English: [The mosque] It was commissioned by Kara Ahmet Paşa (‘Black Ahmet’), a Grand Vizir (and brother-in-law) of Süleyman the Magnificent. He was married to Fatma Sultan, a daughter of Süleyman’s father Selim I.

The building works started in 1555 (shortly before Ahmet Paşa died), and finished three years later under supervision of Rüstem Paşa, another Grand Vizier (and a son-in-law) of sultan Süleyman. The courtyard north of the mosque has a large şadırvan (fountain for ritual ablutions) in its center; it is surrounded by a medrese, with cells for the students and a dershane (main classroom). The türbe (mausoleum) of Kara Ahmet Paşa (built 1558) stands next to the mosque. Info from J.M.Criel, Antwerpen. Sources: ‘Türkiye Tarihi Yerler Kılavuzu’ – M.Orhan Bayrak, Inkılâp Kitabevi, Istanbul, 1994

Concerning these tiles the Strolling through Istanbul guidebook indicates these are "… done in the old cuerda seca technique. They the latest reported examples of the second period of the Iznik potteries, the only other important examples being in the türbe of the Şehzade and the fine series of panels in the mosque of Sultan Selim. A few more such panels, but with blue and white inscriptions, will be found inside the mosque on the east wall.”