Historical and archaeological data for integrated environmental historical analyses on the moat profile of the türbe complex of Sultan Suleiman I at Szigetvár - Turbék Wineyard Hill site (Hungary)

Abstract

Sultan Suleiman I the Magnificent (1526–1566) died during the siege of Szigetvár in 1566 (between 1 and 2 a.m. on 7th September 1566) in his imperial tent 4.5 kilometers from the castle, on the vineyard hill of Szigetvár – Turbék, Hungary. Later, around 1575 a makam türbe (memorial mausoleum) with a mosque and a dervish lodge was built on the place of his death; the complex was protected by a palisade and surrounded by a deep moat. The layout of the complex was drawn by Count Pál Esterházy (1635–1713) (later palatine and imperial prince) in 1664, during the Winter Campaign. Part of the memorial site and the adjoining small town (Turkish name: Türbe kasabası) burnt down in 1688, most of the buildings were removed by 1691, and by 1693 only the remains of the mausoleum’s wall were left standing, which were soon pulled down. Later the area was used for agricultural purposes, with fields, orchards, gardens, and vineyards. The türbe and other associated buildings were covered with a layer of rubble from the demolition and soil. The significant site was identified in 2014 and was excavated by remote sensing, geophysical, geological, and archaeological investigations between 2015 and 2019.