Selim II

Sultan Selim II was born in Istanbul on 28 May 1524. His father was Süleyman the Magnificent, his mother Hürrem Sultan. Selim II was of middle height with an open forehead, blue eyes, fine brows, and fair hair. As a prince he was given an excellent education and upbringing, and to learn the government of the state thoroughly he served as district governor in various parts of Anatolia, continuing his studies and increasing his learning and experience.

Known also as Sarı Selim, Selim the Fair, he was governor of Kütahya when news reached him of his father's death; coming to Istanbul, he ascended the throne on 30 September 1566 at the age of forty-two. Sarı Selim is remembered as a faint and weak ruler by comparison with earlier Ottoman sultans.

Having come easily to the throne after his brothers Prince Bayezid and Prince Mustafa were removed during his father's reign, Selim II governed far less forcefully than his grandfather Selim I, whose name he bore, or his father Süleyman. Thanks to the great statesmen of the age the Ottoman state maintained its splendour, and capable, experienced viziers such as Sokollu Mehmed Pasha kept the government standing. Selim II himself never went on campaign, and the disaster of Lepanto occurred under the incompetent Ali Pasha as grand admiral. After eight years as sultan he died on 15 December 1574 and was buried at Hagia Sophia. He was the first Ottoman sultan to die in Istanbul.

The first years of his reign saw a certain amount of political rivalry. Sokollu Mehmed Pasha emerged victorious from it and served fifteen years as grand vizier, during which he made his weight felt in the government of the state.

Selim II left to his son Murad III a territory of 15,162,000 km², having inherited 14,892,000 km² from his father Süleyman.

• Sons: Murad III, Abdullah, Osman, Mustafa, Süleyman, Mehmed, Cihangir
• Daughters: Fatma Sultan, Şah Sultan, Gevherhan Sultan, Esma Sultan

Source: Osmanlı Tarihi Interaktif CD-ROM (Türk Tarih Kurumu Yayınları XXXI. Dizi-Sa.2)