Sultan Selim III was the twenty eighth Ottoman sultan and the 93rd Islamic caliph. He was born to Sultan Mustafa III and Mihrişah Sultan on the Topkapı Palace in 1761. Since he was the primary little one of Sultan Mustafa, a pageant was held for seven days and 7 nights after his delivery, and he was named after Sultan Selim I, often known as Selim the Resolute. Sultan Selim III obtained a superb training from one of the best lecturers.
Şehzade (Prince) Selim misplaced his father when he was 13 years previous. His uncle handled him with kindness and let him act as he willed. Whereas Şehzade Selim was finding out science, he additionally tried to teach himself politically, considering it might be his flip to reign the nation subsequent. He realized in regards to the historical past, politics, administrative and navy group of European states. He corresponded with the crown prince of France, Louis XVI.
When his uncle died in 1789, Kızağası (the top of the eunuchs) Idris invited him to the throne. Sultan Selim III first paid a go to to his uncle’s grave. In step with custom, the agha gave a speech by which he stated the world is ephemeral, Allah is everlasting, and the sultan ought to deal with the themes of Allah with justice and mercy. Then, in accordance with the customized, Sultan Selim III accepted the allegiance by sitting on a throne positioned in entrance of the Bab-ı Hümayun (Imperial Gate) within the Topkapı Palace.
Compulsory peace
When Sultan Selim III ascended to the throne, wars with Russia and Austria have been nonetheless ongoing. He gathered high-ranking civil and navy bureaucrats in an advisory council and requested their opinions on state points, wanting everybody to talk their thoughts overtly. Then, he despatched all the precious items within the palace to the mint to coin cash. Şehzades and ladies of the palace additionally participated on this, setting an excellent instance for bureaucrats and the general public.
When Belgrade was taken by the Austrians and Bender fell into the palms of the Russians, an alliance settlement was signed with Sweden in trade for cash. Nevertheless, this alliance didn’t assist the Ottomans a lot. The alliance with Prussia, alternatively, precipitated Austria, which was defeated in Giurgiu, to withdraw from the warfare. Upon this, the Treaty of Sistova was signed in 1791.
After being left alone, Russia took Kiliya and Izmail upon the withdrawal of Sweden from the alliance. They put the individuals to the sword. Prussia and Poland couldn’t come to assist due to the French Revolution. The Ottoman military, which had been preventing for 4 years, was drained and worn out. Though its quantity reached 100,000, it had change into nothing greater than an untrained, disobedient and marauding mob. Subsequently, the Treaty of Jassy was signed in 1792. The Russians withdrew from the locations they occupied. The Dniester river turned a border for the 2 international locations. Thus, the nation attained relative peace.
Responding to friendship with hostility
Though the entire of Europe turned in opposition to France as a result of revolution, the Ottoman Empire didn’t intrude. The empire maintained pleasant relations with France. The French, nonetheless, responded to this by making an attempt to invade Egypt. In 1798, underneath the command of Napoleon Bonaparte, 500 French ships landed troops in Egypt. The aim was to chop off the British street to India. Bonaparte broke the resistance and entered Cairo.
The Ottomans instantly made an alliance with Nice Britain. The British navy underneath the command of Admiral Nelson destroyed the French navy at Abukir. Stranded in Egypt, Bonaparte marched on Palestine and Syria together with his military. Nevertheless, in 1799, he suffered an surprising defeat in opposition to Jezzar Ahmed Pasha in entrance of Acre. He secretly escaped from Egypt. The French left Egypt totally in 1801. With the Paris Settlement of 1802, the British and French have been granted the suitable to commerce within the Black Sea. Returning to his nation and seizing energy, Napoleon obtained alongside properly with the Ottomans and helped Sultan Selim III in finishing up reform works.
In the meantime, the Wahhabis revolted in Arabia, and so they captured Taif and massacred the individuals. They entered Mecca in 1803. The governor of the Hejaz expelled them from town. Later, the governor of Egypt, Kavalalı Mehmed Ali Pasha, suppressed the revolt upon the order of Sultan Selim III.
How was The Dardanelles crossed?
On this interval of peace, Sultan Selim began engaged on reforms. In 1805, fashionable navy items have been established in Anatolia. When it got here to Rumelia, the notables there gathered in Edirne in 1806 and opposed the sultan. That is known as the Second Edirne Incident. Sultan Selim despatched the governor of Karaman, Kadi Abdurrahman Pasha, to Rumelia with 24,000 troopers. Many of the rebels have been dropped at their knees.
Since 1797, the revolt of a former janissary named Pazvandoğlu had been happening in Rumelia. Bulgaria and Serbia have been underneath hearth. At this opportune second, the Serbs revolted. The chief of the rebellion, Karadjordje (George Petrovic), captured Belgrade in 1806. In the meantime, the Russian military of 60,000 individuals crossed the border to assist the revolt and take Bessarabia and Podolia. Nice Britain requested the Ottoman authorities to chop off its political relations with the French and renew their alliance with them. When this demand was not met, 16 British ships crossed the Dardanelles and entered the Marmara Sea in 1807, profiting from the weak spot of the fortification.
Panic arose in Istanbul. The bombardment of the ships was sufficient to destroy town, the homes of which have been largely wood. The British commander despatched a be aware demanding that the Dardanelles be given to Nice Britain, Romania to Russia. He additionally wished the Ottoman navy to be handed over to him to be taken to Malta. Sultan Selim refused this demand. The Ottoman authorities stalled the British ambassador with negotiations for 5 days and accomplished the navy fortifications on the shores of the Bosporus. 1250 cannons have been positioned there.
Sultan Selim led the troopers. French troopers within the metropolis additionally joined the protection. The individuals of Istanbul have been standing able to get on the boats and assault the ships as quickly as they fired the artillery. After witnessing the state of affairs the following day, the British have been enormously dissatisfied and retreated a number of days later.
Bitter finish
In the meantime, the battle with the Russians was comparatively favorable. Nevertheless, the lots, dissatisfied with the reform actions in Istanbul, took motion. With the provocation of some statespeople, naval soldier Kabakçı Mustafa rebelled on Might 25, 1807. Sultan Selim abolished the Nizam-ı Cedid (the brand new system inaugurated by the sultan) on Might 28 in order that the revolt wouldn’t develop. Nevertheless, the dignitaries who provoked the rebels didn’t discover it sufficient and inspired the rebels to demand the dethronement of the sultan.
Kabakçı Mustafa, who was understood to be an expert revolutionist with ties to Russia, forcibly took a fatwa from the sheikh al-Islam to dethrone Sultan Selim III. The sultan abdicated; he was the primary to go to his nephew, the crown prince, Şehzade Mustafa, and pay allegiance. Earlier, it had been proposed to name the military within the expedition again to Istanbul to suppress the revolt. He replied, “No, then the Russian armies will come to Çatalca.” Thus, he confirmed that, even in the intervening time of the best catastrophe, he considered the nation, not himself.
The rebels, whose needs have been fulfilled, dispersed. Sultan Selim III was confined to a room in Topkapı Palace. His loyal statespeople and his supporters, who didn’t just like the actions of the rebels in authorities, took motion to revive him to the throne.
Alemdar Mustafa Pasha got here from Ruse to Istanbul together with his entourage. He raided the Elegant Porte and Topkapı Palace on July 28, 1808, and tried to assist Sultan Selim III reascend to the throne however he was unsuccessful. The bullies within the palace killed Sultan Selim, who was worshiping in his condo. The following day, he was buried within the tomb of his father Sultan Mustafa III, which is subsequent to the Laleli Mosque. He was 47 years previous. His reign had lasted 19 years. Later, his murderers have been punished.
The Nizam-ı Cedid
Sultan Selim III determined that there was no resolution aside from reform in an effort to eradicate the explanations for the defeat and to forestall the dissolution of the nation. He despatched the scholar Ebu Bekir Ratip Efendi to Vienna as an envoy. After staying in Vienna for eight months, Ebu Bekir introduced the outcomes of his analysis to the sultan in a report.
He requested the statespeople to organize reviews on their reform concepts. The focus in all of those reviews was navy reform. Sultan Selim III established a committee of 10 individuals and had a 72-article reform program ready. There have been civil, administrative, industrial, social and political reforms in addition to navy reforms on this program.
In 1793, Sultan Selim shaped a military of 12,000 individuals affiliated to the Bostancı Ocağı, which was answerable for the safety of the environment of the palace in addition to the coast, underneath the identify of Nizam-ı Cedid (actually that means New Order) in a contemporary fashion. It was ordered that an imam be appointed to every unit, prayers be carried out in congregation and the troopers learn the e-book of ilmihal (a concise handbook of Islamic religion, worship and ethics) generally known as Birgivi Vasiyetnamesi. The coaching was began within the barracks established on the Levend Çiftliği. This new coaching technique was additionally supposed to be utilized to the Janissaries however they refused.
By reinforcing the technical lessons of the military, new legal guidelines have been made for humbaracı ocağı (bombardier and mortar troops), lağımcı ocağı (troopers who dig tunnels throughout wars) and topçu ocağı (artilleryman). With the intention to enhance the variety of troopers, the navy institution additionally unfold to Ankara, Kayseri and Konya. In 1794, a land engineering faculty was established in Sütlüce. Academics from overseas have been dropped at navy faculties. Sultan Selim III visited and inspected these faculties occasionally. He gave presents to the lecturers and rewarded the scholars.
Sultan Selim turned the shipyard into one able to making all types of warships; he commissioned irrigation swimming pools. He established a water-powered gunpowder manufacturing unit. He had the Selimiye and Humbarahane barracks constructed, in addition to giant warehouses on the Üsküdar coast. The sultan labored for the event of the textile business. He had in depth information of the artwork of warfare. He used to have international books translated and browse.
‘What a jackass!’
The nation was divided into 28 provinces by reforming the executive division. By sending directions to the official places of work, it was requested that the calls for of the individuals be adopted and fulfilled shortly. The Ministry of Agriculture was established. Non-Muslim retailers have been prevented from buying a international nationality, which enabled them to keep away from taxes.
Ranging from 1793, everlasting embassies have been established in European states. The Ottoman ambassadors to Austria, France, England and Prussia despatched reviews to Istanbul in regards to the tradition of the international locations they have been in in addition to their home and international politics. Up to now, the ambassador of the nation with which a warfare was waged was imprisoned in Yedikule Fortress. Sultan Selim III abolished this practice and despatched the Russian ambassador to his hometown when the warfare with Russia began.
Sultan Selim III was intently concerned in state affairs and typically wrote sarcastic notes on the manuscripts introduced to him. In a single well-known incident the sultan wrote: “What a jackass” on a report by Paris ambassador Seyyid Ali Efendi, who despatched information that France didn’t have dangerous intentions in opposition to the Ottoman Empire when Napoleon occupied Egypt.
Throughout this era, many compilations and translations of scientific works have been written. The printing homes have been additionally allowed to print non secular books. The white crescent and star on a crimson background turned the official flag (1793).
With the intention to meet the bills of the brand new military, a separate treasury (fund) named irad-ı cedid was shaped. The taxes of this treasury put the individuals underneath stress, turning into one of many causes of Sultan Selim’s fall. The sultan couldn’t discover useful aides whereas making this reform. He didn’t punish those that conspired in opposition to him on varied events. Bureaucrats hid many points from him. His opponents unfold rumors in opposition to the sultan among the many individuals. The opposition that had shaped internally amongst those that feared that their pursuits can be shaken, despite the fact that they didn’t need it, become hostility. This example shook the sultan’s throne and overthrew him.
Mom and son
In keeping with historic sources, Sultan Selim III was a grasp archer. He sensitively centered on the prohibition of alcohol and the truth that girls mustn’t put on revealing and fancy garments; he didn’t tolerate buildings constructed opposite to zoning, procuring that don’t adjust to enterprise ethics, waste and dysfunction. He used to stroll among the many individuals dressed as a commoner. Seeing that the Maiden’s Tower commander was not in his place as soon as, he ordered that he be discovered and executed. He later forgave him on the request of those that intervened however suspended him.
He used to carry out the Friday prayer in a unique mosque each week in an effort to mingle with the individuals. Throughout his wanderings, he noticed that lepers needed to beg, and young children have been made to work within the bathhouses, and ordered an answer to those conditions.
Sultan Selim III was described to be very philanthropic. He had Selimiye and Çiçekçi Mosques in-built Üsküdar. He ordered the Eyüp Mosque and Eyüp Sultan Tomb, which have been destroyed within the earthquake, to be enlarged and rebuilt. He commissioned the Dedeler Mosque, additionally known as the Miskinler Lodge, in Karacaahmed; Gül Mosque in Küçükmustafpaşa; the well-known Selimiye Barracks, that are nonetheless utilized in Üsküdar; the Naval Faculty, which is used because the Turkish Naval Academy in Heybeliada, together with many fountains. in varied locations.
He was affiliated with the Mevlevi sheikh, Mehmed Emin Çelebi. He additionally had many conversations with Sheikh Galib and Isa Geylani, the Nakshi sheikh of Kashgari Lodge. He used to take younger şehzades with him and spend a lot of the nights on this lodge in Eyüp throughout the month of Ramadan. He cherished his mom, who was a really sensible lady, and talked to her on each difficulty.
Seems he was proper
Sultan Selim III was depicted as a good-looking, stocky man of medium top, with a darkish bushy beard and charming facial options. He was stated to be light, compassionate, clever, calm, merciful, affected person, cautious and honest. He was beneficiant and loved giving presents to these round him.
Sultan Selim was a poet and calligrapher. He used the pseudonym Ilhami in his poems. He was one of many best musicians in Ottoman historical past. The makams (a system of melody varieties utilized in Turkish classical music) he developed and the works he composed have been well-known. He was a ney (flute) grasp and tanbur (lute) virtuoso.
He suffered rather a lot within the subject of politics attributable to his kindness and sensitivity, which he developed attributable to his inventive nature. As a matter of reality, he advised Köse Raif Pasha throughout the coup: “The rationale for these works is my softness.” He was well-intentioned however irresolute and displayed an absence of perseverance.
Concerning the sultan, Prussian Ambassador Heinrich Friedrich von Diez stated, “This ruler is above his nation by way of his {qualifications} and deserves. Nevertheless, it takes a few years to resume a state that has been in decline for greater than 100 years.”
Sultan Selim III had no youngsters and handled his nephews Şehzade Mustafa and Mahmud like his sons. Though he struggled with nice enemies inside and outdoors throughout his reign, the nation was reconstructed, and there was not a lot soil loss. Nevertheless, he misplaced his throne simply when he had began reaping the fruit of his reform efforts. These reforms have been sustained by his successor Sultan Mahmud II. A number of years later, everybody realized how proper Sultan Selim was.
