On This Day

Suleiman the Magnificent succeeds his father, Selim I, as Ottoman Sultan and rules until 1566

Suleiman I (6 November 1494 – 6 September 1566), commonly known as Suleiman the Magnificent, was the Ottoman sultan from 1520 to 1566.

Suleiman I (6 November 1494 – 6 September 1566), commonly known as Suleiman the Magnificent, was the Ottoman sultan from 1520 to 1566. The longest-reigning Ottoman sultan, his rule brought about a notable peak in the Ottoman Empire's economic, military and political power, and raised the number of the empire's subjects to at least 25 million people. After succeeding his father Selim I on 30 September 1520, Suleiman began his reign by launching military campaigns against the Christian powers of Central and Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean; Belgrade fell to him in 1521 and Rhodes in 1522–1523, and at Mohács in 1526, Suleiman broke the strength of the Kingdom of Hungary. Hungary was subsequently divided, with much of it incorporated directly into the empire.

Historical Significance

Suleiman I (6 November 1494 – 6 September 1566), commonly known as Suleiman the Magnificent, was the Ottoman sultan from 1520 to 1566.

Key People

Events Before

  1. Hernán Cortés leaves Cuba for the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico, with 11 ships and 500 men

    Hernán Cortés leaves Cuba for the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico, with 11 ships and 500 men

  2. King Carlos I is elected Holy Roman Emperor Charles V

    Charles V (24 February 1500 – 21 September 1558) was Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria from 1519 to 1556, King of Spain (as Charles I) from 1516 to 1556, King of Sicily and Naples from 1516...

  3. Public debate between Martin Luther and theologian Johann Eck at Pleissenburg Castle in Liepzig, during which Luther den

    Public debate between Martin Luther and theologian Johann Eck at Pleissenburg Castle in Liepzig, during which Luther denies the divine right of the Pope

  4. Francisco Pizarro receives a royal charter for the west coast of South America

    Francisco Pizarro receives a royal charter for the west coast of South America

  5. Spanish expedition led by Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan sets off on the first successful circumnavigation of t

    Spanish expedition led by Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan sets off on the first successful circumnavigation of the globe (Magellan is killed en route)

Events After

  1. Martin Luther is excommunicated by Pope Leo X from the Roman Catholic Church for refusing to recant parts of his Ninety-

    Martin Luther is excommunicated by Pope Leo X from the Roman Catholic Church for refusing to recant parts of his Ninety-Five Theses, which started the Protestant Reformation

  2. Holy Roman Emperor Charles V opens the Diet of Worms in Worms, Germany, which lasts until May 25 and produces the "Edict

    Holy Roman Emperor Charles V opens the Diet of Worms in Worms, Germany, which lasts until May 25 and produces the "Edict of Worms" denouncing Martin Luther

  3. Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan reaches the Philippines, landing on Homonhon Island after crossing the Pacific O

    Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan reaches the Philippines, landing on Homonhon Island after crossing the Pacific Ocean

  4. Spanish conquistadors led by Hernán Cortés capture Aztec Emperor Cuauhtémoc in Tenochtitlan, bringing the Aztec Empire t

    Spanish conquistadors led by Hernán Cortés capture Aztec Emperor Cuauhtémoc in Tenochtitlan, bringing the Aztec Empire to an end

  5. Inquisitor-General Adrian Boeyens bans Lutheran books

    Inquisitor-General Adrian Boeyens bans Lutheran books

More from the 1520s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on September 30, 1520?
Suleiman I (6 November 1494 – 6 September 1566), commonly known as Suleiman the Magnificent, was the Ottoman sultan from 1520 to 1566. The longest-reigning Ottoman sultan, his rule brought about a notable peak in the Ottoman Empire's economic, military and political power, and raised the number of the empire's subjects to at least 25 million people. After succeeding his father Selim I on 30 September 1520, Suleiman began his reign by launching military campaigns against the Christian powers of Central and Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean; Belgrade fell to him in 1521 and Rhodes in 1522–1523, and at Mohács in 1526, Suleiman broke the strength of the Kingdom of Hungary.
Why is Suleiman the Magnificent succeeds his father, Selim I, as Ottoman Sultan and ... significant?
Suleiman I (6 November 1494 – 6 September 1566), commonly known as Suleiman the Magnificent, was the Ottoman sultan from 1520 to 1566.
Who was involved in Suleiman the Magnificent succeeds his father, Selim I, as Ottoman Sultan and ...?
Key figures include Suleiman the Magnificent.

Explore More