Suleiman the Magnificent

Suleiman the Magnificent is rightfully considered the most powerful sultan of the Ottoman Empire and at the same time its only ruler who received wide recognition in European popular culture. This was largely due to his beautiful wife Roxelana, who is attributed with the most diverse ethnic origins. It was during Suleiman's reign that the Turkish Empire reached its maximum military power and territorial expansion, and its ruler became widely known. Suleiman was close to making the Mediterranean Sea a "Turkish lake," and he did so with the Black and Azov Seas. He also organized the internal management of the empire, which earned him the title "Kanuni" from his contemporaries, which translates from Turkish as "lawgiver," as under him the codification of Turkish law took place.