Ahmed Karahisari

Ahmed Karahisari (1468 to 1566), born Ahmed Semseddin in Karahisar and active for most of his life in Istanbul, is regarded as one of the three most significant calligraphers of Ottoman history. Rather than following the dominant contemporary style of Sheikh Hamdullah, he sought to revive the classical approach of the medieval Abbasid calligrapher Yaqut al-Mustasimi, and he became especially expert in the Thuluth and Naskh scripts. Serving in the imperial court of Suleiman the Magnificent, he produced some of the Ottoman palace's most impressive Quran manuscripts, including a celebrated Quran still preserved at Topkapi Palace, and his style was carried forward by devoted followers including his adopted son Hasan Celebi.