[Sancar O.]

Murad IV (1612 –1640) was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1623 to 1640, known both for restoring the authority of the state and for the brutality of his methods. He is considered as the last "Warrior Khan" of the Ottoman Empire. He led campaigns in front of his army and fought on the battlefield. His physical strength was phenomenal, which is described in detail on the books of Evliya Çelebi. He was especially known for his exceptional strength in wrestling - capable of fighting several opponents at the same time. His favorite weapon was a huge mace, which, according to legend, he wielded effortlessly with a single hand despite it reportedly weighed 60 kilograms, (which was probably a more of a weightlifting equipment similar to meels used in varzesh-e pahlavani). His weapons are today displayed at the Topkapi Palace Museum, intact and well preserved.

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[Sancar O.]

Mehmed II also known as Mehmed The Conquerer (30 March 1432 – 3 May 1481), was an Ottoman sultan who ruled from February 1451 to May 1481. At the age of 21, he conquered Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) and brought an end to the Byzantine Empire. Mehmed continued his conquests in Anatolia with its reunification, and in Southeast Europe as far west as Bosnia. Mehmed Khan was reputed fluent in several languages, including Turkish, Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, Greek and Latin, and was considered a great patron and protector of all arts and sciences.In his reign, mathematics, astronomy, and Muslim theology reached their highest level among the Ottomans. Mehmed himself was a poet writing under the name "Avni" and he left a collection of poems in the traditional style of classical Ottoman literature.

[Roger Hooper]

Two 17th century portraits by Tanzio Da Varallo