Ahmed I

Ahmed I was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1603 to 1617. He was the son of Mehmed III and Handan Sultan, and the grandson of Murad III. He ascended the throne at the age of 13, after his father's death. He broke the tradition of fratricide by sparing the life of his brother Mustafa, who later became his successor. He was known for his religious tolerance, his patronage of arts and architecture, and his construction of the Blue Mosque, one of the most famous mosques in Turkey. He also reformed the judicial system, the army, and the treasury. He married Kösem Sultan and Mahfiruz Hatun, and had 11 children, three of whom became sultans after him. He died of typhus in 1617, and was buried in the Sultan Ahmed Mosque. He was succeeded by his brother Mustafa I, who was deposed by his son Osman II.