Suleiman the Magnificent
At the time of Suleiman's death, the Ottoman Empire was one of the world's foremost powers. Suleiman's conquests had brought under the control of the Empire major Muslim cities (such as Baghdad), many Balkan provinces (reaching present day Croatia and Hungary), and most of North Africa. His expansion into Europe had given the Ottoman Turks a powerful presence in the European balance of power. Indeed, such was the perceived threat of the Ottoman Empire under the reign of Suleiman that Austria's ambassador Busbecq warned of Europe's imminent conquest: "On [the Turks'] side are the resources of a mighty empire, strength unimpaired, habituation to victory, endurance of toil, unity, discipline, frugality and watchfulness ... Can we doubt what the result will be? ... When the Turks have settled with Persia, they will fly at our throats supported by the might of the whole East; how unprepared we are I dare not say." Suleiman's legacy was not, however, merely in the military field. The French traveler Jean de Thévenot bears witness a century later to the "strong agricultural base of the country, the well being of the peasantry, the abundance of staple foods and the pre-eminence of organization in Suleiman's government".
Ottoman wars in Asia
After the death of Uzun Hasan of Akkoyunlu, Ismail I of Safavid house began controlling Persia and East Anatolia. Sect differences between the two countries led to a war. In 1514 Selim I defeated Persian army in the Battle of Chaldiran and annexed most of East Anatolia. War continued during the reign of Suleyman I (the Magnificent) . Three of Suleyman’s campaigns were directed to Persia. (1534–35, 1548–49, 1553–55) The war ended by the Treaty of Amasya in 1555. Whole East Anatolia as well as mid and north Iraq became parts of the Ottoman Empire. Meanwhile, south Iraq fell voluntarily to Ottoman suzerainty. Ottomans annexed most of West Iran and Caucasus by the Treaty of Ferhat Pasha at the end of the renewed war of 1578-1590 during the reign of Murad III. But, after the attack of Shah Abbas of Persia, they had to abandon their 1590-gains by the Treaty of Nasuh Pasha in 1612 during the reign of Ahmed I. In 1623, Persians also captured Baghdad in mid Iraq, but Murad IV recaptured the city in 1639. At the end of the war the present western borderline of Iran was drawn by the Treaty of Zuhab.