Mehmed III

Mehmed III (Manisa, May 26, 1566 — Istanbul, December 22, 1603) was sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1595 until his death. Mehmed was known for ordering the execution of his brothers and leading the Ottoman army in the Long Turkish War, during which the Ottoman army was victorious at the decisive Battle of Keresztes, in Hungary.

Reign

His figure is sadly famous in the history of the Ottoman Dynasty for having had his nineteen brothers strangled in pursuit of a simple succession for himself. He was the only sultan in the Ottoman Empire, who was not involved in political affairs and international relations, as he left all power and responsibilities to his mother, Safiye Sultan. Same in the case of her father, he left her power from 1583 in her hands.

Mehmed was a frivolous and idle ruler, leaving the government of the Empire in the hands of his mother Safiye (the Valide sultan), a typical example of the influences exerted by the palace harem in the period of the history of the Ottoman Empire known as the sultanate of women. Being a sultan who only cared about matters of battles and conquests. His mother, Safiye Sultan, would govern the Ottoman Empire in something similar during the reign of Murad III where Safiye would have a lot of influence being Co-ruler and head of the Ottoman court, although in this case she would not share power with anyone since her son He gave all his power and responsibilities. She being recognized in Europe as Queen Sofia or Queen Melike Safiye.

The main event of his reign was the Austro-Ottoman War in Hungary (1596–1605).

Mehmed's armies conquered Erlau (1596) and defeated the Habsburg and Transylvanian troops in the Battle of Mezokeresztes during which they had to dissuade the sultan from fleeing the battlefield in half of the contest.

During Mehmed's sultanate, although no major setback was suffered, considering the incipient decline of the Empire, this cannot be attributed to the sultan's ability to govern. He died in the winter of 1603, and was later succeeded by his barely 13-year-old son, Ahmed I.

Consorts

Mehmed had several consorts, among the most notable:

• Handan Sultan (1565 — 9 November 1605), of Bosnian or Greek origin, mother of 6 children and her first consort. He became Valide Sultan (1603 — 1605). It was regent. non-official of the Ottoman Empire;
• Halime Sultan (1571 — 1643), of Abkhaz origin, mother of 4 children and second consort. It was Valide Sultan between two periods (1617 — 1618) and (1622 — 1623), completely led the Ottoman state due to his child's mental incapacity;
• Abileyal Hatun (?—after 1603), of unknown origin and its third consort. Mother of Şehzade Cihangir;

• Saliha Hatun (?— 1613), and unknown origin. Mother of Şehzade Osman and Beyhan Sultan;

• Fülane Hatun (?—1598), of unknown origin, died in a plague epidemic in 1598. Mother of Hümaşah Sultan.

Offspring

• Şehzade Selim (1585 — 20 April 1597), son with Handan Sultan;
• Şehzade Süleyman (1586 — 1597), son with Handan Sultan;
• Şehzade Mahmud (1587 — 7 June 1603), son with Halime Sultan;
• Ahmed I (18 April 1590—22 November 1617)—son with Handan Sultan. It was a Sultan of the Ottoman Empire (1603 – 1617);
• Şehzade Fülan (1597—1598), son with Handan;
• Şehzade Osman (1597 — 1601)- son with Saliha Hatun;
• Şehzade Cihangir (1599 — 1602) son with Abileyal Hatun;
• Mustafa I (17 October 1600 — 20 January 1639), son with Halime Sultan. It was a sultan of the Ottoman Empire between two periods (1617 – 1618) and (1622 – 1623).

Daughters

• Fatma Sultan (1584 — 1645), daughter of Handan Sultan. He married in 1602 with Damat Tiryaki Hasan Paşa. He had descended;
• Ayşe Sultan (1587-1628), daughter with Handan Sultan. He married in 1604 with Damat Destari Mustafa Paşa. Some sources also suggest that he remarried with Gazi Hüsrev Paşa in 1624. He had descended;
• Şah Sultan (1588 — 1623), daughter with Halime Sultan. He married in 1604 with Damat Kara Davud Paşa, then Grand Visir of the Ottoman Empire. He had descended;
• Hatice Sultan (1590 — 1613), daughter with Halime Sultan. Married first in 1604 with Damat Mirahur Mustafa Paşa, and married second in 1612 with Damat Mahmud Paşa, son of Cigalazade Sinan Paşa. He had descended;
• Beyhan Sultan (1589-1638), with Saliha Hatun. He married in 1612 with Damat Halil Paşa. He had descended;
• Hümaşah Sultan (1596—after 1612), daughter with Fülane Hatun. Married in October 1612 with Damat Cagağlu Mahmud Paşa. It is unknown if he had a seed;
• Ümmügülsüm Sultan (1600 — 1618), daughter with concubine of unknown name. He never married and died between the ages of 17 and 18;
• Esra Sultan (?—after 1622), daughter with concubine of unknown name. She was among the single princesses in 1622;
• Akile Sultan (?—after 1622), daughter with concubine of unknown name. She was among the single princesses in 1622;
• Fülane Sultan (?—after 1622), daughter with concubine of unknown name. She was among the single princesses in 1622.