Selim I
Yavuz Sultân Selim Khan (Ottoman Turkish: یاوز سلطان سلیم خان), entitled Hâdim-ül Haramain-ish Sharifain (خادم الحرمین الشریفین), also known as Selim I (سلیم اول) (October 10, 1465/1466/1470 – September 22, 1520) was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1512 until his death in 1520.
Biography
Early Life
Selim I was the son of Bayezid II and the brother of Şehzade Ahmet. When Bayezid favored Ahmet as his successor, a war began between Selim and Ahmet over whom would take the throne. Selim then proceeded to dethrone his father, and put his brothers and nephews to death to eliminate other possible heirs. Selim was victorious in his political efforts and became Sultan in 1512.
Conquests as Sultan
One of the first challenges Selim encountered as Sultan was the conflict between his empire and the Safavid Empire of Persia. Shah Ismail posed a threat to the Sunni people of the Ottoman Empire, so Selim assembled and marched his army to Iran in 1514 and dealt a powerful blow to Shah Ismail and the Safavids in the Battle of Chaldiran.
Later, Selim successfully attacked (and destroyed) the Mamluk Sultanate at the Battle of Marj Dabiq and then again later at the Battle of the Ridanieh. These military victories led to the annexation of Egypt, Palestine, and Syria and Selim extended protection to the holy cities of Medina and Mecca.
Death
After his military expeditions in Egypt, Selim returned to presumably prepare for an expedition against Hungaria, but his hopeful campaign was ended early when he became overwhelmed by sickness, and eventually died in just his ninth year as Sultan. His son, Suleiman I succeeded him as Sultan.
Personality
Selim was notorious for his fiery temper and hero-like personality. He maintained high expectations of his subordinates, and even occasionally had his own viziers executed.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||