The term is distinct from king (ملك malik), though both refer to a sovereign ruler. The use of "sultan" is restricted to Muslim countries, where the title carries religious significance, contrasting the more secular king, which is used in both Muslim and non-Muslim countries.
Who was Suleiman the Magnificent? Five hundred years ago, Sultan Suleiman I (reigned 1520–66) ascended to the throne. Although he was the longest-reigning and arguably greatest of all Ottoman sultans, his time on the throne began under the long shadow cast by his father, Selim 'the Grim'.
The Ottoman Empire was an absolute monarchy during much of its existence. By the second half of the fifteenth century, the sultan sat at the apex of a hierarchical system and acted in political, military, judicial, social, and religious capacities under a variety of titles.
The title Sultan generally denotes a ruler with sovereign authority, and it can be considered equivalent to a king in terms of political power and authority.
The sultan has the sole authority to amend the country's laws through royal decree, although ministries draft laws and citizens provide input through the 84-member Majlis al-Shura (Consultative Council), an elected advisory institution.
Top 5 Most Powerful Ottoman Sultans Explained in 13 Minutes
Do sultans still exist?
Brunei, Malaysia and Oman are the only independent countries which retain the title "sultan" for their monarchs. In recent years, the title has been gradually replaced by "king" by contemporary hereditary rulers who wish to emphasize their secular authority under the rule of law.
Sikander Lodi is considered the weakest of all the sultans, because: Sikander Lodi and other Lodi dynasty leaders were incapable of influencing the political climate of their nation.
In the Ottoman Empire, the Sultan wielded absolute power over the state and was considered a Padishah meaning "Great King" by his people. Many sultans wielded absolute power through heavenly mandates reflected in their title, such as "Shadow of God on Earth".
Sultana or sultanah (/sʌlˈtɑːnə/; Arabic: سلطانة sulṭāna) is a female royal title, and the feminine form of the word sultan. This term has been officially used for female monarchs in some Islamic states, and historically it was also used for sultan's consorts.
The Ottomans maintained power over their empire through religious beliefs, a system to accommodate non-Muslim citizens, firm responses to rebellious or corrupt local officials, and maintaining a consolidated base of power.
The bostanji were mainly responsible for protecting the sultan's palace and its premises. They also guarded the seraglio and rowed the Sultan's barge. Their chief was called the Bostanji-bashi (Turkish: bostancıbaşı), and he had the rank of a pasha.
While Sultanic succession is hotly disputed among both Islamic and Western historians, it seems clear that the Ottomans believed that the Sultan was selected primarily through divine kut , which in Turkish means "favor." All the members of the ruling family, according to some historians, had an equal claim to the ...
Ibrahim Lodhi was the last ruler of the Delhi Sultanate. He was defeated by Babur in 1526 CE at the First Battle of Panipat. Thus ended the reign of the Delhi Sultans, giving rise to the next era - that of the Mughal Empire.
The Ottoman Empire sided with Germany in World War I (1914–18); postwar treaties dissolved the empire, and in 1922 the sultanate was abolished by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who proclaimed the Republic of Turkey the following year.
The detestable, debauched life of Ibrahim the Mad — the Ottoman Empire's worst Sultan. By the end, even his mom wanted him gone. Sultan Ibrahim "the Mad" of the Ottoman Empire was known for his sadistic and depraved behavior, including the murder of his entire harem.
The Evil Sultan is an evil monarch threatening to become the new sultan ruler of Agrabah with the help of the evil sorcerer Jafar's twin sister Nasira, and a minor villain from Disney's Aladdin: Nasira's Revenge. He could be a henchmen or an ally of Nasira.
2. Feminine Forms. As a feminine form of sultan, used by Westerners, is Sultana or Sultanah and this title has been used legally for some (not all) Muslim women monarchs and sultan's mothers and chief consorts.
Fratricide. Upon ascending to the throne, Mehmed III ordered that all of his nineteen brothers be executed. They were strangled by his royal executioners, many of whom were deaf, mute or 'half-witted' to ensure absolute loyalty.
The family returned to Istanbul from exile in Damascus in 1974, just after the dynasty members were allowed to return to their homeland. Osman became the Head of the Ottoman dynasty in 2021 upon the death of his older brother, Dündar Osmanoğlu. He lives in Istanbul and has nine grandchildren.
Political significance. Kösem Sultan was the highest-ranking woman in Ottoman history. In the first half of the 17th century, six sultans, several of whom were children, took the throne. As a result, the valide sultans ruled virtually unopposed, both during their sons' periods in power, and during the interregnums.
The Ottoman period spanned more than 600 years and came to an end only in 1922, when it was replaced by the Turkish Republic and various successor states in southeastern Europe and the Middle East.
