Rustem Pasha

Rustem Pasha was also known as Damat (son-in-law in Turkish) because he married sultan Süleyman's daughter. His exact date of birth in the 16th century and the location is unknown. Sources provide different dates and locations for Rüstem pasha; it's believed that he was born in a village in Bosnia, most probably in Butmir or Skradin.

As a young child he was brought to Istanbul, capital of the Ottoman Empire back then, and studied to be a future servant for the Ottoman state. He became the governor (Beylerbeyi) of Diyarbakir in 1539. He promoted fast as he married Mihrimah Sultan, daughter of sultan Suleyman the Magnificent, and he became a vizier first and then the grand vizier of the sultan in 1544. He served for 15 years at the palace, until he died on 10th of July 1561 and was buried in his mausoleum in the courtyard of Sehzade mosque in Istanbul.

Rüstem Pasha was clever and had a business-oriented mind. He owned land and many buildings, collected rents from these, and became very rich. Actually it's said that he was the richest person after the sultans. He had caravanserais, hammams, madrasas and mosques built for his name. Rüstem Pasha mosque in Istanbul has the best example of Ottoman tiles and art.