Weak and incompetent
sultans
Among all of the internal
reasons mentioned, incompetent sultans were the main reason of the empire’s decline. The
first weak sultan was Selim II (1566-74). He was the successor to the Suleiman, the
Grand Turk. This was the first weak sultan of the next 24 ones, which would lead the
empire to its slow decline. Selim was the first sultan to drink wine. Selim had a poor
figure to be a sultan as his father Suleiman didn’t give him the training he needed to
become a strong sultan. As to become a sultan the prince should serve in military or
government campaigns. Indolent and dissolute, he won little respect from his ministers
and subjects. At his time, the ottomans had their first defeat in battle at Lepanto.
This was the first time the western world believed that the Turks could be
defeated.
Corrupt executive and
judicial officers
Weak of the sultans meant
weak and corrupt executive officers. Selim II’s son Murad can be an example for this. He
was weak as his father. He loved both gold and women. He never really cared about the
empire’s affairs. He surrounded himself with numerous courtiers, which none of them were
faithful. Of course there were some of who were sincere with their work, but the other
viziers and grand viziers didn’t like them, because mainly those were the ones which the
sultans gave his most attention and listening to. This made other people jealous. So
they started to make plans of how to get rid of them, and sometimes this meant
assassination.
We can take as an example of this the grand
vizier Sokullo. When sultan Selim II was on the throne, he gave Sokullo a big authority,
which mainly stabled the empire during selim’s reign. After Selim died, his son Murad
was on the throne. Sokullo was still a grand vizier, sokullo didn’t enjoy the full
authority and power that Selim has given him. Many hated him and were plotting against
him. Finally, Sokullo was assassinated in his council chamber by and apparent suppliant
dervish who stabbed a dagger in to his heart killing him. Corrupt officers meant that
they would do anything to keep their high positions. So they used to bribe
officials.
Inheritance
Also
inheriting of positions was also introduced for the first time. Before officers were
chosen by their quality.
Soon officials of the judicial
systems (judges) also followed in to the corruption system. Judges were as corrupt as
other officials too. Instead of listeninig to the complaints of the villagers, they were
all too welcome to take bribes from those charged with
offenses.
Corruption and
weakness in the officers of the military
forces
Corruption and weakness in the officers
of the military forces also had a significant effect on the empire. This was mainly in
the janissary officers and soldiers. Sultan Murad I of the Ottoman Empire founded the
units around 1365. They were mainly formed from Christian youths and war prisoners from
the Balkans. They were distinguished from other soldiers by their marching music and
their regular salary. By time through their attachment to the sultan they started to
gain too much power, and by power corruption appeared too. Also since Suleiman’s reign
janissaries were allowed to marry which led to the growth of heredity among
them.
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