OTTOMAN IMPERIAL MOSQUES
Ottoman sultans or members of the imperial dynasty commissioned these monumental complexes. They were usually constructed as külliye, multi-functional complexes centred on a mosque, surrounded by madrasas, kitchens, baths and other charitable institutions serving the community.
The great imperial architect Mimar Sinan, master architect of the Ottoman Empire for nearly 50 years, designed many of the still-standing külliye in Istanbul. He set the standard for mosque and complex architecture.
Imperial mosques were also built in other Ottoman cities, including Bursa, Edirne, Konya, Amasya, Manisa and even Damascus.
BLUE MOSQUE
Undoubtedly, the majestic Sultan Ahmed Mosque – better known as the Blue Mosque – is the most renowned of all Ottoman imperial mosques. Standing directly opposite Hagia Sophia, it presents a breath-taking site in the very centre of old Istanbul.
Sultan Ahmed I ordered its construction to reaffirm Ottoman power following the Peace of Zsitvatorok and the heavy losses of the 1603 – 1618 Ottoman – Safavid war. Unlike his predecessors, Sultan Murad III and Sultan Mehmed III, who never built their own mosques, Ahmed’s project became the first imperial mosque since Sultan Selim II’s foundations in Edirne and Konya.
Its strategic placement on the south-eastern edge of the former Byzantine Hippodrome allows the mosque to dominate Istanbul’s skyline. The prominent location, vast dimensions and six minarets all underscore Sultan Ahmed’s ambition to rival or even surpass Hagia Sophia.
Completed in 1617 by the architect Sedefkar Mehmed Agha, the mosque drew inspiration from Hagia Sophia, as well as the works of his master, Mimar Sinan. It is regarded as the final great mosque of the classical Ottoman architectural era.
Traditionally, Ottoman sultans funded monumental mosque complexes with the spoils of war. However, Sultan Ahmed I, lacking major military victories, financed this costly project directly from the treasury. This provoked criticism from the ulema (Islamic scholars), who even forbade Muslims from praying in the mosque at first.
Despite such opposition, the Blue Mosque soon became one of Istanbul’s most beloved religious monuments. It even gave its name to the surrounding district – Sultanahmet.
The mosque’s interior is decorated with thousands of predominantly blue Iznik tiles, which inspired its popular name. While the lower walls and galleries are richly tiled, the galleries themselves are generally inaccessible to tourists. I have never seen them open in all my visits.
The Blue Mosque is one of only five mosques in Turkey with six minarets.
SULTAN AHMED MAUSOLEUM
Adjacent to it lies the mausoleum of Sultan Ahmed I. Its construction began in 1619, after his death, and was completed by his son, Sultan Osman II.
As seen in the mausoleum today, many members of the Ottoman dynasty are buried there. The most notable are Sultan Ahmed I, Sultan Osman II, Sultan Murad IV and the influential Kösem Sultan.
SULTAN AHMED I
Sultan Ahmed I ruled from 1603 to 1617. He was the son of Sultan Mehmed III and Handan Sultan. His reign is remembered above all for the construction of the Blue Mosque.
It also marked a turning point in Ottoman tradition, as he was the first sultan to break the long-standing practice of fratricide. Before him, new rulers executed their brothers to secure the throne.
For example, when Ahmed’s grandfather, Sultan Murad III, died in 1595, his father, Sultan Mehmed III, became sultan and ordered execution of 19 of his brothers. He also executed Ahmed’s older brother, Şehzade Mahmud, who is buried at the Şehzade Mosque.
Ahmed’s decision not to kill his half-brother Şehzade Mustafa allowed for succession continuity after his death in 1617. Ultimately, three of Ahmed’s sons – Osman II, Murad IV and Ibrahim – became sultans.
Sultan Ahmed’s legacy endures worldwide because of the Blue Mosque.
SULTAN OSMAN II
Sultan Osman II, Ahmed’s son with Mahfiruz Hatun, reigned only from 1618 to 1622. By this time, the Janissaries, provincial leaders and ulema had gained immense influence, reducing the sultan’s role to a largely ceremonial one. For example, when Sultan Mustafa I proved unfit to rule, the chief harem eunuch Mustafa Agha deposed him within three months.
Attempting to curb Janissary power, Osman II closed their coffeehouses that became breeding grounds for dissent. This triggered a revolt that began with the murder of the chief harem eunuch, Suleiman Agha. The Janissaries then arrested Osman II, imprisoned him in Yedikule Fortress and executed him. They cut off his ears as proof for Sultan Mustafa I and Halime Sultan.
Sultan Osman II was the first Ottoman sultan killed by his own Janissaries.
SULTAN MURAD IV
Sultan Murad IV, another son of Sultan Ahmed I and Kösem Sultan, ruled from 1623 to 1640. He ascended the throne at the age of 11, after the second deposition of Sultan Mustafa I. In fact, his mother governed as regent until he assumed full authority in 1623.
Murad IV restored state authority with ruthless methods. His reign is most remembered for the Ottoman – Safavid war, which resulted in the partition of the Caucasus between the two empires for nearly two centuries. In 1638, the Ottomans conquered Azerbaijan and captured Tabriz, Hamadan and Baghdad, establishing borders between the Ottoman and Safavid empires similar to today’s Iraq – Iran border.
Murad IV died in 1640 at the age of 27 from cirrhosis. Although he allegedly ordered his brother Ibrahim’s execution on his deathbed, Ibrahim survived and later ruled, preventing the end of the dynasty.
KÖSEM SULTAN
Kösem Sultan, one of the most powerful women in Ottoman history, wielded immense influence during and after her sons’ reigns.
Originally brought to the palace as a slave, she became Sultan Ahmed I’s favourite consort and later his legal wife.
Upon his death, she assumed the title Valide Sultan as the mother of Sultan Murad IV and Sultan Ibrahim, governing the empire with authority for many years.
BLUE MOSQUE – TOURISTIC NIGHTMARE
A visit to Istanbul is incomplete without seeing the Blue Mosque, it is truly a must. Yet, it is also one of those sites that many wish they could avoid because of overwhelming crowds. As shown in the photo, long queues form outside from early morning and the flow of tourists continues throughout the day.
Inside, visitors pack the the vast prayer hall, making it difficult to experince the spiritual atmosphere of a sacred place. Unlike other grand mosques outside of the main tourist circuit, here the sheer volume of people diminishes the sense of sanctity.
But, perhaps, this is the price that every great monument pays for its beauty, historical significance and worldwide fame.
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