Final answer:
The title “Suleyman Kanuni” signifies Suleiman the Magnificent's role as a lawmaker who unified and reformed the Ottoman legal system, creating a secular legal code to supplement Islamic sharia that strengthened state administration and lasted for centuries.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term “Kanuni” associated with Suleiman signifies his role as a significant lawmaker. He was known among the Ottomans as “Suleyman Kanuni,” or Suleiman the Lawgiver, for his comprehensive overhaul of the Ottoman legal system. Suleiman enacted kanun, laws that had a secular nature and addressed areas not covered by the Islamic sharia, such as taxation and administrative matters.
During Suleiman the Magnificent's reign, he reviewed and unified these laws for the empire, resulting in a legal code that remained in effect for three centuries. Through these reforms, he earned a reputation for caring about his people and ensuring that laws complied with Islamic principles. His legal codes were also closely associated with the efforts for centralization and strengthening of the state apparatus.
The monumentality of Suleiman's legal reforms was such that it overshadowed other aspects of his reign, such as his military exploits, where Suleiman expanded the empire into Europe and solidified its control in the Mediterranean, or his patronage of the arts and sciences that saw advancements in fields like astronomy and medicine.
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