Mahmud I

Mahmud I
Ottoman Sultan
Caliph
Reign	September 20, 1730–December 13, 1754
Period	Stagnation of the Ottoman Empire
Full Name	Mahmud I
Predecessor	Ahmed III
Successor	Osman III
Royal House	House of Osman
Dynasty	Ottoman Dynasty

Mahmud I (Ottoman Turkish: محمود اول), called the Hunchback (Kambur)(August 2, 1696 – December 13, 1754) was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1730 to 1754.

Biography

He was born at the Edirne Palace, the son of Mustafa II (1695–1703); his mother was Valide Sultan Saliha Sabkati. Mahmud I was the older brother of Osman III (1754–57).

On 28 September 1730, Patrona Halil with a small group of fellow Janissaries aroused some of the citizens of Constantinople^[1][2] who opposed the reforms of Ahmet III.^[3] Sweeping up more soldiers Halil led the riot to the Topkapı Palace and demanded the death of the grand vizer, Nevşehirli Damat İbrahim Pasha and the abdication of Ahmet III. Ahmet III acceded to the demands, had İbrahim Pasha strangled, and agreed to his nephew, Mahmud, becoming sultan.^[3]

Mahmud I was recognized as sultan by the mutineers as well as by court officials but for some weeks after his accession the empire was in the hands of the insurgents. Halil rode with the new sultan to the Mosque of Eyub where the ceremony of girding Mahmud I with the Sword of Osman was performed; many of the chief officers were deposed and successors to them appointed at the dictation of the bold rebel who had served in the ranks of the Janissaries and who appeared before the sultan bare-legged and in his old uniform of a common soldier. A Greek butcher, named Yanaki, had formerly given credit to Halil and had lent him money during the three days of the insurrection. Halil showed his gratitude by compelling the Divan to make Yanaki Hospodar of Moldavia. However, Yanaki never took charge of this office.

The Khan of the Crimea assisted the Grand Vizier, the Mufti and the Aga of the Janissaries in putting down the rebellion. On 24 November 1731, Halil was strangled by the sultan's order^[3] and in his presence, after a Divan in which Halil had dictated that war be declared against Russia. His Greek friend, Yanaki, and 7,000 of those who had supported him were also put to death.^{[citation needed]} The jealousy which the officers of the Janissaries felt towards Halil, and their readiness to aid in his destruction, facilitated the exertions of Mahmud I's supporters in putting an end to the rebellion after it had lasted over a year.

The rest of Mahmud I's reign was dominated by wars with Persia, Austria and Russia.

Mahmud I entrusted government to his viziers and spent much of his time composing poetry.

He died at Topkapı Palace, Constantinople.

He married Haja 'Ali-Janab, without issue.

Notes

1. ^ The Encyclopædia Britannica, Vol.7, Edited by Hugh Chisholm, (1911), 3; Constantinople, the capital of the Turkish Empire...
2. ^ Britannica, Istanbul:When the Republic of Turkey was founded in 1923, the capital was moved to Ankara, and Constantinople was officially renamed Istanbul in 1930.
3. ^ ^{a b c} Shaw, Stanford J. and Shaw, Ezel Kural (1976) History of the Ottoman Empire and Modern Turkey, volume 1: Empire of the Gazis: the rise and decline of the Ottoman Empire, 1280-1808 Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England, p. 240, ISBN 0-521-21280-4

Sources

• Incorporates text from History of Ottoman Turks (1878)

Mahmud I House of Osman Born: August 2, 1696 Died: December 13, 1754[aged 58]
Regnal titles
Preceded by Ahmed III	Sultan of the Ottoman Empire Sep 20, 1730 - Dec 13, 1754	Succeeded by Osman III
Sunni Islam titles
Preceded by Ahmed III	Caliph of Islam Sep 20, 1730 - Dec 13, 1754	Succeeded by Osman III

Persondata
Name	Mahmud I
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	August 2, 1696
Place of birth
Date of death	December 13, 1754
Place of death