Solyman II

Solyman II., SOLIMAN, or SULEIMAN, "THE MAGNIFICENT," succeeded his father, Selim I., as Sultan of Turkey in 1520. Having made peace Wlth Persia and quelled a rising in Syria, he directed his army westward, captured Belgrade and Rhodes, and ultimately pushed on to the gates of Vienna (1529), whence, after three weeks' siege, he had to retreat. He attacked Venice, but ultimately came to terms with Charles V. in 1538. In 1534 he renewed war wlth Persia, took Tauris and Bagdad, but was beaten before conquering Yemen. Tunis and Algiers and parts of Greece were added to his empire. In 1540 he again invaded Hungary and annexed the greater portion of it. Responding to the invitation of Francis I., he sent a fleet under Barbarossa to co-operate with the French against Charles V. A second expedition to Persia in 1547 resulted in the conquest of Georgia. From 1552 to 1562 he was engaged in fresh hostilities against Hungary, and in 1565 he brought a great armament against Malta, failing to take the island. He died in 1566 at Szigeth whilst opening a new campaign against Hungary.