Tughra: Everything You Need to Know About Ottoman Royal Seals
A single brushstroke could mean life or death in the Ottoman Empire. The Tughra—that elaborate calligraphic swirl you’ve seen on Turkish coins and palace walls—wasn’t just decorative art. It was the sultan’s absolute seal of authority, and forging one meant execution. The Tughra served as the official monogram of Ottoman sultans, inscribed at the top…