce on
blood libels against the Jews21. This denounce together with the legal and
13
Fisher, Alan (1993). “The Life and Family of Suleyman I”. In Inalcik, Halil; Kafadar, Cemal (eds.),
Suleyman the Second [i.e. the First] and his Time, p. 9. Instanbul; Isis Press.
14
Lowry, Heath (1993). “The Myth of the Golden Age: Ottoman Historical Consciousness in the Post-
Suleymanic Era”. In Inalcik, Halil; Cemal Kafadar (eds.). Suleyman the Second [i.e. the First] and his time.
Instabul: The Isis Press, p. 21.
15
Turan, Ebru (2009). “The Marriage of Ibrahim Pasha (ca. 1495 – 1536): The Rise of Sultan Suleyman’s
Favorite to the Grand Vizierate and the Politics of the Elites in the Early Sixteen Century Ottoman Empire.
Turcica, 41: 3 – 36.
16
Mansel, Philip (1998), Constantinople: City of the World’s Desire, 1453 – 1924, p. 87. New York, St.
Martin’s Griffin.
17
Barber, Noel (1973). The Sultans, p. 36. New York, Simon & Schuster.
18
Yermolenco, Galina I (2013). Roxolana in European Literature, History and Culture, p. 275. Ashgate
Publishing, Ltd.
19
Ahmed, Syed Z (2001). The Zenith of an Empire: The Glory of the Suleiman the Magnificent and the
Law Giver, p. 43. A. E. R. Publications.
20
New Encyclopedia (2006), v. 14, p. 57. Thessaloniki, edition “Pedia – Malliaris”.
Encyclopedia Papyros – Larousse – Britannica (2007), v. 32, p. 136. Athens, edition “Papyros”.
21
Mansel, Philip (1998). Constantinople: City of the World’s Desire, 1453 – 1924, p. 124. New York. St.
Martin’s Griffin.

3
political reforms, I think, was a great occasion to Jewish people in order to
migrate to his country and to avoid holocausts.
Finally, there is a Suleiman’s description concerning of his look by a
Venetian, called Bartolomeo Contarini, that it says “The Sultan is only
twenty five years [actually 26] old, tall and slender but tough, with a thin
and bony face. Facial hair is evident but only barely. The Sultan appears
friendly and in good humor. Rumor has it that Suleiman is aptly named,
enjoys reading, is knowledgeable and shows good judgment.”22
Nevertheless, there is another description, referred to Suleiman again, by
the same name Bartolomeo Contarini too, which says “He is twenty – six
years of age, tall but winy, and of a delicate complexion. His neck is a little
too long, his face thin, and his nose aquiline. He has a shade of a moustache
and a small beard; nevertheless, he has a pleasant mien, though his skin
tends to be a light pallor. He is said to be a wise Lord, fond of study, and
all men hope for good from his rule.”23 Discussing these descriptions, I
consider at first, about the content, it is going of two translations of the
same prototype, while secondly, respecting of the initial author Contarini,
after a research, I think he is not Bartolomeo Contarini, the nobleman, who
is referred from Wikipedia with its references24, due to he had died
(1454CE) before Suleiman Sultan (1494 – 1566CE), live during Mehmet
II the Conqueror (1432 – 1481CE) and related with the Athens’ duchy but
it is going to another Bartolomeo Contarini, who was ambassador of
Venice at Ottoman Empire in 1517CE during Selim I Sultan, Suleiman’s
father and in combination with the referred age in the description
(1494+26=1520CE nearly), as itself Wikipedia in other part says together
with another relative reference25.
Summarizing and taking all in consideration, I am convinced Suleiman
Sultan was an imperialist to his military policy but an innovator to his
marriage and to legal and socio-political reforms, breaking the tradition
without violate the Mohammedian law and becoming a reformer of the
Ottoman Empire.
22
Fischer, Alan (1993). “The Life and Family of Suleiman I”, p. 2. In Inalcik, Halil; Kafadar, Cemal (eds),
Suleyman The Second [i.e. the First] and his time. Instabul: Isis Press.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suleiman_the_Magnificent.
23
Kinross, Patrick (1979). The Ottoman centuries: The Rise and the Fall of the Turkish Empire, p 175.
New York, Morrow.
https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Suleiman_the_Magnificent
24
Setton, Kenneth M. (general editor), A History of the Crusades, v. III – The Fourteenth and Fifteenth
Centuries. Harry W. Hazard, editor. University of Wisconsin Press: Madison, 1975.
Setton, Kenneth M. Catalan Domination of Athens 1311 – 1380. Revised edition. Variorum: London,
1975.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartolomeo_Contarini_(nobleman)
25
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contarini
Girolamo Alessandro Capellari Vivaro, Il Campidoglio Veneto – Tavola delle famiglie nobili – Contarini,
vol. 1, ff. 289v – 290r. Biblioteca Nacionale Marciana, Venezia, https://marciana.venezia.sbn.it

4
Abstract. The aim of this work is to present an historic review to
Suleiman’s the Magnificent policy, using as material printed and digital
accessible to us bibliography and as method the textual criticism. On the
results, concerning his military and martial campaigns we can see an
imperialistic character, concerning the internal policy we can see legal and
political reforms, pioneer for this era and favorable for non-Ottomans of
his empire.

Key words: Suleiman, policy.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

A. PRINTED SOURCES

1. Finkel, Caroline (2005). Osman’s Dream – The Story of the Ottoman

Empire 1300 – 1923. Basic Books.
2. Atil, Esin (1987). “The Golden Age of Ottoman Art.” Saudi Aramco
World. Houston, Texas. Aramco Services Co.
3. Kinross, Patrick (1979). The Ottoman centuries: The Rise and Fall
of the Turkish Empire. New York: Morrow.
4. Kallie Szczepanski, PhD History, Boston University. Biography of
Suleiman the Magnificent, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire.
ThoughtCo./Lifelong Learning Site.
5. Barber, Noel (1973). The Sultans. New York, Simon & Schuster.
6. Barber, Noel (1976). Lords of the Golden Horn: From Suleiman the
Magnificent to Kamal Ataturk. London, Pan Books.
7. Lamb, Harold (1951). Suleiman the Magnificent, Sultan of the East.
Garden City, N.Y: Double day.
8. Herodotus, The Persian Wars. Translated by A.D.Godley, Harvard
University Press, Cambridge (MA) – USA, London (EN) – UK,
2006. Loeb Classical Library.
9. Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander. Translated by P.A.Brunt. Harvard
University Press, Cambridge (MA) – USA, London (EN) – UK,
1976. Loeb Classical Library.
10.Imber, Colin (2002). The Ottoman Empire, 1300 – 1650: The
structure of power. Palgrave Macmillan, New York.
11.Greenblatt, Mirriam (2003), Suleiman the Magnificent and the
Ottoman Empire. New York: Benchmark Books.
12. Geza David, Pad Fodor. Changes in the structure and strength of
the timariot army, from the early sixteen to the end of the seventee
century, in Academia edu.: The timariot army.

5
13.Mansel Philip (1998). Constantinople: City of the World’s Desire
1453 – 1924. New York, St. Martin’s Griffith.
14.Fisher, Allan (1993). The Life and Family of Suleyman I. In Inalcik,
Halil; Kafadar, Cemal (eds), Suleyman the Second [i.e. the First] and
his Time. Instabul: The Isis Press.
15. Lowry, Health (1993). The Myth of the Golden Age: Ottoman
Historical Consciousness in the Post-Suleymanic Era. In Inalcik,
Halil; Cemal Kafadar (eds). Suleyman the Second [i.e. the First] and
his time. Instabul: The Isis Press.
16. Turan, Ebru (2009). The marriage of Ibrahim Pasha (ca. 1495 –
1536): The Rise of Sultan Suleyman’s Favorite to the Grand
Vizierate and the Politics of the Elites in the Early Sixteen Century
Ottoman Empire. Turcica, 41: 3 – 36.
17. Yermolenco Galina (2013). Roxolana in European Literature,
History and Culture. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.
18. Ahmed, Syed Z (2001). The Zenith of an Empire: The glory of the
Suleiman the magnificent and the law giver. A.E.R. Publications.
19. Setton, Kenneth M. (general editor), A History of the Crusades. The
Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries. Harry W. Hazard, editor.
University of Wisconsin Press: Madison, 1975.
20. Setton, Kenneth M., Catalan Domination of Athens 1311 – 1380.
Revised edition. Variorum: London 1975.
21. Girolamo Alessandro Capellari Vivaro, Il Campidoglio Veneto –
Tavola delle familie nobili – Contarini. Biblioteca Nacionale
Marziana, Venezia.

B. ON – LINE SOURCES

1. https://en.wikipedia.org
2. https://en.wikipedia.com
3. https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suleiman-the-Magnificet
4. https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Suleiman-the-Magnificent
5. https://www.thoughtco.com/suleiman-the-magnificent
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contarini
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartolomeo_Contarini (nobleman)
8. https://marciana.venezia.sbn.it
9. https://academiaedu.

6
 Theodore J. Drizis

Graduate in Medical School of Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki -

Greece.
Doctorate in History of Medicine in Medical School of Aristotelian
University of Thessaloniki – Greece.
Doctorate in History in Umanities’ School of University of Peloponnese –
Kalamata – Greece.
Without affilation.
Retired General Surgeon.

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