Was Suleiman the Magnificent a good ruler?

Suleiman the Magnificent was hailed as a skilled military commander and a just ruler. However, European observers of the time also depicted Suleiman as a tyrant, while the Safavids treated him with a mixture of apprehension and grudging respect.

What is Suleiman the Magnificent best known for?

Suleiman's image was partly based on his exploits as a military commander, but he is also remembered today for his contributions to Ottoman bureaucratic and legal practice.

Suleiman the Magnificent

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Definition

Suleiman the Magnificent (aka Süleyman I or Suleiman I, r. 1520-1566) was the tenth and longest-reigning sultan of the Ottoman Empire. Hailed as a skilled military commander, a just ruler, and a divinely anointed monarch during his lifetime, his realm extended from Hungary to Iran, and from Crimea to North Africa and the Indian Ocean. As he engaged in bitter rivalries with the Catholic Habsburgs and the Shiite Safavids, he presided over a multilingual and multireligious empire that promised peace and prosperity to its subjects.

More about: Suleiman the Magnificent

Timeline

1520 - 1566
Reign of Suleiman the Magnificent.
1521
Siege of Belgrade.
1523
Suleiman I conquers Rhodes.
1526
Battle of Mohács; Suleiman I defeats the Hungarian field army under Louis II.
1529
Siege of Vienna.
1566
Suleiman I dies while campaigning in Hungary.