Ibrahim Pasha
Ibrahim 1495-1536
Suleiman and Ibrahim were young childhood friends. Although Suleiman was a heir of his father, Selim I, and was next in line for the throne, he still was great friends with this Christian slave child that was most likely captured after the 1499-1503 Ottoman-Venetian War. As Suleiman took the throne, he placed Ibrahim first as the royal falconer, then the Royal Bedchamber, and then he moved him up to become the Grand Vizier as well as the Beylerbey of Rumelia. At the beginning of his job, he was a trustworthy and diligent worker. He led many successful military campaigns and created many deals with other regions. But soon into his years of work, Ibrahim became narcissistic and even started referring to himself as the Sultan. Suleiman' says wife did not like this lack in control and she started rumors saying that Ibrahim was planning to take Suleiman's crown with the Persians' help, and at this, Suleiman ordered the death of his longtime friend. Even though they did not end on good terms, there is no doubt that Ibrahim was one of Suleiman's most important advisors, and he worked diligently to expand the empire at the beginning of his job as the Grand Vizier. |
Bâkî
Bâḳî (1526 – 1600)
Bâḳî (Mahmud Abdülbâkî) is a famous poet in the Ottoman Empire. People called him "Sultan of Poets" because his works were very admired. The fact that he lived during the period of the Ottoman Empire when many forms of the arts flourished aided him greatly. He grew up in a poor family in Constantinople. Bâḳî attended an Islam school in secret before his parents eventually allowed him to go to a formal school. His interest for poetry stemmed from school. Bâḳî learned from the most well known lecturers of that time period. He became a teacher before his poetry gained enough fame to pursue that as a career. A famous work by Bâḳî: Mersiye-i Hazret-i Süleymân Hân |