Sultan Murat 4

When Osman II was murdered Mustafa I re-held the throne. Unfortunately the ill-minded sultan was not able to govern the empire, therefore, was replaced by Murat IV in 1623 when he was twelve years old.

Murat IV was influenced by the strong character of his mother, Kosem Mahpeyker Sultan and the vizier Ali Pasha until he became mature. During the first years of his reign, he had to deal with the inner and vassal state revolts.

Abazha Mehmet Pasha Revolt (1624)

Erzurum governor (Beylerbeyi) Abazha Mehmet Pasha revolted in order to take the revenge of Osman II’s murder. He was controlled by the vizier Cerkez Mehmet Pasha after the struggle around Kayseri. However, he revolted for the second time and was taken to Istanbul by Vizier Husrev Pasha. Murat IV, influenced by Abazha Mehmet Pasha’s abilities in fighting and his courage, excused and positioned him as the Bosnia Governor (Beylerbeyi).

Iran Wars (1623)

Safevids, advantaged by the revolts in the Ottoman lands and the Ottoman-Austria wars, captured Baghdad and the wars continued seventeen years. Murat IV conducted two campaigns to Iran. In 1635 he reached to Revan through Erzurum and Kars, conquered Revan. He also took the Ottoman Ahiska from Safevids. However, Revan was occupied by Safevids after Murat IV’s return to Istanbul. As the consequence, Murat IV decided to capture Baghdad. The Ottoman Army under the command of Murat IV Baghdad was besieged and was conquered in 1638, which ended the Iran wars with “The Treaty of Kasr-i Sirin” (1639)

According to the treaty;

Baghdad relinquished to Ottomans.

Revan and Azerbaijan were ceded to Safevids.

The mountains of Zagros accepted as the border between the parties.

Caucasus was parted to both parties.

The treaty is important as its being the beginning of the peace period for long time and the border is the source of today’s Turkish-Iran border.

The revolutionist Murat IV was reputed with his cruelness and strong character. He killed nearly 100.000 opponents in order to stop the corruption.

Even he banned the alcohol and took effective measures for punishment, he had the tendency.

Murat IV murdered his brothers Kasim and Bayezid except Ibrahim(insane). Before his death he decided to kill Ibrahim as well but was prevented by his mother, Kosem Sultan, who was in fear of losing the control of the throne.

IBRAHIM I (Insane) (1640-1648)

Being caged in the palace during the reign of Murat IV, Ibrahim I had already lost his control of mind with the fear of murdering when he ascended the throne. He was totally controlled by his mother, Mahpeyker Kosem Sultan who also directed the government and dominated the affairs with the Janissaries’ support. The intrigues of the viziers and the palace women corrupted the empire and the twenty four-year Ottoman-Venetian wars started during the reign of Ibrahim I.

Ibrahim I was imprisoned and replaced by his 7 year-old son Mehmet IV. Kosem Sultan and Vizier Sofu Mehmet Pasha decided the murder of Ibrahim I in order to guarantee the new throne and forced the child sultan Mehmet IV to choke his father to death with a Ferman (imperial decree) in 1648.

MEHMET IV (1648-1687)

Enthroned at the age of seven, Mehmet IV reigned as the second longest after Sultan Suleyman I (Lawgiver). The governance of the empire was in the hands of Kosem Sultan during his childhood which was ended by her execution in 1651 by the order of Turhan Sultan, the mother of Mehmet IV.