Suleiman II
Encyclopedia
Suleiman II (Ottoman Turkish
: سليمان ثانى Süleymān-i sānī) was the Sultan
of the Ottoman Empire
from 1687 to 1691. The younger brother of Mehmed IV
(1648–87), Suleiman II was born at Topkapı Palace
in Constantinople
and had spent most of his life in the kafes
(cage), a kind of luxurious prison for princes of the blood within the Topkapı Palace
(it was designed to ensure that none could organize a rebellion). His mother was a Serbian girl named Katrin Saliha Dilâşub Sultan
.
Immediately after assuming the throne, the Ottomans
suffered a devastating defeat at the second Battle of Mohács
. Unable to rule effectively himself, Suleiman II shrewdly appointed Köprülü Fazıl Mustafa Pasha
as his Grand Vizier
. Even so, when Russia
joined an alliance of European powers, the Ottomans
suffered the devastating Crimean campaigns
.
Under Köprülü's leadership the Ottomans
halted an Austria
n advance into Serbia
and crushed an uprising in Bulgaria
until Köprülü Fazıl Mustafa Pasha
was killed in the Battle of Slankamen
by Austrian forces. Suleiman II died at Edirne
Palace in 1691. He married Khadija, but died without issue.
[aged 49]
Ottoman Turkish language
The Ottoman Turkish language or Ottoman language is the variety of the Turkish language that was used for administrative and literary purposes in the Ottoman Empire. It borrows extensively from Arabic and Persian, and was written in a variant of the Perso-Arabic script...
: سليمان ثانى Süleymān-i sānī) was the Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
from 1687 to 1691. The younger brother of Mehmed IV
Mehmed IV
Mehmed IV Modern Turkish Mehmet was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1648 to 1687...
(1648–87), Suleiman II was born at Topkapı Palace
Topkapi Palace
The Topkapı Palace is a large palace in Istanbul, Turkey, that was the primary residence of the Ottoman Sultans for approximately 400 years of their 624-year reign....
in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
and had spent most of his life in the kafes
Kafes
Kafes, literally "the cage", was the part of the Imperial Harem of the Ottoman Palace where possible successors to the throne were kept under a form of house-arrest and constant surveillance by the palace guards....
(cage), a kind of luxurious prison for princes of the blood within the Topkapı Palace
Topkapi Palace
The Topkapı Palace is a large palace in Istanbul, Turkey, that was the primary residence of the Ottoman Sultans for approximately 400 years of their 624-year reign....
(it was designed to ensure that none could organize a rebellion). His mother was a Serbian girl named Katrin Saliha Dilâşub Sultan
Saliha Dilâşub Sultan
Saliha Dilâşub Sultan .-Biography:Born as Katarina, was the Serbian wife of Ottoman Sultan Ibrahim I and Valide Sultan to their son Suleiman II....
.
Immediately after assuming the throne, the Ottomans
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
suffered a devastating defeat at the second Battle of Mohács
Battle of Mohács (1687)
The Second Battle of Mohács, also known as the Battle of 'Berg Harsány', was fought between the forces of Ottoman Sultan Mehmed IV, commanded by the Grand-Vizier Sari Süleyman Paşa, and the forces of Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I, commanded by Charles of Lorraine...
. Unable to rule effectively himself, Suleiman II shrewdly appointed Köprülü Fazıl Mustafa Pasha
Köprülü Fazil Mustafa Pasha
Fazıl Mustafa Köprülü, Ghazi Fazıl Mustafa Köprülü was an Ottoman grand vizier in the 17th century when the Ottoman Empire was engaged in a war against Holy Alliance countries in the Great Turkish War. He was a member of the Köprülü family of Albanian origin...
as his Grand Vizier
Grand Vizier
Grand Vizier, in Turkish Vezir-i Azam or Sadr-ı Azam , deriving from the Arabic word vizier , was the greatest minister of the Sultan, with absolute power of attorney and, in principle, dismissable only by the Sultan himself...
. Even so, when Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
joined an alliance of European powers, the Ottomans
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
suffered the devastating Crimean campaigns
Crimean campaigns
Crimean campaigns of 1687 and 1689 were two military campaigns of the Russian army against the Crimean Khanate. They were a part of the Russo-Turkish War and Russo-Crimean Wars. These were the first Russian forces to come close to Crimea since 1569...
.
Under Köprülü's leadership the Ottomans
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
halted an Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n advance into Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
and crushed an uprising in Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
until Köprülü Fazıl Mustafa Pasha
Köprülü Fazil Mustafa Pasha
Fazıl Mustafa Köprülü, Ghazi Fazıl Mustafa Köprülü was an Ottoman grand vizier in the 17th century when the Ottoman Empire was engaged in a war against Holy Alliance countries in the Great Turkish War. He was a member of the Köprülü family of Albanian origin...
was killed in the Battle of Slankamen
Battle of Slankamen
The Battle of Slankamen was fought near Slankamen in the Ottoman Sanjak of Syrmia on August 19, 1691 between the Ottoman Empire, and the forces of Austria and states of the Holy Roman Empire as part of the Great Turkish War.The Ottomans had suffered partial military collapse against the Austrians...
by Austrian forces. Suleiman II died at Edirne
Edirne
Edirne is a city in Eastern Thrace, the northwestern part of Turkey, close to the borders with Greece and Bulgaria. Edirne served as the capital city of the Ottoman Empire from 1365 to 1453, before Constantinople became the empire's new capital. At present, Edirne is the capital of the Edirne...
Palace in 1691. He married Khadija, but died without issue.
Sources
[aged 49]