Suleiman

Suleiman II. (1641-1691), sultan of Turkey, was a son of Sultan Ibrahim, and succeeded his brother Mahommed IV. in 1687. Forty-six years of enforced retirement had qualified him for the cloister rather than for the throne, and his first feeling when notified of his accession was one of terror for his brother's vengeance. Nor were the circumstances following on his elevation to the throne of a nature to reassure him, as one of the most violent of the revolts of the janissaries ended in the murder of the grand vizier and the brutal mutilation of his family, with general massacre and pillage throughout Constantinople. The war with Austria was for Turkey a succession of disasters. At this time, fortunately for the Ottoman Empire, a third great kuprili (Mustafa) arose and re-established order in the sorely-tried state (see KUPRILT). In the reforms which followed, whereby the situation of the Christian subjects of the Porte was greatly improved, Suleiman is at least to be given the credit of having allowed Mustafa Kuprili a free hand. With an improved administration Turkey's fortunes in the war began to revive, and the reconquest of Belgrade late in 1690 was the last important event of the reign, which ended in 1691 by Suleiman's death. (See also TURKEY: History.)