“The sultans of Turkey” is a historical story, that tells us about the powerful Turkish empire and its ultimate glamour. All events in this book are true, because the author used the archives of former Socialist federative republic of Yugoslavia, West Germany, cities of Istanbul and Venice. Also, as a source, he used "The history of Turkish empire", by Josef Von Hamer, "The history of Turkish empire" by Halid Inaldzik, and "Byzantine history" by Georgi Ostrogorski. Some materials, that were also used as a source for this book, were "Prosveta encyclopedia", "The history of Serbs" by the group of authors, and "Yugoslav military encyclopedia" by the group of authors. According to the readers' opinion (several hundred books were sold), reading of this book is not hard, for it takes the reader for a walk through the period of six and a half centuries. The author gives us a clear picture of the events, that are chronologically set in time. This book is rich in emotions, for it speaks of thirty six sultans, their life stories and their relationship with their people. That nation, ispired by faith and spiritual strength, reached the gates of Vienna twice in history.
There is a part in an old ottoman story, written in the gazian tradition, that tells how the dervish Sari Saltuk advices Osman Gazia:"Be rigteous, do not dare the poor to curse you, do not make your subjects suffer ... Watch closely to your quadis and deputies. Do what is just to hold your rule and keep your subjects obedient."
Osman died in 1326, after the long rule and almost 70 years of age. His last words were for his son Orhan and were noble. "Son, follow the path of islam, make your rule just and calm and bury me in Bursa."
When the Byzantine emperor had heard of the victory of Mehmed I over the last throne pretender, he congratulated him. Sultan Mehmed I, man of his word and honor, confirmed alliance with the Byzantine emperor. "Tell my father, the Greek emperor, that with his help, I won the empire and my father's throne. That is on my mind and for that I am loyal to him, as I would be to my father. I will be at his service."
Turkish chroniclers say that Serbian princess Olivera was the one who inspired Mehmed I to be kind and noble. Ever since he was a boy, Olivera held his hand and took him walking whenever possible. Most of her time princess Olivera spent with sultan Bajazid, who was very attached to her.
Could it be that faith led Olivera to pick this little boy and spend time with him, for he had no chance to become the sultan. There were five other princes who had precedence on throne.
The sultan marched to conquer Salonica, for that city he held as his father's property. Murat's grandfather Bajazid has conquered it before. The sultan gave the city three chances to surrender, offering to spare the citizens. The Venetians had bought the city off earlier and refused to surrender it. On 28.02.1430. the sultan conquered Salonica, but spared its people. He converted all the churches, but four, to mosques, and gave the palaces to important Turkish citizens. After the conquering of Salonica, Murat II didn't act as the butcher, but the man of his word. He promised pillaging to his troops, but didnt' allow blood to be spilled in the streets, as Theodosius the Christian had done before. The historian Ducas tells us that Murat was the man of great manners and mild character. Chalkondilos tells us that Murata was just and honourable .
After the city had fallen, sultan Mehmed II fearlessly entered, surrounded by his visiers, and stepped towards the great church. He got off his horse and entered the church by foot. In admiration, he was looking at 107 porphyry columns, colorful marble with pink stripes. The more he looked up, the more he was amazed. Lowering his gaze to the ground level, he spotted a soldier breaking the marble floor. The floor curves mimiced the ocean waves, so it appeared as the marble waters were running through the gates of four paradise rivers. Mehmed hit him with a sword, saying: ‘’I gave you the city treasures, but the buildings are mine’’. That misfortuned soldier named Yusuph was no common soldier, but the cadet expecting a carrier of an officer, after the fall of Constantinople. From his grandfather, who was a Greek converted to islam, and from his father, a born Muslim, Yusuph had been listening enchanting stories of the size and beauty of Aya Sofia temple.
Young Yusuph, the future officer, wanted to get at least a small peace of marble floor, as a trophy and a memory of his part in conquering the "city above all other cities", and its magnificent monument, Aya Sofia. Young Yusuph had a desire to bring piece of Aya Sofia to his father and grandfather, and so bring to life stories from his past that were deep inside his heart. Misfortune stopped Yusuph from doing so, and he lost not only is trophy, but his life. That way, he left his wife Yasmine and his newborn son Mehmed all alone. 20 years later, Mehmed became an officer, during the reign od the same sultan who had killed his father. Sultan Mehmed II ordered so, because of the remorse that had hounted him.
Suleiman the Magnificent is the most important sultan in the history of the Ottoman empire. Thanks to him, the turkish empire reached its top. The European historians called him The Great and The Magnificent, which was understandable, and the Ottoman historians called him The Legislator. He has been ruling for 46 years.
Sultan Suleiman was born in the first year of the tenth century by the islamic calendar. He belongs to ten greatest rulers of the world. He is the father of ten. He was blessed with ten virtues of a great ruler. He had ten secretaries of state, ten great scientists and poets and ten times ten cities and fortresses conquered. That way, he was the executor of the number ten. As soon as his rule began, he started the conquest of the world.