Origins & Early Life

Sheikh Hamdullah (1436–1520) (Turkish: Şeyh Hamdullah), born in Amasya, Ottoman Empire, was a master of Islamic calligraphy. Sheikh Hamdullah was born in Amasya, a north-central town in Anatolia. His father, Mustafa Dede, was a Sheikh of the Suhrawardi order, and had migrated from Bukhara (in present-day Uzbekistan) to Anatolia. In Amasya, he studied the six scripts under the tutelage of Hayreddin Mar'asi.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He learned the traditional method of the old masters, but struggled to reproduce it. While studying, he met Bâyezïd, the son of Sultan Mehmed, the Conqueror who was a fellow student, and the pair became friends. When Bâyezïd assumed the throne in 1481, following his father's death, he invited his friend, Sheikh Hamdullah, to the capital, Istanbul. Hamdullah went on to become a master calligrapher at the Imperial Palace. In 1485, Bâyezïd II acquired seven works by the great calligrapher, Yaqut al-Musta'simi.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Bâyezïd then encouraged his court calligrapher, Hamdullah, to devise a new script, inspired by the acquisition. Hamdullah regarded al-Musta'simi's work as unsurpassable, but at Bâyezïd's insistence, Hamdullah reluctantly agreed. Scholars have suggested that...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros — Contemporary (Born in 1436) (1436): Spanish cardinal, statesman, and religious reformer who shaped the Spanish Renaissance.
• Judah Loew ben Bezalel — Contemporary (Born in 1520) (1520): A pivotal Czech Kabbalist, Talmudic scholar, and philosopher of the late 16th century.
• Moctezuma II — Contemporary (Died in 1520) (1520): Ninth Emperor of the Aztec Empire, reigning until the Spanish conquest.
• Pedro Álvares Cabral — Contemporary (Died in 1520) (1520): Portuguese explorer credited with the discovery of Brazil and major voyages to India.
• Pier Gerlofs Donia — Historical peer (Died in 1520) (1520): Legendary Frisian rebel, pirate, and warrior known as Grutte Pier.
• Raphael — Historical peer (Died in 1520) (1520): Master painter and architect of the High Renaissance, celebrated for Neoplatonic ideals.
• Mehmed II — Historical peer (Died in 1481) (1481): The Conqueror Sultan who ended the Byzantine Empire and centralized the Ottoman state.
• Hernán Cortés — Historical peer (Born in 1485) (1485): Spanish conquistador who caused the fall of the Aztec Empire in the early 16th century.
• John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk — Historical peer (Died in 1485) (1485): English nobleman, soldier, and politician, first Duke of Norfolk.
• 1436 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1436
• 1520 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1520