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Selim 2
(1524- 1574) Ottoman sultan 1566-1574.
Selim was a ruler who managed to bring peace to the empire after the many wars during his father's regime. He had a peace treaty with Austria signed, giving him stronger control over European territories. And he had friendly relations with the Safavid ruler of Persia, who had been enemies of earlier sultans.
Yet, he is considered to be a rather weak sultan, as he gave his grand vizier more influence and preferred to indulge in carnal pleasures. He was reportedly weak towards the manipulations from the women of his harem. He was also unable to control the Janissaries who were growing into a state inside the state, and were no longer the sultan's loyal soldiers, which had been the intention of the Janissaries from the start.
Biography
1524 May: Born as son of sultan Süleyman 1.
1566: Following the death of his father, Selim becomes sultan.
1568: A peace treaty is signed with Austria, giving the Ottoman Empire strenghtened rule over Moldavia and Walachia.
1570: A revolt in Yemen is suppressed.
1571: The Ottoman Empire conquers Cyprus, but this resulted in a Christian alliance of the Pope, Italian states and Spain, which marches against the empire.
— 1571 October 7: The Christian alliance defeats the Ottoman fleet at the Battle of Lepanto. While the immediate results of this loss were small, this battle is a miletone, representing a turn in the power balance between the Christian states and the Ottoman Empire. Gradually, Europe would from now on represent the strongest force on the battle ground.
1572: Tunisia is lost to Spanish troops.
1573: A new Ottoman fleet forces Venice to recognize Ottoman hegemony in the Mediterrranena Sea.
1574: Tunisia is recaptured by the Ottomans.
— December: Dies in Istanbul.
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By: Tore Kjeilen
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