Editing Selim II (section)

==Reign==
=== Accession ===
[[File:Selim II ascends to the throne - A.jpg|thumb|left|Selim ascends the throne.]]
Selim ascended the throne on 29 September 1566,<ref name="Necipoğlu">{{cite book | last=Necipoğlu | first=G. | title=Muqarnas, Volume 27 | publisher=Brill | year=2010 | isbn=978-90-04-19110-5 | pages=261–262}}</ref> following the death of his father on 6 September. Initially, his enthronement ceremony occurred in Istanbul, despite the presence of viziers and the military in Szigetvár, Hungary. The ceremony went unrecognised, leading to a request for a new ceremony in Belgrade.{{sfn | A’goston | Masters | 2010 | pp=208, 209}} On 2 October, three days later, the sultan left Istanbul.<ref name="Necipoğlu"/> In order to safeguard the process of enthronement and accession, the astute grand vizier [[Sokollu Mehmed Pasha]] maintained the secrecy of Suleiman's death until Selim arrived at the army in Belgrade.{{sfn | A’goston | Masters | 2010 | p=513}} In Belgrade, a throne was positioned between two tuğs (horsehair battle standards) in front of the imperial tent. The allegiance ceremony was then conducted at that location.{{sfn | A’goston | Masters | 2010 | p=208}} The new sultan went to Belgrade without offering the accession bonus, the standing army sought assurances of gratuity and promotion, but the sultan dismissed their request. Consequently, upon entering Istanbul, the army revolted, citing the absence of a proper enthronement ceremony.{{sfn | A’goston | Masters | 2010 | p=209}}<ref>{{Cite book |last=McCarthy |first=Justin |url=http://archive.org/details/ottomanturksintr0000mcca |title=The Ottoman Turks: An Introductory History to 1923 |date=1997 |publisher=London; New York : Longman |isbn=978-0-582-25656-9 |pages=163–164 |language=en}}</ref>

===Character of Selim's rule===
In this new political environment, the grand vizier Sokollu Mehmed Pasha exerted significant control over governance throughout his entire reign.{{sfn | A’goston | Masters | 2010 | pp= 152–153}} Mehmed Pasha served continuously as grand vizier under Suleiman, and then Selim. Known for strategically placing family members and associates in key positions across the empire, he established a reliable network of proteges. Contemporary accounts highlight Sokollu's virtual sovereignty during Selim's reign, with the grand vizier effectively managing the empire. Selim's limited involvement in governance can be attributed not only to Sokollu's dominant role but also to a significant shift in the empire's political landscape. The emergence of the court and favourites system, along with the sedentarization of the sultanate, marked Selim's reign and later became defining aspects of power struggles among his successors.{{sfn | A’goston | Masters | 2010 | pp=513, 536}}

Beginning with Selim, the sultans also abstained from participating in military campaigns, spending most of their time in the palace.{{sfn | A’goston | Masters | 2010 | p=369}} Over time during his reign, the janissaries began to increase their power at the expense of the sultan. "Acession money" demanded by the janissaries had increased; they used their power to gain more benefits for their personal lives instead of improving the state. Janissaries were now able to marry and were allowed to enrol their sons in the Corps.<ref>{{Cite book |last=McCarthy |first=Justin |url=http://archive.org/details/ottomanturksintr0000mcca |title=The Ottoman Turks: An Introductory History to 1923 |date=1997 |publisher=London; New York : Longman |isbn=978-0-582-25656-9 |pages=163–164 |language=en}}</ref>

=== Treaties of Edirne and Speyer ===
In 1568, the [[Treaty of Adrianople (1568)|treaty of Edirne]] was concluded, after which the [[Habsburg]] [[Holy Roman Emperor]], [[Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor|Maximilian II]] recognised recent Ottoman conquests in Hungary and continued paying an annual tribute to the sultan. The longstanding Transylvanian issue, a source of conflicts between the Habsburgs and Ottomans, found resolution in the [[Treaty of Speyer (1570)|treaty of Speyer]] during the imperial diet in 1570. In this treaty, [[John Sigismund Zápolya]] relinquished his title as the elected king of Hungary, adopting the titles of prince of Transylvania and the adjacent parts of Hungary. Maximilian acknowledged these changes, and John Sigismund accepted Maximilian's suzerainty over his principality, which remained a part of the Holy Crown of Hungary. Despite this, the Transylvanian prince continued to be an Ottoman vassal. In essence, the Principality of Transylvania existed in a dual dependency, with its sovereignty constrained by both the sultan and the Habsburg kings of Hungary.<ref name="Ágoston">{{cite book | last=Ágoston | first=G. | title=The Last Muslim Conquest: The Ottoman Empire and Its Wars in Europe | publisher=Princeton University Press | year=2023 | isbn=978-0-691-20539-7 | page=247}}</ref>

=== Astrakhan expedition ===
In 1569, Selim made an unsuccessful attempt to [[Russo-Turkish War (1568–1570)|conquer Astrakhan]].{{sfn | A’goston | Masters | 2010 | p=491}} One of the most ambitious endeavours during his reign, albeit left unfinished, was the construction of a canal connecting the [[Don (river)|Don]] and [[Volga]] rivers. Championed by Grand Vizier Sokollu Mehmed Pasha, this extensive project involved excavating around 40 miles of challenging terrain. The canal, if completed, aimed to strategically benefit the Ottomans along the northern frontiers, serving to control Muscovy's advancement and establishing a base for potential attacks on Safavid Persia. Unfortunately, adverse weather conditions and disorder among the soldiers dispatched to the region hindered the canal's completion.{{sfn | A’goston | Masters | 2010 | p=514}}

=== Campaigns in the Mediterranean ===
[[File:Laureys a Castro - The Battle of Lepanto.jpeg|thumb|''The Battle of Lepanto'', [[Laureys a Castro]]]]
During his reign, naval campaigns unfolded in the Mediterranean.{{sfn | A’goston | Masters | 2010 | p=513}} In 1571, the Ottomans [[Siege of Famagusta|seized Cyprus]] from the Venetians,<ref>{{Cite book|last=Kia|first=Mehrdad|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/971893268|title=The Ottoman Empire : a historical encyclopedia|year=2017|isbn=978-1-61069-389-9|location=Santa Barbara, California|publisher=ABC-CLIO|pages=39|oclc=971893268}}</ref> transforming it into a new province alongside neighboring regions in mainland Anatolia. Initially, the island's harsh climate deterred migration, but under state pressure, a considerable number of Turkish settlers eventually established themselves. In the same year, the Holy League, comprising papal, Venetian, and Spanish fleets, retaliated for the capture of Cyprus in the decisive [[Battle of Lepanto (1571)|Battle of Lepanto]], a significant Christian stronghold. The Ottoman navy suffered a devastating defeat, leading to a year-long reconstruction effort, yet the loss of skilled naval personnel continued to impact the state throughout Selim's reign. Despite this setback, the recovery of the [[Conquest of Tunis (1574)|fortress of Tunis]] from Spain in 1574, shortly before Selim's death, marked a notable naval success.{{sfn | A’goston | Masters | 2010 | pp=513–514}}

=== Architecture === 
[[File:Bremen, Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek, ms. Or. 9, fol. 36r.jpg|thumb|right|220px|''Equestrian portrait of Sultan Selim II'' by [[Lambert de Vos]], 1574]]
Suleiman had left a lasting legacy in Damascus by commissioning the construction of the impressive Takiyya al-Sulaimaniyya mosque along the Barada River, situated outside the city walls. Designed in 1554 by the renowned architect Sinan, it was commonly referred to as the Takiyya, acknowledging the Sufi hostel (tekke or zawiyya) within its courtyard chambers. Selim expanded upon his father's mosque by adding the Madrasa Salimiyya in 1566–67. Subsequently, this complex became the starting point for the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.{{sfn | A’goston | Masters | 2010 | pp=136, 169–170}} Selim favoured Edirne over Istanbul, demonstrating his affection for the former Ottoman capital, especially relishing visits and hunting sessions in the city.{{sfn | A’goston | Masters | 2010 | p=514}} And so he undertook the construction of a significant mosque here. The mosque which is known as Selimiye Mosque, is the largest of all Ottoman mosques, was erected between 1569 and 1575 under the supervision of Sultan Selim's chief architect, Mimar Sinan.{{sfn | A’goston | Masters | 2010 | p=196}} He also undertook a significant renovation of the [[Hagia Sophia Mosque]] from 1572 to 1574 under the guidance of Sinan. This restoration included repairing the buttresses, substituting the wooden minaret with a brick one, and introducing two new minarets. Furthermore, adjacent structures were demolished to create the characteristic courtyard of the imperial mosque.{{sfn | A’goston | Masters | 2010 | pp=243–244}}