TRENDEAtlas of the Sultans · 18 / 38 · sultan
Murad IV
He restored the authority of the state with harsh, even ruthless methods and retook Baghdad. The eastern border he drew at Zuhab (Kasr-ı Şirin) is still largely in force four centuries later.
Open the reign of Murad IV on the mapFamily
| Father | Ahmed I |
|---|---|
| Mother | Kösem Sultan |
| Consorts | Ayşe Sultan |
| Children | Şehzade Ahmed, Şehzade Numan, Kaya Sultan, Safiye Sultan (his sons died young, so the throne passed to his brother Ibrahim) |
Major achievements
- Yerevan (1635) and Baghdad (1638) campaigns; Baghdad retaken after fifteen years
- The eastern border permanently drawn by the Treaty of Zuhab
- Elimination of the Celali rebels and the Janissary chiefs; central authority restored
- Bans on tobacco, alcohol and coffeehouses; night-time inspections
- Finances balanced and a budget surplus achieved
Treaties
- Treaty of Zuhab (Kasr-ı Şirin) (1639, Persia) — the basis of today's Turkey–Iran border
Grand viziers
| Name | From | To | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kemankeş Kara Ali Pasha | September 10, 1623 | April 3, 1624 | 206 days |
| Çerkes Mehmed Ali Pasha | April 3, 1624 | January 28, 1625 | 300 days |
| Hafız Ahmed Pasha | February 8, 1625 | December 1, 1626 | 1 year, 296 days |
| Damat Halil Pasha (term 2) | December 1, 1626 | April 6, 1628 | 1 year, 127 days |
| Hüsrev Pasha | April 6, 1628 | October 25, 1631 | 3 years, 202 days |
| Hafız Ahmed Pasha (term 2) | October 25, 1631 | February 10, 1632 | 108 days |
| Topal Recep Pasha | February 10, 1632 | May 18, 1632 | 98 days |
| Tabanıyassı Mehmed Pasha | May 18, 1632 | February 2, 1637 | 4 years, 260 days |
| Bayram Pasha | February 2, 1637 | August 26, 1638 | 1 year, 205 days |
| Tayyar Mehmed Pasha | August 27, 1638 | December 23, 1638 | 118 days |
| Kemankeş Kara Mustafa Pasha | December 23, 1638 | February 8, 1640 | 1 year, 47 days |
Battles and treaties
| Year | Event | Result / parties |
|---|---|---|
| 1623 | Siege: Loss of Baghdad | Ottoman victory · Treaty of Zuhab (1639) |
| 1635 | Campaign: Yerevan campaign | Ottoman victory |
| 1638 | Siege: Recapture of Baghdad | Ottoman victory · Treaty of Zuhab (1639) |
| 1639 | Treaty: Treaty of Zuhab (Kasr-ı Şirin) | Safavid Empire (Persia) |
Full infoboxes are in the site’s “Battles and Treaties” tab; source: English Wikipedia.
Death
He died in 1640 at twenty-eight of cirrhosis and gout; heavy drinking is believed to have played a part.
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 Murad IV.