Selim III

Enlightened Ottoman Sultan who championed military and governmental reforms.

Chronology: 1761-12-24 – 1808-07-29

Origins & Early Life

Selim III (Ottoman Turkish: سليم ثالث, romanized: Selim-i sâlis; Turkish: III. Selim; 24 December 1761 – 28 July 1808) was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1789 to 1807. Regarded as an enlightened ruler, he was eventually deposed and imprisoned by the Janissaries, who placed his cousin Mustafa on the throne as Mustafa IV (r. 1807–1808).

Pivotal Works & Achievements

A group of assassins subsequently killed Selim. == Early life == Selim III was the son of Sultan Mustafa III and his wife Mihrişah Sultan. His mother, Mihrişah Sultan was an ethnic Georgian. After she became the Valide sultan, she participated in reforming the government schools and establishing political corporations. His father, Ottoman Sultan Mustafa III, was very well educated and believed in the necessity of reforms.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Mustafa III attempted to create a powerful army with professional, well-educated soldiers during peacetime. He declared new military regulations and opened maritime and artillery academies. This was primarily motivated by his fear of a Russian invasion. During the Russo-Turkish War, he fell ill and died of a heart attack in 1774. Sultan Mustafa was significantly influenced by mysticism. An oracle predicted his son Selim would be...

Source: Wikipedia