On September 6, 1566 AD/CE, Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, the 10th Ottoman Sultan, passed away during the campaign of Szigetvár in Hungary. His Grand Vizier, Mehmed Pasha, concealed his death until his successor, Selim II, was enthroned in Istanbul.
Suleiman’s Rise to Power
At just 26 years old, Suleiman became Sultan in 1520, marking the beginning of the Ottoman Empire’s Golden Age. He was renowned for his major legal and governmental reforms, earning him the title “Kanuni” (The Lawgiver) in the Islamic world, while in Europe, he was known as “Suleiman the Magnificent.”
His reign brought prosperity, military conquests, and advancements in arts, architecture, and governance, leaving a lasting impact on both the East and the West.
See Also: Ghaznavid Sultans Family Tree
Last Campaign
In 1566, the 71-year-old Suleiman the Magnificent led his army on a final expedition against the Hapsburgs in Hungary. The siege of Szigetvar started on Aug. 7, 1566. The sultan, who could not go out because of his illness, followed it from his tent. The old sultan’s illness was getting worse but the castle could not be taken in any way.
The Austrians, who could not keep up resistance, retreated to the castle, setting fire to the city. The Ottoman artillerymen started to target the castle but nothing could dismay the strong commander Nikola VII Zrinski.
Sokollu Mehmed Pasha tried hard and did his best to conquer the castle as soon as possible. He was sleeping alongside the soldiers in the trenches on some nights. He even narrowly escaped death. On the last days of the siege, the illness of the sultan got even worse and rumors spread in waves among the soldiers.
Finally, a bomb installed by a Turkish bodyguard who climbed the castle walls created a gap in the wall, and on 5th September as Ottoman soldiers started to enter the castle via this gap, Zrinski, who saw that there was no defense possible, retreated into the inner castle.
Sultan’s Hidden Death
While Szigetvar was about to fall, Suleiman the Magnificent passed away. The siege was coming to the end. In such a situation, the death knell of the sultan could cause the one-month-long effort go down the drain if it was heard among the soldiers. The Grand Vizier, Sokollu Mehmed Pasha, ordered those who knew of the death to keep it a secret. He also said the sultan would be buried under where he had lived, after all the necessary procedures were performed.
With the encouragement of the grand vizier, preparations for the last attack were made. The Ottoman soldiers took the inner castle, the last point of resistance in Szigetvar, in a short time. Therefore, Szigetvar was conquered on 7th September.
The Grand Vizier sending a letter reporting sultan’s death to Shahzade Selim II (the son of the sultan), the only successor to the throne and Sanjak-bey of Kütahya.
The Sultan’s Funeral and Burial
Selim II met the funeral of his father, whose death was kept a secret for 42 days, by wearing a black kaftan. People prayed in front of the carriage which carried the sultan’s body. His coffin was put on the coffin rest, and the second funeral prayer was performed. Later, the sultan’s funeral set off for Istanbul with another group, apart from the army, and was met by the cries and prayer of people along the way.
The funeral of Suleiman the Magnificent was brought to the place where his tomb was planned to be built in the Süleymaniye Mosque after funeral prayer was performed by Shaykh al-Islam Ebussuud Efendi.
See Also: Sultan Alp Arslan, a Short Biography
Legacy
Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent vastly expanded the size and significance of the Ottoman Empire and launched a Golden Age in Ottoman arts. Achievements in the areas of literature, philosophy, art, and architecture had a major impact on both Eastern and Western styles. Some of the buildings constructed during his empire still stand today, including edifices designed by Mimar Sinan.
