This article examines the contrasting reigns of Sultan Murad IV (r. 1623–1640) and Sultan Mehmed IV (r. 1648–1687), focusing on their personal dispositions, ideological commitments, and approaches to governance. Despite ruling in the same century, their leadership styles reflected divergent responses to the challenges of maintaining Ottoman authority. Murad IV emerged as a warrior-sultan, prioritizing military strength, political centralization, and strict enforcement of order. His campaigns against the Safavids and his domestic policies—including bans on tobacco and alcohol—demonstrated his dual commitment to Sunni orthodoxy and state control. Mehmed IV, in contrast, sought to legitimize his rule through piety, favoring religious influence over military assertion. Under the guidance of his mother and the Köprülü grand viziers, he attempted to reshape the empire through Islamic orthodoxy, though his reliance on courtly figures distanced him from direct governance. The role of their mothers, Kösem Sultan and Turhan Sultan, proved instrumental in shaping their respective approaches to power. Kösem’s direct involvement in state affairs contributed to Murad IV’s assertiveness, while Turhan’s influence encouraged Mehmed IV’s retreat into religious pursuits. These contrasting upbringings shaped not only their political strategies but also the long-term trajectory of the empire. One often-overlooked aspect of Mehmed IV’s reign was his impact on the Ottoman succession system. Unlike Murad IV, whose failure to secure dynastic stability led to unrest, Mehmed IV’s restraint in executing potential rivals ensured continuity. This might be his most enduring legacy, despite its lack of recognition in scholarship. By comparing these two rulers, this paper highlights broader transformations in seventeenth-century Ottoman governance and the shifting balance between military strength and religious legitimacy in defining imperial authority.
Birol Gündoğdu (Fri,) studied this question.