sultan

Definition

A Muslim sovereign or ruler, typically of a large empire or regional territory; historically associated with Ottoman, Mamluk, and other Islamic dynasties.

Example Usage

The Sultan of Brunei maintains significant political and religious authority in the contemporary Southeast Asian monarchy.

Origin

From Arabic 'sulṭān', related to the verb 'salata' (to have power), entering European languages through medieval trade and contact with Islamic empires.

Fun Fact

The term 'sultana' denotes either the wife of a sultan or a ruling female sultan, though female sultans were rare in Islamic history until the Ottoman Empire.

Source: Definition backfill (hailey)

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wtfiuwy

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