Mehmed IV

Reign: 1648 – 1687
Life: 1642–1693

He came to the throne at the age of six after his father was overthrown in a coup. Mehmed went on to become the second-longest-reigning sultan in Ottoman history after Suleiman the Magnificent. While the initial and final years of his reign were characterized by military defeat and political instability, during his middle years he oversaw the revival of the empire's fortunes associated with the Köprülü era. Mehmed IV was known by contemporaries as a particularly pious ruler, and was referred to as gazi, or "holy warrior" for his role in the many conquests carried out during his long reign. Under Mehmed IV's reign, the empire reached the height of its territorial expansion in Europe. From a young age he developed a keen interest in hunting, for which he is known as avcı (translated as "the Hunter").

During Mehmed IV's reign, Louis XIV of France ruled France, Aurangzeb ruled Mughal Empire, and Kangxi Emperor ruled China.

Further reading: Osman's Dream: The History of the Ottoman Empire 1300–1923 by Caroline Finkel

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