Mehmed IV

Long ago, there was a leader named Mehmed.

He became king when he was only six.

Mehmed loved to go hunting in the woods. People called him "the Hunter" because of this.

His land grew very large during his time. He ruled for many, many years.

He had two sons who also became kings.

Later, things became hard for his people. He lost his job as the leader. He moved to a new place to live. He died there many years later.

Mehmed IV was a sultan of the Ottoman Empire.

He became leader in 1648. He was only six years old then.

Mehmed loved to hunt in the outdoors. People called him "the Hunter" because of this.

During his long rule, the empire grew very large.

His leaders helped the empire win many lands. They won islands and fought in many wars. One big fight was the Siege of Candia.

Another famous fight was the Battle of Vienna in 1683.

At this battle, the Ottoman army lost to King John III Sobieski.

Later, things became very hard for the empire. Soldiers were unhappy with how things were going. In 1687, they removed Mehmed from his throne. He moved to a place called Edirne. He lived there until he died in 1693. He had two sons who also became sultans. Their names were Mustafa II and Ahmed III.

Mehmed IV was a famous leader of the Ottoman Empire.

He became the sultan in 1648 when he was only six years old. This was a very difficult time for his family and his land. His father, Sultan Ibrahim, had been removed from power just before Mehmed took the throne. Because he loved spending time outdoors, many people called him "the Hunter."

He was the second sultan to rule for a very long time. His reign lasted from 1648 all the way until 1687.

Life in the palace was often very busy and complicated.

Early in his rule, Mehmed had to deal with many different problems. There were food shortages and riots in the city of Constantinople. His grandmother, Kösem Sultan, was also a powerful leader during these years. Eventually, Mehmed's mother helped choose a new leader called a Grand Vizier. This leader was Köprülü Mehmed Pasha, who took office in 1656. His leadership helped make the empire much more stable and strong.

During the middle of his rule, the empire grew very large.

Leaders like Köprülü Mehmed and his son Fazıl Ahmed helped win many lands. They won back islands in the Aegean Sea during the Cretan War.

The empire also had successful campaigns in places like Transylvania and Poland. Under Mehmed's rule, the empire reached its biggest size in Europe. He was often called a "gazi," which means a holy warrior. This was because of the many lands the empire gained during his time.

However, things began to change after some very big battles.

In 1683, the Ottoman army fought at the Battle of Vienna. They faced a force led by King John III Sobieski. The Ottomans lost this battle, and it started the Great Turkish War. This war made many of the soldiers very unhappy with the sultan. In 1687, the soldiers decided to remove Mehmed from his throne. He was replaced by his brother, Suleiman II.

After he lost his position, Mehmed moved to a city called Edirne.

He lived there quietly until he died of natural causes in 1693. Even though his end was sad, his family continued to lead. His two sons, Mustafa II and Ahmed III, both became sultans later on. His wife, Gülnuş Sultan, was a very important person in his life. She traveled with him and helped care for their children. Mehmed is remembered as a ruler who saw both great success and great change.

Mehmed IV was a significant sultan of the Ottoman Empire.

He reigned from 1648 to 1687. This makes him the second-longest-reigning sultan in Ottoman history. He only follows Suleiman the Magnificent in length of rule. Mehmed was born in 1642 at Topkapı Palace in Constantinople. His father was Sultan Ibrahim. His mother was Turhan Sultan, a concubine of Russian origin.

During his infancy, he survived a dangerous moment when his father threw him into a cistern. Harem servants rescued him, but he was left with a lifelong scar on his head.

Mehmed ascended to the throne in 1648 at only six years old. The empire faced extreme instability during his early years. There were food shortages and riots in Constantinople. The Ottoman navy also suffered a defeat by the Venetians near the Dardanelles. Palace politics were also very intense. His grandmother, Kösem Sultan, acted as regent. However, Mehmed eventually signed her death warrant in 1651. To stabilize the government, his mother granted full executive powers to the Grand Vizier. This official is the highest minister in the empire. Köprülü Mehmed Pasha took this office on 14 September 1656.

The middle years of his reign are known as the Köprülü era. This was a period of exceptional stability.

Under the leadership of Köprülü Mehmed Pasha and his son Fazıl Ahmed, the empire's fortunes revived. They regained the Aegean islands from Venice. They also won during the Cretan War, which lasted from 1645 to 1669.

The empire expanded into Transylvania and Poland. Under Mehmed IV, the Ottoman Empire reached its maximum territorial expansion in Europe. Because of these conquests, he was called a gazi, or "holy warrior." He was also nicknamed Avcı, which means "the Hunter." He spent much of his time hunting outdoors.

Expansion led to new conflicts with neighboring powers. In 1676, the empire entered the Russo-Turkish War. This followed the acceptance of vassalage by Petro Doroshenko in Ukraine. Merzifonlu Kara Mustafa, the adopted son of the first Köprülü vizier, led campaigns against Russia. He even besieged Chyhyryn in 1678 with 70,000 men. The Ottomans also supported an uprising in Hungary against Austrian rule. This led the Ottoman army to march toward Vienna. This movement changed the course of European history.

The Battle of Vienna in 1683 was a turning point.

The Ottoman forces faced the Polish-Lithuanian forces. These allies were led by King John III Sobieski. A massive flank attack by Polish cavalry caused a catastrophic rout for the Ottomans. This defeat triggered the Great Turkish War. The Holy League began a campaign to push Ottoman forces back from the Balkans.

The empire began to lose its recent gains during this period of conflict.

Internal problems grew alongside the military losses. In 1660, a massive fire destroyed much of Constantinople. Two-thirds of the city turned to ash. As many as 40,000 people died in the fire. Famine and plague followed the disaster. By 1687, the empire was in a deep crisis after the Second Battle of Mohács. The Ottoman troops staged a mutiny. The soldiers were disenchanted with the war. In November 1687, the Janissaries and Sekbans deposed Mehmed IV. They replaced him with his brother, Suleiman II.

After being removed from the throne, Mehmed lived in retirement.

He was initially imprisoned in Topkapı Palace. He was later allowed to live in Edirne. He died of natural causes in Edirne Palace on 6 January 1693. He was buried in the tomb of his mother, Turhan Sultan. His legacy continued through his children. His sons, Mustafa II and Ahmed III, both eventually became sultans. His most famous consort was Gülnuş Sultan. She was a Greek-born woman who traveled with him and raised his heirs.