Suleiman the Magnificent

About Suleiman the Magnificent

Suleiman I, often known as Suleiman the Magnificent, was the tenth Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, reigning from 1520 until his death in 1566. During his long tenure, he oversaw the zenith of Ottoman power, significantly expanding the empire's territory into the Balkans, North Africa, and the Middle East. His reign was characterized by major legal reforms, sponsoring large-scale architectural projects, and promoting the arts and sciences, which solidifies his #66 ranking in MIT's Historical Popularity Index among approximately 15,000 figures.

Despite this profound historical importance, Suleiman's modern digital footprint is comparatively modest. In 2025, his Wikipedia page garnered 1.3 million annualized views. This places him in a surprisingly equal position regarding his online attention compared to his historical weight, reflected in his ~1x Attention Gap score. For contrast, contemporary politician Edward VIII (#142 importance) received over three times as many views at 4.1 million, demonstrating a significant disconnect where a figure with less than one-tenth the historical rank commands substantially more internet attention.

Looking at short-term trends, his viewership experienced a slight decline in 2025, with a -4.5% year-over-year change and a -7% drop in momentum between Q1 and Q3, suggesting a slow erosion of his presence on the internet.