Ahmed III

Ahmed III was the son of Sultan Mehmed IV and Gülnuş Sultan, an ethnic Greek. He was born in 1673 in Hacıoğlu Pazarcık, in Dobruja. He received a traditional princely education in the Edirne Palace, studying the Qur’an, the hadiths, and the fundamentals of Islamic sciences, history, poetry and music. He was also an avid reader, skilled in calligraphy and knowledgeable on history and poetry. He succeeded to the throne in 1703, after his brother Mustafa II abdicated following a revolt by the janissaries. Ahmed III tried to appease the janissaries and appointed Çorlulu Ali Pasha as his grand vizier, who provided valuable assistance in administrative affairs and implemented new measures for the treasury. Ahmed III also cultivated good relations with England and France and afforded refuge at his court to Charles XII of Sweden after his defeat by Peter the Great of Russia in 1709. Ahmed III's reign is known as the Tulip Era, a period of peace, prosperity, and cultural flourishing. He commissioned the building of water claps, fountains, park waterfalls and three libraries, one inside the Topkapı Palace. He also supported the arts and sciences and patronized many poets, painters, architects, and scholars. He was a poet himself and wrote under the pen name Necib. He also encouraged the introduction of printing presses and the publication of books and newspapers. He initiated a series of reforms in the military, education, taxation, and trade systems, aiming to modernize the Ottoman state and society. He also tried to improve the relations with the non-Muslim subjects of the empire and granted them more rights and privileges. Ahmed III faced several challenges and conflicts during his reign, such as the Great Northern War, the Austro-Turkish War, the Ottoman–Persian War, and the Ottoman–Venetian War. He also had to deal with internal rebellions, such as the Patrona Halil uprising in 1730, which resulted in his deposition and imprisonment. He died in captivity in 1736 and was buried in the Tomb of Turhan Sultan, his grandmother, in Istanbul. He was succeeded by his nephew Mahmud I. Ahmed III is regarded as one of the most enlightened and reformist sultans of the Ottoman Empire. He left a lasting legacy in the fields of culture, art, literature, and architecture. He was also praised for his tolerance, generosity, and justice.