30 May 1524: Birth of Sultan Selim II

30 May 1524 marks the birth of Selim. He was born in Constantinople
(nowadays Istanbul) as the son of Suleiman the Magnificent. His mother
was Hurrem Sultan, a slave and concubine, who was born as an
Orthodox priest's daughter. Later she was freed and she became
Suleiman's legal wife.



Love and Marriage

In 1545, Selim married to Konya Nurbanu Sultan. She was the mother
of Murad III, Selim's successor.



Reign

Selim II took the throne after palace intrigue and fraternal dispute.
He became Sultan on 7 September 1566. However Selim's Grand Vizier,
Mehmed Sokullu controlled much of the State Affairs. They made an
agreement with Holy roman emperor Maximilian II.

Early in 1570, ambassadors of Tsar Ivan IV of Russia concluded at
Istanbul a treaty that restored friendly relations between the Sultan and
the Tsar.

During the famine of 1573, due to a severe cold, the farmers of that time
could not provide goods for the people. Selim gave the people food and
vegetables in the food kitchen.

In April 1574, a fire broke out in the printing house of the Tokapi Palace
and burned many rooms, including the cooks and maids were burned and
the kitchen also was burned. However soon there came an order for a new
larger palace.





Death

Selim died on 15 December 1574 and he was buried in the Hagia Sophia.






Legacy

Selim was fond of pleasure and entertainment. He liked to
drink, enjoyed the presence of scholars and poets around him as well as
musicians and wrestlers. However he did not appear much in public.
There was written about him that he had two thousand concubines.


Source pictures: Wikipedia

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