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Mehmed III
The victory at Keresztes is the one bright moment of his reign. The Celali revolts in Anatolia, financial collapse and violence within the palace make his reign the beginning of the state's internal crisis.
Open the reign of Mehmed III on the mapFamily
| Father | Murad III |
|---|---|
| Mother | Safiye Sultan |
| Consorts | Handan Sultan, Halime Sultan |
| Children | Ahmed I, Mustafa I, Şehzade Mahmud, Şehzade Selim |
Major achievements
- Conquest of Eger fortress (1596) and victory at Keresztes — one of the last sultans to lead a campaign in person
- Continuation of the Long War with Austria
- Outbreak of the Celali revolts and the breakdown of order in Anatolia
- The most extensive use of fratricide (nineteen brothers)
Treaties
None recorded.
Grand viziers
| Name | From | To | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Koca Sinan Pasha (term 3) | January 16, 1595 | February 16, 1595 | 31 days |
| Serdar Ferhat Pasha (term 2) | February 16, 1595 | July 7, 1595 | 141 days |
| Koca Sinan Pasha (term 4) | July 7, 1595 | November 19, 1595 | 135 days |
| Tekeli Lala Mehmed Pasha | November 19, 1595 | November 28, 1595 | 9 days |
| Koca Sinan Pasha (term 5) | December 1, 1595 | April 3, 1596 | 124 days |
| Damat İbrahim Pasha | April 4, 1596 | October 27, 1596 | 206 days |
| Yusuf Sinan Pasha | October 27, 1596 | December 5, 1596 | 39 days |
| Damat İbrahim Pasha (term 2) | December 5, 1596 | November 3, 1597 | 333 days |
| Hadım Hasan Pasha | November 3, 1597 | April 9, 1598 | 157 days |
| Cerrah Mehmed Pasha | April 9, 1598 | January 6, 1599 | 272 days |
| Damat İbrahim Pasha (term 3) | January 6, 1599 | July 10, 1601 | 2 years, 185 days |
| Yemişçi Hasan Pasha | July 22, 1601 | October 4, 1603 | 2 years, 74 days |
| Malkoç Yavuz Ali Pasha | October 16, 1603 | December 22, 1603 | 67 days |
Battles and treaties
| Year | Event | Result / parties |
|---|---|---|
| 1596 | Siege: Conquest of Eger | Ottoman victory |
| 1596 | Battle: Keresztes | Ottoman victory |
Full infoboxes are in the site’s “Battles and Treaties” tab; source: English Wikipedia.
Death
He is held to have died of a heart attack in Topkapı Palace in 1603, after having his son Şehzade Mahmud executed.
Territorial change
The lands that changed hands in this period, and the battles or treaties that brought the changes, can be seen on the map: map of the reign of Mehmed III.