Mehmed III

Mehmed III was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1595 until his death in 1603. He was the son of Murad III and Safiye Sultan, an Albanian from the Dukagjin Highlands. He was born at the Manisa Palace in 1566, during the reign of his great-grandfather, Suleiman the Magnificent. He spent most of his time in Manisa with his parents and his first teacher Ibrahim Efendi. He was circumcised on 29 May 1582 when he was 16 years old. He was well educated in science, literature, and military tactics. He was also fond of hunting and wrestling. Upon ascending to the throne, Mehmed III ordered that all of his nineteen brothers be executed. They were strangled by his royal executioners, many of whom were deaf, mute or 'half-witted' to ensure absolute loyalty. This was a common practice in the Ottoman dynasty to prevent civil wars among the princes. Mehmed III was the last sultan to personally lead his army in campaigns. He fought against the Habsburgs in Hungary and Transylvania, the Safavids in Persia, and the Celali rebels in Anatolia. He achieved some notable victories, such as the conquest of Eger in 1596 and the Battle of Keresztes in 1597, where he defeated a combined force of Austrians, Germans, Hungarians, Croats, and Wallachians. However, he also suffered some setbacks, such as the loss of Gyor in 1598 and Nikopol in 1599. He also faced several revolts and uprisings in his domains, such as the Jelali rebellions in Anatolia, the Uprising of the Three Viziers in Egypt, and the Cypriot Rebellion. He tried to suppress these rebellions with the help of his loyal viziers, such as Koca Sinan Pasha, Damat Ibrahim Pasha, and Lala Mehmed Pasha. Mehmed III was an idle ruler, leaving the government to his mother Safiye Sultan, the valide sultan. She was a powerful and influential figure in the Ottoman court, and she often interfered in the affairs of the state. She also favored her son-in-law Damat Ibrahim Pasha, who was the grand vizier and the husband of her daughter Ayşe Sultan. She built many mosques, schools, hospitals, and fountains in the empire, and she also sponsored trade and diplomacy with foreign powers, such as England, France, and Venice. She was also a patron of arts and culture, and she supported many poets, musicians, and scholars. However, she was also resented by many people for her lavish spending, corruption, and nepotism. She was eventually removed from power by Mehmed's son and successor, Ahmed I, who confined her to the Old Palace in 1604. Mehmed III died on 22 December 1603 at the age of 37. According to one source, the cause of his death was the distress caused by the death of his son, Şehzade Mahmud. According to another source, he died either of plague or of stroke. He was buried in Hagia Sophia Mosque, where he had built a mausoleum for himself and his family. He was succeeded by his son Ahmed I as the new sultan. Mehmed III was a controversial ruler, who was praised for his military achievements and his patronage of arts and culture, but also criticized for his cruelty, indolence, and incompetence. He left behind a mixed legacy for the Ottoman Empire, which was facing both internal and external challenges in the 17th century.