The Place and Importance of the Tughra Form In Turkish Calligraphy with the Example of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the tuğra form, an important element of Ottoman calligraphy, in terms of its place in Turkish calligraphy, historical development, usage areas, and design features. In this context, it is emphasized that the significance of the tuğra goes beyond its function in official documents, serving as an art piece reflecting the artistic sensibilities of its era. Tughras are typically designed in a curved form consisting of the sere, beyze, tuğ, and hançer parts, including the name of the sultan, his father's name, and the phrase "el muzaffer daima." The composition and ornamentation of this text depend on the skills of the artisans of the era and the opulence of the reign. The earliest curved tughra examples that can be found are seen in documents of the Great Seljuk Empire. Later, the use of tughras continued in the Anatolian Seljuks and the Ottoman Empire. Officially, the use of tughras ended on November 1, 1922, with the abolition of the monarchy. The tughra served as a title in official correspondence in the Ottoman state and represented the sultan's signature and the seal of the state. As such, tughras appeared on official documents such as orders, decrees, land deeds, diplomas, as well as on coins, stamps, registration books, dynastic emblems, flags, and official architectural monuments. Additionally, calligraphy works in the form of tughras were created with verses from the Quran, prayers, the Basmala, hadiths, aphorisms, and personal names. The tughra of Ottoman Sultan Orhan Bey, which included the names of "Orhan and his father Osman," laid the foundation for all Ottoman tughra designs. In this study, the tughra of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, produced in the Istanbul Palace Workshop during the 16th century, which is considered the brightest period of the Ottoman Empire, was examined. This tughra, currently on display at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, was analyzed in terms of its text, calligraphy design, composition features, and illumination patterns. The tughra's design features prominently include the use of gold and navy blue. Illumination patterns feature saz-style dagger leaves, double tahrir-style hatayi designs, stylized carnations, and cloud motifs. Due to these design characteristics, it is believed that the tughra was created in the style of Kara Memi, the chief illuminator of the era.As a result of the research, it was concluded that tughras were not limited to being merely official documents but also represented significant art pieces that reflected the artistic sensibilities of their time.