Ottoman Rule in 16th Century Jerusalem

The Reign and Legacy of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent in Al Quds

Mar 18, 2009

When Ottoman Sultan, Selim I appeared, with an army, at the gates of Jerusalem in 1517 he was welcomed by the Ulama who peacefully presented him with the keys to the city

Selim's arrival meant that Jerusalem (Al Quds) once again had new masters with Mamluk rule giving way to the all-conquering Ottoman Empire.

Ottoman Empire

The fortunes of the Ottoman Empire, motivated and sustained by Islamic values, had ebbed and flowed since Osman at the end of the 13th century became the leader of a group that evolved to become the Ottoman Turks.

The Ottomans with their Janissaries, an elite force of soldiers unusually for the time part of a standing army, brought order to Jerusalem and the wider Palestine; dealing swiftly with the Bedouin who had terrorised travellers on the roads leading to and from Jerusalem.

Selim introduced administrative order, dividing Palestine into three districts: Jerusalem, Nablus and Gaza, which in turn formed the province of Damascus.

However make no mistake, Selim was no benevolent leader of men; he was a man of ruthless and brutal ambition with a determination to hang on to power at all costs.

Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent

If Selim brought initial stability, his son known by Europeans as Sultan Suleiman “The Magnificent”(1520-1566) and by the Ottomans as “The Lawgiver”, brought the authority and resources of an expanding and wealthy empire which, during his lifetime, extended over large parts of Eastern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.

With Suleiman came a flowering of cultural pursuits, his Golden Age brought new developments in painting, calligraphy and exciting and innovative work with ceramics and textiles.

Dome of the Rock

Building and architectural revitalisation grew steadily, particularly on and close to the Al-Haram-al-Sharif (Temple Mount). It included restoration work to the Dome of the Rock, one of Islam’s holiest places. Essential services were not ignored as repair work and new construction meant the city’s water supply was protected.

New mosques, madrasahs (religious schools) and other public buildings appeared, dramatically changing and enhancing the city’s topography.

Jerusalem Defences

In 1536 Suleiman, fearful of a new Crusade, ordered the defences of Jerusalem to be strengthened. The wall, which completely encircled the city was rebuilt, increasing in height to over forty feet. Thirty-four towers and seven gates were included in its two-mile length. When the work was finished in 1541 the city was properly fortified for the first time in nearly three centuries.

With security and stability came a growing commercial appetite, trade developed and improvements in farming were noticed throughout the region. As residents, Muslim, Jewish and Christian, sensed an opportunity, not available during the Mamluk hegemony, an increasing number of street markets appeared in the city offering more choice for the ordinary citizen.

Although prices rose, living standards rose in line with them. Trading groups were established and new manufacturing industries grew, among them textiles, soap and leather.

Levels of production and demand from other parts of the Empire meant an increase of exports from the city and surrounding area. As exports flowed out, imports of previously unavailable items arrived in the city.

The Jewish population, particularly in the south of the city, grew and enjoyed a certain measure of freedom under Suleiman. Writer Karen Armstrong argues that the: “Law courts protected Jews and accepted their testimony; the autonomy of the Jewish community was both encouraged and protected by the Ottoman officials.”

The reign of Suleiman is recognised by historians as the pinnacle of Ottoman achievement but his death, the reign of his son Selim II and European colonial expansion saw the sun slowly dip on this Golden Age of Ottoman rule.

Susan Yalman, The Age of Suleiman “the Magnificent” Dept of Education Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jewish Virtual Library, Ottoman Rule 1517 – 1917, originally sourced from Israeli Foreign Ministry

The copyright of the article Ottoman Rule in 16th Century Jerusalem in Ottoman Empire is owned by Neil Gunn. Permission to republish Ottoman Rule in 16th Century Jerusalem in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.