Süleyman's Pilgrimage to Eyüp, from the History of Sultan Süleyman

Süleyman's Pilgrimage to Eyüp Shrine, from the History of Sultan Süleyman by Sayyid Luqman.
The Ottoman court historian Luqman composed this versified account of Süleyman the Magnificent's last seven years, describing events in the capital Istanbul, as well as the sultan's many military campaigns abroad. In this scene, the elderly Süleyman enters the Eyüp shrine just outside Istanbul, to pray at the sacred tomb complex of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, one of the Prophet's Companions. The sultan's entourage of three pages stand behind him, while his janissary soldiers wait outside the shrine walls.
Sayyid Luqman was continuing the Ottoman dynastic chronicles established by his two immediate predecessors: Eflatun and before him the renowned court historian `Arif. `Arif composed the multi-volume Shahnama-yi Al-i Osman (Book of Kings of the House of Osman): Luqman’s work (CBL T 413) carefully follows this work’s form in language and general layout. `Arif also worked on two other important accounts of the Ottoman sultan, Mujmal al-Tumar (imperial scroll, 1584) and Hüner-nama (begun 1577), which were completed by his two court successors.
Detached folio, ink, pigments and gold on paper, Persian verses with full-page painting (on recto), Istanbul, Turkey, 1579.