Mustafa III

Mustafa III مصطفى ثالث
Caliph of Islam Amir al-Mu'minin Sultan of the Ottoman Empire Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques
Caliph of the Ottoman Caliphate 26th Ottoman Sultan (Emperor)
Reign	October 30, 1757 – January 21, 1774
Predecessor	Osman III
Successor	Abdülhamid I
Consorts	Aynülhayat Kadınefendi Mihrişah Sultan Rif’at Kadınefendi Ayşe Adilşah Kadınefendi Fehmi Kadınefendi Binnaz Kadınefendi
Dynasty	Osmanli (Ottoman)
Father	Ahmed III
Mother	Emine Mihrişah Sultan
Religion	Sunni Islam
Tughra

Mustafa III (Ottoman Turkish: مصطفى ثالث Muṣṭafā-yi sālis) (January 28/18, 1717 – January 21, 1774) was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1757 to 1774. He was a son of Sultan Ahmed III (1703–30) and was succeeded by his brother Abdul Hamid I (1774–89). He was born in Edirne Palace. His mother was Âminā Mihr-î-Shâh Sultan.

Reign

An energetic and perceptive ruler, Mustafa III sought to modernize the army and the internal state machinery to bring his empire in line with the Powers of Europe.

Unfortunately the Ottoman state had declined so far that any general attempts at modernization were but a drop in the ocean, while any major plans to change the administrative status quo immediately roused the conservative Janissaries and imams to the point of rebellion. Mustafa III did secure the services of foreign generals to initiate a reform of the infantry and artillery. The Sultan also ordered the founding of Academies for Mathematics, Navigation and the Sciences.

Well aware of his own military weakness, Mustafa III assiduously avoided war and chose not to contest the annexation of the Crimea by Catherine II of Russia (1762–96). However this action, combined with further Russian aggression in Poland compelled Mustafa III to declare war on Russia shortly before his death.

He died at Topkapi Palace, Constantinople.

Personal life

Consorts

• Ayn ul-Hayat Bash Kadin Effendi (1726 – 21 July 1764), styled Bash Kadin Effendi from 30 January 1757.
• Fahima Kadin Effendi (d. 1761).
• Mihrişah Sultan (1745 – 16 October 1805), originally from Georgia); styled 2nd Kadineffendi from 1761, Bash Kadin Effendi from 21 July 1764.
• Rifat Kadin Effendi (1744 – January 1804), styled 2nd Kadin Effendi from 21 July 1764.
• Aisha Adil-Shah Kadin Effendi (1748 – 19 December 1803).
• Binnaz Kadin Effendi (d. May 1823).

Sons

• Selim III (24 December 1761 – 28/29 July 1808), son of Mihrişah.
• Şehzade Mehmed (10 January 1767 – 12 October 1772), son of Mihrişah.

Daughters

• Hibatu'llah Sultan (17 March 1759 – June 1762).
• Shah Sultan (born and died bef. April 1761), daughter of Rifat.
• Shah Sultan (21 April 1761 – 11th March 1803), daughter of Mihrişah. Married:
  • firstly 23 April 1764, H.H. Damad Kosa Bahir Mustafa Pasha, Grand Vizier.
  • secondly 1 January 1768, H.H. Damad Muhammad Amin Pasha, Grand Vizier 1768-1769.
  • thirdly 2 October 1778, Damad Sayyid Mustafa Pasha.
• Mihr-i-Mah Sultan (5 February 1762 – 6 October 1762), daughter of Ayn ul-Hayat.
• Mihr-i-Shah Sultan (9 January 1763 – 21 February 1769).
• Hatum Sultan (1764 – March 1769).
• Bayhan Sultan (13 January 1765 – 7 November 1824), daughter of Aisha Adil-Shah. Married 22 April 1784, Damad Jalik Mustafa Pasha.
• Hatice Sultan (15 June 1766 – 17 July 1821), daughter of Aisha Adil-Shah. Married 10 November 1786, Damad Sayyid Ahmed Pasha.
• Fatma Sultan (9 January 1770 – 26 May 1772), daughter of Mihrişah.
• Raykhan Sultan.

Mustafa III in his royal robes.

He was well talented and educated . He was an excellent poet, his poetry being written under the pseudonym of Cihangir. One of his most famous poems is as follows:

(Ottoman Turkish)

“Yıkılupdur bu cihan sanma ki bizde düzele

Devleti çarh-ı deni verdi kamu müptezele

Şimdi erbab-ı saadette gezen hep hazele

İşimiz kaldı hemen merhamet-i lem yezele.”

(Translation)

"This world has ruined, don't even think with us it recovers,

It was the lousy fate that has delivered the power to vulgars

Now the perfidious ones have populated the Imperial Palace

It's now the mercy of the everlasting God that runs our business."

See also

• Esma Sultan, sister of Mustafa III

External links

• A more detailed profile of Mustafa III