Murad IV

Murad IV (June 16, 1612 – February 9, 1640) was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1623 to 1640, known both for restoring the authority of the state and for the brutality of his methods.

Related Topics:
June 16 - 1612 - February 9 - 1640 - Sultan - Ottoman Empire - 1623

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Brought to power by a palace conspiracy in 1623, he succeeded his mad uncle Mustafa I. Murad was for a long time under the control of his relatives and during his early years as sultan, his mother, Kösem Sultan, essentially ruled through him. The Empire fell into anarchy; the Persians invaded almost immediately, Northern Anatolia erupted in revolts, and in 1631 the Janissaries stormed the palace and killed the Grand Vizier, among others. Murad feared suffering the fate of his elder brother, Osman II, and decided to assert his power. He had the Grand Vizier beheaded, had 500 military leaders strangled, and executed 20,000 rebels in Anatolia. He tried to quell the corruption that had grown during the previous sultans, and that had not been checked while his mother was ruling through proxy. This was achieved through numerous ways, such as limiting wasteful spending. Ironically he also banned alcohol and tobacco.

Related Topics:
1623 - Mustafa I - Janissaries - Osman II

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Continuing the Ottoman tradition of fratricide, Murad had his brother Bayezid killed in 1635, followed by the executions of two more brothers a few years later. Even though he banned tobacco and alcohol in ?stanbul, he was an alcoholic. For controlling this ban he was patrolling the streets of ?stanbul and the taverns of the city in civil clothes at night. He ordered execution for breaking this ban. If he while patrolling streets saw a soldier using tobacco or alcohol he killed the soldier by his sword. His harshness was the reason for his nickname 'cruel'.

Related Topics:
Ottoman - Fratricide

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Murad was a huge and tall man. He was a wrestler and a warrior. His strength was nearly phenomenal. Mostly known by his wrestling opponents by holding and twisting them on top of his head using only one hand. He also used a huge mace (weigthing 50 kilograms) and two headed great sword (weigthing more than 50 kilograms) in battles. (This weapons can be seen in Topkap? Museum in ?stanbul.)

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Militarily, Murad's reign is most notable for a war against Persia in which Ottoman forces conquered Azerbaijan, occupied Tabriz, Hamadan, and, in the last great feat of Imperial Ottoman arms, captured Baghdad in 1638. Murad himself commanded the invasion of Mesopotamia and proved to be an outstanding field commander. He was last Ottoman Sultan to command an army on the battlefield. During his campaign to Iran, he annihilated all rebels in Anatolia and restored order of the state again. Because of that most places were taken his name by the local people to show their deep gratitude.

Related Topics:
Persia - Azerbaijan - Tabriz - Hamadan - Baghdad - 1638

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Before his death he signed a peace treaty (1639) with the Persian Safavid dynasty. After his return to ?stanbul he ordered respected statesmen of the Empire to prepare a new economic and political project to return to the Empire the old glorious days. But his illness and young death never let him to implement his ideas to the Empire.

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He died aged 27 from cirrhosis of the liver in 1640. On his deathbed he ordered the execution of his brother, Ibrahim, which would have meant the end of the Ottoman line, but the order was not carried out. Not until 1808 would there be another Sultan of his calibre. Murat IV is known as the last great Sultan of the Ottoman Empire.

Related Topics:
1640 - 1808

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