The Ottoman Empire During The Time Of Sultan Selim II

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• published: 27 Apr 2015
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As Muhtesem Yuzyil ended with the death of Sultan Suleyman and Sehzade Selim II becoming the new Ottoman Sultan in episode 139, not much is known about his life and rule afterwards... Therefore a brief summary of Sultan Selim II's rule. Sultan Selim II was the son of Sultan Suleyman The Magnificent and Hurrem Sultan, born in 28 march 1524 in Istanbul. Until Hurrem Sultan, the Harem Of the Sultan was always kept at the old palace, Sehzade Selim II spent his childhood until he was 6 in the old palace before moving to the Topkapi Palace with Hurrem Sultan and Suleyman the lawgiver in 1530. He was circumcised together with his halfbrother Sehzade Mustafa and Sehzade Mehmet. After having his royal education at the palace until the age of 16, he was sent as the governor of Konya, to learn about politics and rule. Two years later he was appointed as the governor of Saruhan, located in the Manisa province. which was considered to be the province of the Ottoman heir to the Sultan. In the fight for the Ottoman throne between the brothers he was never considered a serious candidate, but because of the leading up events he was left as the only heir to become the next unchallenged Ottoman Sultan. Upon the death of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent in Szigetvár he left Manisa for Istanbul to get the Ottoman throne. His first act as the Sultan was greet the army in Belgrade and leave for his fathers funeral. Fearing for a rebellion within the Ottoman army the death of Sultan Suleyman was kept a secret until the arrival of Sehzade Selim. When Selim arrived in Belgrade he announced to the Janissaries that Sultan Suleyman who ruled the Ottoman army for 46 years died and he took the throne. The news of Suleyman's death caused unrest within the army, but with the advice and leadership of Ottoman grandvizier Sokollu Mehmet Pasha, Selim was given the oath of loyalty and obedience by the army. Sultan Suleyman's prayer was held in Belgrade with the presence of an army larger than 100.000 Ottoman troops and Selim returned back to Istanbul. Sultan Selim II prevented rebellion and unrest within the army by increasing allowance for the army and state officials. For the first time in Ottoman history, the Ottoman scholars was added to the list of to receive allowence and was an Ottoman tradition since. During the rule of Sultan Selim II he left most of the politics and rule to his grandvizier Sokollu Mehmed Pasa, next to being his grandvizier he was also his son in law who gained importance during the last years of Sultan Suleyman. As Selim II did not like to be involved in state affairs and left many of the things to Sokollu, the Pasha became unrivalled during this era in his authority and political power. The prestige of the Ottoman empire was kept mostly in tact, the relations with the Austrian and Persian Empires were kept friendly and rebellions were subdued while the threat of the Portuguese empire grew and Selim helped the Indonesian Sultanate of Aceh against them by sending the Ottoman fleet. During his time he started working on the Volga–Don Canal project, conquered Tunis and Cyprus and restored order in many Ottoman provinces. Sultan Selim II was the first Sultan who did not join Ottoman wars, the Sultans after him followed in his example and left politics and state affairs to the viziers. He build many charities and mosques in Lefkosa, Istanbul, Edirne and Mekka, also in his time he decided that only the oldest Ottoman Sehzade would leave the palace as a governor. He favored keeping scholars, poets and religious men in his presence. Sultan Selim II died after falling and hitting his had in the hamam. After treatment did not help. he died 15 december 1974, his rule was 8 years and was finally burried in a tomb build at the Hagia Sophia mosque.