Suleiman I the Magnificent - a great ruler Ottoman Empire. What made him famous? Who surrounded the famous Sultan at the peak of his glory and in moments of sadness. The history of Sultan Suleiman Suleiman I is multifaceted, filled with numerous campaigns, conquests of lands and victories in battles.
Sultan Suleyman. Rise to fame story
The future sultan was born in 1494 in Trabzon. His father is Sultan Selim, the heir of Bayazed II, and his mother, Aisha Sultan, is the daughter of the Crimean Khan.
Suleiman spent his youth in the Cafe (now it is Feodosia). He was appointed governor of the empire in the Crimea. In those days, Kafa was a large slave trading center, and here was the residence of the Turkish governor.
Until 1520, Suleiman was governor of Manisa. This year, his father, Sultan Selim I, dies, and the road to the Khan's throne was completely open to the only heir.
Suleiman I ascended the throne at the age of 26. The young, educated, talented and ambitious ruler gained respect and recognition not only in the Ottoman Empire, but also abroad. In Europe, Suleiman was called the Magnificent, among Muslims he had the name Kanuni, which means "fair", "legislator".
Sultan Suleiman's policy differed from that of his father, Selim I Yavuz, who was known as a formidable, cruel and merciless tyrant.
Empire of Sultan Suleiman
The Ottoman Empire experienced a period of active development and strengthening of its positions in foreign and domestic policy.
The beginning of the reign of Suleiman is associated with successful military and political measures against the Czech Republic and Hungary. The same fate befell Rhodes, to strengthen dominance in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea.
Suleiman I was an excellent commander and repeated military campaigns led by the Sultan himself were victorious, they strengthened and enlarged the Great Ottoman State. The Turkish army has increased several times in size and strength. Also, detachments of the Janissaries, consisting of children of Christians, taken prisoner at a young age, participated in the battles. They were brought up in the Muslim faith and devotion to the Sultan.
Suleiman the Magnificent in every possible way eradicated bribery in the country. He took care of education, built schools for children, participated in the development of architecture and art.
Thus, the Ottoman Empire of Sultan Suleiman strengthened and developed both militarily and in the field of economy and education, expanded trade relations with Asian and European states.
The reign of Suleiman the Magnificent
After ascending the throne of the Ottoman Empire, the Sultan took up foreign policy. The conquest of new lands amuses the vanity of the ruler. Each year of his reign is an increase in the territory of the state.
In 1521, Sultan Suleiman set out with his army against the King of Hungary and Bohemia, Lajos II. After a long siege, Belgrade was taken. The war lasted about five years, as a result of which the king's army was completely destroyed.
At this time, the fleet of Sultan Suleiman defeated several ships of Portugal, thereby strengthening its position in the Mediterranean Sea.
The war between Turkey and Austria occupies a significant place in world history. It dragged on for several decades and took place in several stages. The beginning of the war is marked by 1527, when the Ottoman army conquered Bosnia, Herzegovina, Slavonia and Transylvania. In 1529, the capital of Hungary, Buda, was taken. After that, Suleiman besieges Vienna and only an epidemic in the Turkish army saves her from falling. Military operations against Austria began two more times in 1532 and 1540, as a result of which the Ottoman Empire achieved dominance over most of Austria, as well as the annual payment of tribute. In 1547 the Peace of Adrianople was signed.
In the 30s, Suleiman unleashed a war with the Safavid state in order to establish dominance over the southern principalities of the Persian Gulf.
Sultan Suleiman during the years of his reign carried out several sea voyages. It is worth noting that the Ottoman fleet was strong and was led by the very talented Khair ad Din Barbarossa. Through his efforts and strategy, the Ottoman Empire conquered the islands of the Aegean. Suleiman concluded a secret treaty with King Francisco I, as a result of which the Sultan's fleet was allowed to base in the ports of France.
A few pages from family history. Suleiman's children
The Sultan's palace had a large harem with numerous concubines. Four women gave birth to children for the ruler. And only one was able to take possession of his heart and became the official wife.
The first concubine of the Sultan was Fulane, she gave birth to a son, Mahmud. But this child died in 1521 from smallpox. For Suleiman, this woman did not play any role and died in complete oblivion.
Gulfem became the second concubine. In 1513 she gave birth to the heirs of Murad and Mahmud, they also became victims of the epidemic. The further fate of Gulfem is connected for the most part with the mother and sister of the Sultan. In 1562, Suleiman ordered her to be strangled, as he had lost his beloved and was in despair.
The third concubine was the Circassian Mahidevran Sultan. She gave the Sultan a son, Mustafa. Since 1533, he was appointed ruler of Menis and was considered the heir to the Ottoman throne. Later, Sultan Suleiman ordered his son to be strangled for betrayal and secret ties with enemies. Mahidevran died in 1581.
The most beloved wife of Suleiman the Magnificent was Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska Sultan. Originally from Rohatyn (now Ukraine), the priest's daughter Anastasia Lisovskaya won the heart of the lord, and also took part in the fate of not only the palace, but the entire state. In Europe, she was called Roksolana.
She gave birth to five sons and a daughter to the Sultan. In 1521, the son Mehmed was born. In 1522, a daughter, Mihrimah, was born, in 1523, a son, Abdullah, who lived only three years. Selim's son was born in 1524. Bayezid saw the light in 1526. The last son of Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska and Suleiman was Jahangir (in 1530).
At first, Roksolana was Suleiman the Magnificent's favorite concubine, but after a while she demanded that the ruler legalize their relationship. In 1530, she became the legal wife of the padishah. Having survived the sorrows and cruelty of the harem, she was able to withstand the struggle and establish herself in the palace. To clear the path to the throne for her son, she got rid of the Sultan's heirs from other wives. Many historians believe that she influenced the fate of Ibrahim Pasha Pargala. The vizier was accused of having connections with France and executed for this. Roksolana, with the help of the vizier Rustem Pasha Mekri, caught the heir Mustafa in connection with the Serbs and a conspiracy against the Sultan. By order of Suleiman, he was strangled. The same fate befell his sons.
Selim was proclaimed heir to the throne. But another son of Roksolana, Bayezid, wanted to rule the empire. After the death of his mother, he rebelled. This happened in 1561. Suleiman crushed the rebellion, and Bayezid and his children were executed.
When Sultan Suleiman I died, Selim inherited his father's throne. But he was not the best ruler, often attached to amusements. The people called him Selim "drunkard". He not only brought no achievements for the empire, but also marked the beginning of an era of decline.
Sultan Suleiman I the Magnificent rests in the mausoleum of the Suleymaniye Mosque next to his wife Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska Sultan.
On November 6, 1494, a son, Suleiman, was born to Selim the Terrible. At the age of 26, Suleiman the Magnificent became Caliph of the Ottoman Empire. The powerful state breathed a sigh of relief after 9 years of Selim's bloody rule. The Magnificent Age has begun. After Suleiman's accession to the throne, one of the foreign ambassadors made the following entry: "The bloodthirsty lion was replaced by a lamb," but this was not entirely true.
Ottoman dynasty: Suleiman the Magnificent
Suleiman was an atypical ruler. He was distinguished by a craving for beauty, he was interested in fashion, architecture. The great caliph showed mercy to singers, poets, sculptors, architects. During his reign, architectural masterpieces were created, ingenious and ahead of their time buildings, for example, an aqueduct that stretches for 120 km and supplies fresh water to the capital of the empire.
Those who considered Suleiman a gentle ruler were wrong. The infamous and infinitely wise Cardinal Wolsey wrote to Henry VII: "He is only twenty-six years old, but he can be dangerous, like his father." The blood of a conqueror flowed in the veins of the great caliph, he dreamed of expanding the empire. He clearly demonstrated his will and character in 1521. The ruler of the Ottomans, Suleiman the Magnificent, sent three of his subjects as ambassadors to negotiate in Hungary, two returned from there with cut off noses and auricles.
Suleiman was furious. And immediately began a campaign against the Hungarian fortress Shabats. Belgrade was his next target. Suleiman was the first to use cannons against infantry, this action was condemned by European commanders, however, after a while they began to successfully use this method themselves. Belgrade resisted to the last, but in the end the city surrendered. In 1522, Suleiman continued to expand his borders, he captured the impregnable island of Rhodes, shedding the blood of the Ionite knights. In 1526, the 100,000th army of Suleiman, who took with him countless cannons, utterly defeated the army of Lajos II and Hungary entered the Ottoman Empire. In 1527-28 Bosnia and Herzegovina and Transylvania were conquered.
Suleiman the Magnificent set Austria as his next target, but was forced to retreat. Suleiman repeatedly made attempts to capture the Austrian lands, but winter, swampy terrain over and over again moved him away from the goal. Later, during the long period of his reign, Suleiman undertook more than one military campaign both to the east and to the west, more often he won and established his power over various territories.
In each captured city, the builders of the great Caliph rebuilt the Christian church into a mosque, this was gratitude to Allah for the victory. In addition to remodeling churches in the occupied territories, Suleiman enslaved local residents, but the great caliph never forced Christians, Catholics, Jesuits to change their faith. Probably because of this, most of his army consisted of foreigners, infinitely devoted to him. This fact may assert that Suleiman was a wise man and a subtle psychologist.
In the last years of his reign, the ruler did not abandon military activities; in 1566, during the siege of another Hungarian fortress, Suleiman was found dead in his tent, he was 71 years old. According to legend, the caliph's heart was buried in the place of the tent, and his body was buried in Istanbul, next to the grave of his beloved wife.
A few years before his death, the Sultan went blind and was unable to observe the greatness of his empire. At the end of the reign of Suleiman, the population of the Ottoman Empire was 15,000,000 people, and the area of \u200b\u200bthe state increased several times. Suleiman created many legislative acts covering almost all aspects of life, even the prices in the bazaar were regulated by law. It was a strong and independent state, inspiring fear in Europe. But the great Turk is dead.
Ottoman slave Roksolana
Suleiman had a large harem with many concubines. But one of them, the slave Roksolana, was able to do the impossible: to become an official wife and the first adviser in state affairs, and also to gain freedom. It is known that Roksolana was a Slav, perhaps she was captured during a campaign against Russia. The girl got into the harem at the age of 15, here she received the nickname Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska - cheerful. The young sultan immediately drew attention to the fair-haired and blue-eyed slave and began to come to her every night.
Before the advent of Roksolana, the Caliph's favorite was Mahidevran, she gave birth to his heir, Mustafa. But a year after her appearance in the harem, Roksolana also gave birth to a son, and then three more. According to the laws of that time, Mustafa was the main contender for the throne. Probably, Roksolana was a woman of extraordinary intelligence and had foresight. In 1533, she arranges the death of Mustafa, and acts through the hands of Suleiman himself. Mustafa was a worthy son of his father, but because of slander, the Ottoman Empire did not see another great ruler, the young man was strangled in front of his father, the grandfather did not spare his grandson either - little son Mustafa. After the death of the first-born, the four sons of Roksolana automatically become heirs to the throne.
The Ottoman dynasty after Suleiman the Magnificent
The son of Roksolana, Selim II, became the heir to the throne, however, another son, Bayezid, began to challenge his power, but was defeated. Suleiman executed his son Bayezid in 1561 and all his sons, after the death of Roksolana. Bayezid is mentioned in the sources as wise man and desired ruler. But Selim II was destined to become caliph, and this is where Suleiman's "Magnificent Age" ends. Unexpectedly for everyone, Selim is addicted to alcohol.
He entered the annals of history as "Sulim the Drunkard". Passion for alcohol, many historians explain the upbringing of Roksolana and her Slavic roots. During his reign, Selim captured Cyprus and Arabia, continued the wars with Hungary and Venice. He made several unsuccessful campaigns, including to Russia. In 1574, Selim II died in the harem, and his son Murad III took the throne. The empire will no longer see the brilliant rulers of the Ottoman dynasty like Sultan the Magnificent, the age of infantile sultans has come, rebellions and illegal changes of power often occurred in the empire. And only after almost a century - in 1683, the Ottoman Empire is again gaining its strength.
He became, if not the greatest, then one of the greatest monarchs of Turkey in its entire history. In Europe, he is known as the "Magnificent" conqueror, remembering large-scale military campaigns, conquests in the Balkans, in Hungary, the siege of Vienna. At home, he is still known as a wise legislator.
Family and children of Suleiman the Magnificent
As befits a Muslim ruler, the Sultan had many wives and concubines. Any Russian-speaking reader is familiar with the name of Roksolana, a slave concubine who became the beloved wife of the ruler and an important person in the management of state affairs. And thanks to the incredible popularity of the TV series "The Magnificent Century", the intrigues of the Sultan's harem and the long-term confrontation between the Slavic Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska Sultan (Roksolana) and the Circassian Mahidevran Sultan became widely known. Of course, over time, all the children of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent were drawn into this long-term feud. Their fates were different. Someone remained in the shadow of their blood relatives, while someone managed to brightly write their name on the pages Turkish history. Below is the story of the children of Suleiman the Magnificent. Those of them who managed to leave any significant mark.
Children of Suleiman the Magnificent: Shehzade Mustafa and Selim II
These princes became rivals in a dispute started by their mothers. These are those of Suleiman the Magnificent who were drawn into the bitter feud between Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska and Mahidevran. Both were not the firstborn of their mothers and were not initially considered direct contenders for the throne. But the vicissitudes of fate made them so. However, it was largely resolved by those who started it. Roksolana managed to win the sultan's sympathy and become his beloved wife. Mahidevran was actually exiled to Manisa along with her son Mustafa. However, the tragic vicissitudes of Prince Mustafa's fate were just beginning. Soon, rumors begin to spread throughout the empire that Mustafa is plotting against his father. Suleiman believed these rumors and ordered the execution of his son when they were both on one of the military campaigns. Thus, Selim's competitor to the throne was eliminated. did not later become such a wise and decisive ruler as his father. On the contrary, it is with his reign that historians connect the beginning of the sunset of the majestic Ottoman port. And the reason for this was not only objective socio-economic prerequisites, but also the personal qualities of the heir: weak character, laziness, short-sightedness and, most importantly, unrestrained drunkenness. He was remembered as a drunkard by the Turkish people.
Children of Suleiman the Magnificent: Shehzade Mehmed and Shehzade Bayazid
Both of them were the sons of the Sultan from Roksolana. Mehmed was her first son, but he could not be considered an heir, since his son Mahidevran Mustafa was older than him. However, when the latter fell into disgrace, it was Mehmed who became the favorite of his father. He was appointed governor of the city of Manisa in 1541. However, he was never destined to become a great sultan, nor did he die of illness in 1543. The heir, Bayazid, from an early age grew up as a brave and desperate young man. Already at an early
age, he took part in military campaigns, proving himself a talented commander. After the death of Mustafa, he began to be considered the main contender for his father's legacy. For the throne in subsequent years, a real war broke out between the brothers Bayazid and Selim, in which the latter won.
Mihrimah Sultan
She became the only daughter of the magnificent Sultan. Her mother was Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska. Mihrimah received an excellent education, thanks to which she later became an important assistant to her mother in managing state affairs (at a time when Suleiman was on his countless campaigns).
It would seem that everything is simple in matters of inheritance. The king dies, his eldest son sits on the throne. At least, this is how it usually happens both in reality and in fantasy worlds. But how many pitfalls in this situation! What if there are no sons? Or no kids at all. Or a God-Emperor in power, with no plans to die at all. different eras and states have spawned many systems of succession to the throne designed to address potential problems.
To date, there are thirty monarchies in the world - both absolute and constitutional, and this is not counting the fifteen states that are members of the British Commonwealth of Nations and officially consider the Queen of England to be their monarch. That is as many as forty-five monarchical states! Of course, this is very small compared to the world two hundred years ago, but even in our time there are many curious examples of succession to the throne.
In 1980, the famous Welsh playwright, writer and actor Emlyn Williams wrote a satirical novel, Head Over heels. According to the plot of the book, during the celebration of the silver wedding of King George V and Queen Mary of Teck, a burning airship falls right on the festive platform. The entire royal family is killed, and the prime minister rushes in search of the nearest living bearer of royal blood. The last is the 24-year-old unsuccessful actor Jack Green, great-grandson (of course, the grandson of a bastard) Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence, Prince of Great Britain. And then education begins - the transformation of a dunce into a king.
Have you heard this somewhere? Of course, the film "King Ralph" with John Goodman in the title role, a free adaptation of Williams' book. But in reality, it's not all that fun. If the entire royal family suddenly dies, who will ascend the throne? What are the actual rules of succession - not only in Great Britain, but also in other monarchies?
BIRTHRIGHT
Historically, the most common principle of succession to the throne was the so-called Castilian, or English primogeniture, which is also the birthright. In accordance with the rules of primogeniture, the eldest son of the monarch inherits the throne. If the eldest son died before the king - the second son, and so on. Under the Castilian primogeniture, the daughters of the king also have the right to the throne - if there are no sons at all: at the same time, even if the king has younger brothers, the daughter has precedence over them. Simply put, sons take precedence over daughters, and children take precedence over uncles.
Primogeniture helped put on the crown, for example, Elizabeth I of England, the last of the Tudors, although the history of her ascension to the throne was rather dark. The fact is that the father of the future queen, Henry VIII, had only three legitimate children - a son and two daughters, plus another officially recognized illegitimate, Henry Fitzroy. In fact, Henry had more bastards, but they were not considered heirs, and Fitzroy received the rights to the throne in an exceptional manner when Henry was no longer young, and no other sons were planned. But it so happened that in 1536, 17-year-old Henry died of consumption - but a year later, the long-awaited legitimate son was finally born to the king!
This is where the confusion began. In 1547 Henry VIII died and his ten-year-old son Edward became king. Six years later, the young man died of tuberculosis - by right of primogeniture, he should have inherited older sister Maria. But Mary was a Catholic, and shortly before her death, Edward, instigated by regent John Dudley, removed her from the inheritance, "appointing her queen distant relative, the seventh water on Jane Gray jelly - in violation of the law. Outraged, Mary led an armed rebellion, and the Privy Council quickly "rolled back" the decision - after nine days of reign, Jane went to the Tower, and Henry's eldest daughter became queen. But Mary Tudor died of a fever in 1558, never having married, and in accordance with the primogeniture, the last sister, Henry's youngest daughter Elizabeth, remained in the line of heirs. Everyone heard about her: the iron lady, she made England the greatest power in the world, having spent forty-five years on the throne, outliving countless suitors and remaining childless, thus ended the Tudor line.
In general, primogeniture has one small bug: if a woman becomes queen, then the dynasty changes, since her children no longer bear her surname, but the surname of her husband. So in 1901, the British dynasty of Hanover was replaced by the Saxe-Coburg-Goth dynasty, now known as the Windsors (the name was changed in 1917 in order to get rid of the German roots in the surname during the war with Germany). This happened because Queen Victoria died, and her son Edward bore the name of his father, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. By the way, Victoria herself became queen in 1837 in a “district” way: her grandfather George III had as many as nine sons, and Victoria’s father died before George, without having time to be king! It was the primogeniture that played into the hands of Victoria - the three elder brothers of her father did not leave legitimate heirs, and according to the primogeniture, it was Victoria, as the daughter of the fourth son, who had the advantage over the fifth son Ernst August.
You will ask a natural question: now there is a woman on the throne of Great Britain, Elizabeth II! So her son Charles is named after Philip, his father? Will the Windsor dynasty end? And here it is not. Shortly after her accession to the throne, on April 9, 1952, Elizabeth light hand grandmother - Queen Mary - and Winston Churchill issued a proclamation stating that all descendants of Elizabeth, without exception, would be known as members of the House of Windsor. That is, in fact, banned the change of dynasty.
At the time, it made sense - the post-war situation remained unstable, and Philip was a representative of the Battenberg dynasty (also known as Mountbatten after the "anglicization" of the surname), which once ruled Denmark and Greece. But the dynasty renounced the Greek throne back in 1922, and grandmother Maria did not want her great-grandchildren to bear the name of the “fallen” dynasty. Subsequently, Elizabeth issued a second proclamation that descendants who did not claim the throne had the right to bear the name Mountbatten-Windsor, but for Philip this fact remained forever. dark spot in his relationship with his wife.
Today, the Castilian primogeniture operates in only two monarchical states - in Spain and Monaco. In the UK, it was abolished in 2012 and replaced by the Swedish, or Absolute Primogeniture, a system in which men have no advantage over women. That is, if there is an eldest daughter, it is she who becomes the queen, even if all the other children are sons.
In addition to Great Britain, the absolute primogeniture "works" in Sweden, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark and Luxembourg. It's relative new principle succession to the throne - it was first introduced in Sweden in 1980 and has since gradually spread throughout Europe.
SALIC LAW
The Salic system of succession to the throne was invented and once actively promoted by the Franks. In accordance with it, women are completely excluded from the right of heritage - that is, this is the most rigid of the variations of primogeniture. complete opposite absolute primogeniture. In addition to France, such a law was used by the German and Italian principalities, as well as a number of other territories.
A number of curious stories are connected with the application of the salic law. The most famous of these happened in 1316, when, at the age of 26, the king of France, Louis X the Quarrelsome, died for the stupidest reason. Louis was a fan of the game jeu de paume, that is, the prototype of tennis. One fine hot day he played a lot, drank cold wine, played, drank, played, and eventually collapsed with monstrous pneumonia, which quickly brought him to his grave. At that time, Ludovik's wife Clementia was pregnant - and everyone was waiting for who would be born, a boy or a girl.
Meanwhile, Louis's younger brother, Philippe, became regent. At that time, the usual primogeniture was operating in France, and any child of Louis, regardless of gender, would have removed Philip from the throne. Therefore, Philip hastily “pushed through” and issued a law on the introduction of Salic law in order to exclude the girl and raise his chances for the throne to 50%. But he was not lucky: on November 15, 1316, six months after the death of the king, a boy was born, who was immediately declared king of France.
Of course, no one needed little John. Neither Philip, nor the third brother of the king Charles (having somehow poisoned Philip, he could also become king). And five days later, John died of an unknown cause. But the Salic law introduced by Philip played against him: his only son died in infancy, and his daughters could not inherit the throne, and therefore, after the death of Philip six years later, Charles became king. However, Charles also did not have any living sons-heirs, and therefore in 1328 the Capetian dynasty was interrupted forever.
This is where the last incident arose. The closest relatives of the dynasty were Philip of Valois and King Edward III of Great Britain. According to Salic law, Philip was to become king, and according to English primogeniture, Edward. The first became the king, the second did not recognize his rights - and this was the root cause of the Hundred Years War between England and France.
Salic law became the cause of collisions and in more later times. For example, it was thanks to him that Luxembourg became a full-fledged state. The country gained independence from France back in 1815: after the division of the territories conquered by Napoleon, Luxembourg became the Grand Duchy in union with the Netherlands, that is, the king of the Netherlands was at the same time the Duke of Luxembourg. On November 23, 1890, the next king of the Netherlands, Willem III, died without leaving sons (all three of his male children died young). But in the Netherlands, the usual primogeniture operated, and the daughter of Willem Wilhelmina became queen. But Luxembourg, by inheritance from France, inherited the salic right, and Wilhelmina did not have the right to a ducal title! The closest male relative of Willem turned out to be the elderly Adolf, Count of Nassau - unexpectedly, unexpectedly, the 73-year-old grandfather got the throne and an independent state to boot. The descendants of Adolf rule Luxembourg to this day, although the Salic law was officially replaced in 2011 with an absolute primogeniture.
The only monarchy in the world where the salic law is still in effect today is Japan. Although here, too, it was not without incidents. By 2006, Crown Prince Fumihito, son of Emperor Akihito, was 41 years old, his wife was 39, and they did not seem to have any plans for male children. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sounded the alarm and put forward a law for parliamentary discussion to replace Salic law with the so-called Austrian, or semi-Salic, system, under which a woman had the right to the throne in the absence of any male heirs in the family, including the most distant relatives. But Fumihito reacted like a man, and on September 6, 2006, his wife gave birth to a boy, Hisahito, heir to the throne. The petition to change the law had to be withdrawn.
The semi-Salic law has been applied in the past in Austria, Greece and Russian Empire. It is somewhat similar to primogeniture, but in accordance with the latter, a woman has an advantage over some men in the clan, but in semi-Salic she does not, that is, she becomes queen only in the event of the death of all the men of the clan without exception.
THE OLDER THE BETTER
Completely different, not similar to either primogeniture or salic disposition, the system of succession to the throne operates in Saudi Arabia. It is called seignorate, and under it the eldest man in the family is considered the heir. That is, the king is not inherited by a son, but by a brother, or, for example, by an uncle or nephew, if one of them is the eldest in the family.
Despite the fact that the first king of Saudi Arabia, Abdulaziz ibn Saud, died in 1953 and since then there have been five different kings, today's monarch Abdullah ibn Abdulaziz Al Saud is the son of Abdulaziz! The fact is that Abdul Aziz left behind as many as forty-five legitimate sons, who do not get younger, but successively inherit the throne by seignorate law. Judge for yourself: Saud became king at 51, Faisal at 62, Khalid at 63, Fahd at 61, and Abdullah at 81! Crown Prince Salman, the second oldest in the family after Abdullah, recently turned 78 years old, and who knows how old he will be at the time of his brother's death.
Interestingly, in Saudi Arabia seignorate is regularly violated. In fact, even now, Prince Bandar, Abdullah's elder brother, is still alive - although extremely old - plus there are five more princes older than the king. "Overtaking" is explained by the fact that in Saudi Arabia there is a so-called Allegiance Council, a state body whose only function is to choose the heir to the throne. After the death of another aged heir, the council nominates three candidates from among the senior representatives of the family - and discusses each of them on the subject of senile insanity, the correctness of political thinking, and so on. Thus, the crown prince will not necessarily be the most senior - the main thing is that he be loyal to the country and adequate. In principle, sensibly, you will not say anything.
LADDER RIGHT
The seigneurial principle is characteristic of Islamic states- he acted, for example, in the Ottoman Empire, - but it is more interesting that the principle of succession to the throne, the right of the ladder, adopted in Kievan Rus, was nothing more than a seignorate.
As always, this right came about because of precedent. Before Svyatopolk Izyaslavovich, family inheritance was accepted in Russia. The Grand Duke sat in Kyiv, and his numerous relatives ruled over the specific principalities. There was no sensible law on inheritance; with death Kyiv prince his place was taken by the eldest son, and the place of the eldest son in the specific principality was taken by the one who had more impudence. This led to civil strife and constant fragmentation of an already fragmented state, and in 1094-1097 a real civil war broke out.
In 1097, the princes hastily convened a congress in the city of Lyubech, where they once and for all established the rules of the heritage - the right of the ladder. In accordance with it, after the death of the Grand Duke, the eldest of his younger brothers moved to Kyiv, and the city where he reigned was transferred to the next brother. The order of seniority in the male line was determined as follows: elder brother, younger brothers in order, sons of the elder brother in seniority, sons of the next brothers in seniority, grandchildren, and so on. That is, it was an extended version of the seignorate, convenient for a federal state, which, in fact, was Kievan Rus. However, civil strife continued for several more years.
ALL FOR ELECTIONS!
Oddly enough, the monarch can be elected by popular vote. The most famous elective monarchy of modern times exists in the Vatican City State. Moreover, such a democratic method of election does not prevent the monarchy from being absolute. The head of the Holy See, ruling in the territory of the Vatican - the Pope - after the death of the previous one is elected from among its number by a conclave of cardinals. As with a classical monarchy, the Pope rules until death or abdication.
A similar system exists in Cambodia - after the death or abdication of the king, a council is convened to elect a new ruler from among the candidates in whose veins royal blood flows. The son of the previous one can also become king, but the council was created in order to choose from the royal family the most suitable person for such a high position. Sometimes this leads to funny incidents. For example, the previous king Norodom Sihanouk occupied the throne twice - from 1941 to 1955 and from 1993 to 2004, and abdicated both times. The current monarch of Cambodia, Norodom Sihamoni, has no children (and he is already 61 years old), but this is not a problem for the state, as in old days.
But in Malaysia, a different system of elective monarchy - because of the extremely complex structure of the country. Malaysia is made up of fourteen entities, nine of which are monarchies and four are governed by appointed governors. Within these monarchies, power passes in the traditional way, by inheritance. But once every five years, nine monarchs gather and elect from their midst the chief, who becomes the king of Malaysia for a specified period.
The so-called "semi-elective" monarchy exists in the European Principality of Andorra. It is ruled by two princes, largely nominally - in reality, the country is led by parliament. The first co-prince is the Bishop of Urgell (the Spanish city of Seu de Urgell, the former capital of the county of Urgell), and the second ... - the President of France! This situation has developed due to several historical incidents. In 1278, Count Roger-Bernard III de Foix and Pere d'Urtx, Bishop of Urgell, agreed that they would lead disputed territory, which Urgell and Foix could not share in any way. And so it happened. However, over time, due to the Salic law that operated in Foix, the throne of the county passed to the kings of Navarre, and then to the kings of France. Everything would be fine, but in 1871 France became a republic for the third time - for a long time already, and Andorra accepted the elected president as a co-prince.
An amusing variation on elective monarchy exists in Swaziland, where the next king is the son of a council-selected Great Wife of the King (who usually has unlimited quantity wives and children) - regardless of seniority. In the United United Arab Emirates and Samoa too interesting systems. In the UAE, the head of state is nominally the president, who is chosen from seven emirs (local monarchs), but traditionally this position is always held by the Emir of Abu Dhabi, and the Emir of Dubai receives the post of Prime Minister. At the same time, an absolute monarchy is established within each emirate, and in fact the entire state can be attributed to absolute monarchy with the normal salic system. In Samoa, the monarchy in the same way "disguises" itself as a republic - the presidents are chosen by the parliament at special sessions after the death of the previous president, and usually from royalty. Until 1962, Samoa was officially a monarchical country, so there are enough of these persons.
However, precedents for choosing a monarch happened more than once - even in the Russian state. Boris Godunov (1598) and Mikhail Romanov (1613) were chosen to reign by the legislative body - the Zemsky Sobor - from several aspiring nobles. What can you do, elections are the only thing that remains when all the representatives of the former dynasty have disappeared. Similar cases have taken place in many other states. In addition, history also knew a number of stable elective monarchical systems - for example, the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire were elected by a group of aristocrats (electors) from members of the Habsburg house.
In different eras, there were other strange ways of transferring the throne. For example, in some ancient Indian states, the throne was passed down through the female line. For example, the Maharaja of Travancore was inherited not by his own son, but by the son of his sister, if any - and this law was officially repealed only in 1956.
In contrast to primogenigure, there is the concept of ultimogeniture - when the throne and inheritance are transferred not to the firstborn, but to the youngest, last of the monarch's children. A similar principle was used in a number of small German principalities (in particular, in the Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg), in medieval Mongolia and some other cultures.
In any state, regardless of the existing principles and tricks, there will be several contenders for the throne. The 21st century is civilized and cultured enough so that such differences do not cause civil wars and civil strife - if any disputes arise, everything is resolved peacefully. But in the old days, many years of bloody wars often began because of claims to the throne. Therefore, if you decide to declare your apartment a small monarchical state, do not forget to clearly spell out the laws of succession to the throne. And that's not enough.
(c) Tim Skorenko
Sultan Suleiman "The Magnificent" has always been of great interest, both among historians and researchers. Studying historical milestones, scientists came to the conclusion that it was Sultan Suleiman who was the legislator of Kanuni.
History of the Ottoman Empire
increase
During the reign of Bayezid II, in the vilayet - Trabzon, the governor Yavuz Sultan Selim lived with his beautiful wife Hafize Ayse and mother Gulbahar Sultan. On April 27, 1494, in a family that already had four girls, the long-awaited heir was finally born. The boy was named Sultan Suleiman. The future ruler loved his grandmother Gulbahar Sultan very much and was very worried about her death. After the death of his grandmother, the care and upbringing of his adored and only son fell on the mother of Sultan Suleiman, Hafize Aisha. The most eminent teachers of that time were assigned to the heir to the throne. In addition to teaching literacy and other sciences, Suleiman studied jewelry art. The most famous and best jeweler of the era, Konstantin Usta, personally taught the boy the intricacies of his craft.
Yavuz Sultan Selim, with the participation of his faithful assistants, overthrew the objectionable Bayezid II from the throne and was proclaimed the new ruler. And Sultan Suleiman, who had already matured by that time, approves for the post of governor of Manisa, thus hoping to accustom his son to power.
Biography of Sultan Suleiman
In the Empire, the economic potential of the state is quite successfully established and trade relations with neighboring countries are finally established. World history designates the reign of Sultan Suleiman as the "Turkic era", as the Ottoman Empire was considered the most advanced civilization of the 16th century. Sultan Suleiman receives the title of "Magnificent" as a ruler who has reached the highest peak for his Empire.
Governing body. Army. conquests
An army of four hundred thousand fighters was involved in the Mohag battle. The troops, after completing the morning prayer with the cry: "Allah is Great" and raising the Sultan's banner, rushed into battle to the Mohag Valley. Each of the warriors of the mighty army, for the sake of his padishah, was ready to give his head during the battle. So, before the Mohag battle, to the Sultan dressed in shining armor, who was sitting on a throne near his tent, the older soldier, falling on his knees, exclaimed: “Oh, my padishah, what could be more honorable than war?!” After, this exclamation was repeated several times by the entire numerous army of the army. Having completed a series of obligatory ceremonies, by order of the Sultan, the fighters went on the offensive, and with them the padishah himself.
Suleiman's army
From the very beginning of the battle, until its completion, according to tradition, a battle march was played. "Drum orchestra" from the backs of camels and elephants sounded in all directions. The bloody and most lightning-fast battle, lasting only two hours, turned out to be victorious for the Turkish Sultan. The Hungarian army fell, and King Louis died during the battle. With the desired victory, Sultan Suleiman began to rule over all of Hungary and settled in the royal palace. All of Europe was in suspense, waiting for new plans to conquer the padishah. And Turkish subjects, meanwhile, have already begun to calmly settle down in the very center of Germany.
Empire territory
After the western conquests, Sultan Suleiman gathers an army to conquer Iran and Baghdad, and wins the battle, both on land and at sea. Thus, the Mediterranean becomes Turkish.
Magnificent century
As a result of the policy of the conqueror and his numerous campaigns, military operations, the imperial lands became the largest in the world in terms of area occupied by one power. 110 million people, such is the population of the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century. The Ottoman Empire stretched over eight million square kilometers and had three administrative divisions - European, Asian, African. The mighty state was ruled by 38 administrative headquarters.
Sultan Suleiman, the compiler of a number of completely new and effective laws, was proud of his Greatness. The same correspondence with the king of France - with Francois the First is a confirmation of this. One of the letters written by the Ruler of the Ottoman Empire, addressed to the king, contains the following text: “I, ruling in the Black and Mediterranean Seas, in the Rumelian, Anatolian and Karashan, Rum and Diyarbekir vilayets, ruling in Kurdistan and Azerbaijan, in Ajem, in Sham and Aleppo, in Egypt, in Mecca and Medina. In Jerusalem and Yemen, I am the ruler of all the Arab countries and many more lands conquered by my ancestors. I am the grandson of Sultan Selim Khan, and you are the miserable king of the French vilayet, Francesco ... ”
Personal life and family
Sultan Suleiman, just like his father, was fond of poetry and until the end of his days, he himself wrote poetic works. In addition, he paid great attention to the development of culture and art in the Empire.
The conqueror, the winner, the owner of the most beautiful concubines, spent his last years with only one adored woman and legal wife - Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska Sultan.
Educated and well-read, Roksolana was able to become for the Sultan not only a beloved wife, but also a friend. With dominance and strong character, she was able to give the order to commit the murder of the heir to the Empire, Mustafa, the son of Sultan Suleiman, born from another concubine. After the death of the first heir, the son of Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska Sultan and the padishah, Selim, ascended the throne. Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska attracted her son-in-law Hirvat Rustem to power and elevated him to the rank of sadrazam.
In the seventy-first year of his life, the already elderly great conqueror, Sultan Suleiman, once unable to bear the data on tax payments and unfulfilled promises of the German Emperor, again gathers an army and personally participates in a campaign against the Empire of a liar. The old Sultan, now no longer on a horse, but sitting in a wagon, watched the struggle to conquer the German Ziegetevar fortress.
But every day his health deteriorated significantly, and he spent his last days in the bed of a Turkish tent, not far from the battlefield, to the sound of cannons and a military march.
The Turkish army won again, and the fortress was captured. But Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent never found out about the thirteenth and his last victory.
Illness and death
The great conqueror died in his bed, during the Battle of Zigetvar, on Saturday morning, September 7, 1566, and was buried near the mosque that bears his name.
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The filming of the sensational Turkish series Magnificent Century has long ended, and the series itself has already ended, but interest in the actors who played the main roles in it has not subsided so far. And one of them, of course, Halit Ergench.
This amazing and famous Turkish actor was born in Istanbul in the family of actor Sait Ergench on April 30, 1970. Ergench's biography is amazing and very interesting. In his youth, Halit Ergench was not at all going to become an actor. He was attracted by the sea element, and he dreamed of becoming a sailor. That is why he entered the Technical University in Istanbul, where he studies as a marine engineer. However, after a year of study, he left his studies for an opera course at Mimar Sinan University, and at the same time worked as a computer operator and marketer.
The beginning of an acting career
For a long time he has been working with such singers as Ayse Pekkan and Leman Sam as a vocalist and dancer. The acting talent, inherited from his father, begins to remind of himself by the age of 25. At this age, Halit begins to try himself in musicals. The actor combines participation in musicals with work in theatrical plays, simultaneously acting in films and serials. He is beginning to be recognized on the street. One of the famous roles in the film "My Father and My Son" in 2005 brought the actor unprecedented success. The series “A Thousand and One Nights” was highly appreciated by critics, where the actor played the boss Onur Aksal, who was in love with his subordinate and offered money for a night of love when the girl was in a hopeless situation.
In 2009, Halit Ergench starred in the TV series "Bitter Love", where he played a professor of literature - Orhan, who became entangled in difficult relationships with three women.
However, the role of Sultan Suleiman in the TV series "The Magnificent Century", which was released in 2011, brought particular popularity to the actor. Halit Ergench himself admitted that he was always captivated and interested in the history of the Ottoman Empire, and he never imagined that he would ever play one of the great rulers of that era.
Interview with Halit Ergench
- During recent years There have been quite a few changes in your life that relate to both personal and professional life. Your acting career especially grew just at the moment when you had a family. What is the most important thing in your life and why?
Yes, there have been significant changes in my life. Working on a show is never easy, but success and people's love is always a relief. However, my family is in my life at the most important place. When I am at home with my family, I can truly be myself and experience the most powerful and unique emotions in my life.
- Do you have common features with Sultan Suleiman, and are there any differences between your characters?
It seems to me that there is nothing in common between us. The only thing that can unite us is sensitivity. But it seems to me that this is not enough to consider us similar people. And the biggest difference between us can be called the fact that he is the Sultan, and I am not.
Has your life changed in any way since you became a father?
Yes, a lot has changed since then. Our parents also said that until you have your own children, you will not be able to understand anything about this. Time has only confirmed their words. As soon as my son Ali was born, all my personal problems and negative thoughts faded into the background. My fatherhood gives me a great sense of responsibility for my son's future. This is due to the fact that while I did not have my own children, I did not have any special obligations.
- After you have realized the image of Suleiman in the series, do you believe that because of your popularity you will not be able to find your personal happiness?
Suleiman once said: "Power is a threat that makes us blind and deaf." In order not to succumb to this threat, you need to remind yourself that you remain only a person. However, not everyone can stop at the right moment. I believe that true happiness is in the small details.
On the this moment Halit Ergench starred in the TV series My Motherland is You. Izmir 1918, in which he plays with his wife, the beautiful actress Bergüzar Korel. Note that this is the second series in which the spouses are filmed together - the first was "A Thousand and One Nights", although at that time they were not yet married.
