Mustafa III

Mustafa III
Ottoman Sultan
Caliph
Reign	October 30, 1757–January 21, 1774
Period	Stagnation of the Ottoman Empire
Full Name	Mustafa III
Predecessor	Osman III
Successor	Abdülhamid I
Royal House	House of Osman
Dynasty	Ottoman Dynasty

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. His mother was Âminā Mihr-î-Mâh Sultan.

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 was powerless to prevent 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.

Mustafa married Valide Sultan Mihrişah (Mihr-i shah, originally from Genoa), and had two sons: Selim, son of Mihrişah (Mihr-i shah) and Mohammed. He also had five daughters, among them Hatice Sultan.

Mustafa III in his royal robes.

External links

• A more detailed profile of Mustafa III

Mustafa III House of Osman Born: January 28, 1717 Died: January 21, 1774[aged 57]
Regnal titles
Preceded by Osman III	Sultan of the Ottoman Empire Oct 30, 1757 - Jan 21, 1774	Succeeded by Abdul Hamid I
Sunni Islam titles
Preceded by Osman III	Caliph of Islam Oct 30, 1757 - Jan 21, 1774	Succeeded by Abdul Hamid I

Persondata
Name	Mustafa 03
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1717
Place of birth
Date of death	January 21, 1774
Place of death