Turkish Persian romanized Allah Osman mosques Ottoman Empire Tulip era Turkish Ottoman Persia motif
Tulips are called lale in Turkish (from the Persian: لاله, romanized: laleh). When written in Arabic letters, lale has the same letters as Allah, which is why the flower became a holy symbol. It was also associated with the House of Osman, resulting in tulips being widely used in decorative motifs on tiles, mosques, fabrics, crockery, etc. in the Ottoman Empire. The tulip was seen as a symbol of abundance and indulgence. The era during which the Ottoman Empire was wealthiest is often called the Tulip era or Lale Devri in Turkish.
