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Selim II., after pacifying the janis saries with payments, tried in vain to undermine the power of Sokolli, the grand vizier, and finally found himself obliged to let the country be ruled by that great statesman, who gave the period his name. The conquest of Samos was completed and the risings in Yemen suppressed by Sinan Pasha. In 1568 the peace between Austria and Turkey was renewed for eight years. With the idea of joining the rivers Don and Volga by canal so that a fleet might be sent to the Caspian sea Sokolli attacked Astrakan but failed in his project. Turkish historians credit him also with the intention of opening a Suez canal. Cyprus was invaded by the Turkish army under the command of Lala Mustafa Pasha, who violated the Capitulations of Famagusta (1571) by executing the Venetian commander, Marco Antonio Bragadino, and aroused strong feel ing against the Turks. Venice, Spain and the pope united in a Holy League against Turkey and their combined fleets under the command of Don John of Austria severely defeated the Turkish fleet at Lepanto (1571). A year later the advance of a new Turk ish fleet commanded by Kilij Ali Pasha caused Venice to break from the League and conclude a treaty with the Turks (March 7, 1573). In 1574 Sinan Pasha and Kilij Ali Pasha recaptured Tunis and ravaged Sicily. Selim died in
He was known as the "sot," and passed his time in drink and debauchery. The de cadence which set in might have gone further if Sokolli had not administered the empire.
Murad, Selim's son, opened his reign by murdering his five younger brothers. He also tried to undermine Sokolli's power and in spite of his advice opened a war with Persia which lasted 12 years. The Turks conquered Shirvan, Tiflis and Daghistan and peace was concluded when Abbas, the successor of Tahmasep, was firmly established as shah of Persia. Sokolli's efforts to build an observatory in Stamboul were opposed by fanatical opinion ; and his assassination, which soon followed, is said to have been due to the sultan. This threw the country into disorder, for there was no man who had Sokolli's strength and authority to oppose the harem intrigues and corruption. The janissaries, refusing to accept a debased coinage that was called "Jewish money" mutinied throughout the empire. This mutiny had scarcely been suppressed when in 1593 the uncertain peace between Austria and Turkey degenerated into a regular war which is known as the "Long War." This was due to Hassan Pasha, the governor of Bosnia, raiding the Austrian frontiers and attacking Sissek. The Austrians and the Hungarians together routed the Turks in Kulpa with great slaughter. Sinan Pasha the grand vizier, marched on Hungary with a large army, and war continued for 14 years. Bribery, which had become widespread in
the country, corrupted the army as well, and there was no office which was not susceptible to the bribe of the highest bidder. Shemsi Pasha, one of Murad's counsellors, openly boasted of hav ing made a sultan take bribes for the first time. Vesperem and Raab were conquered by the Turks but the Moldavian and Wal achian revolts checked further victories. The Sultan's Venetian wife, Safie Sultana (Baffo), for many years ruled as his only wife, accepted bribes and interfered in state affairs, influencing the Porte's relations with Venice. In later years she had rivals and Janfreda Kadin, the chief palace woman, rose to power because of the many beautiful slaves she bought the sultan and the new forms of entertainment she introduced, including dwarfs and clowns. Murad had 103 children from different wives. He died in 1595 after a life of debauchery. The capitulations with France were renewed in 1581, those with Venice in 1589. In 1578 capitu lations were signed with the grand duke of Tuscany for the first time and with Great Britain for the first time in 1580. The first British Ambassador sent to Turkey was William Hairbone. Eliza beth in her letter to the sultan urges as a special claim to his friendship their common mission to fight the "idolaters," an inter esting example of diplomacy.
Safie Sultana (Baffo) who wielded such a strong influence as wife continued to do so as mother during this reign. The new sultan began by murdering 19 of his brothers. The war in Hungary became chronic and intrigues between Sinan Pasha and Ferhad Pasha for the position of grand vizier led to frequent changes of command in the army, with dis astrous results. Sinan persuaded the sultan to command the army in person, with good results at first for in 1596 the Turks recaptured Erlau and in three days defeated the allied armies at Keresztes. Because the sultan was anxious to return to his easy life in the capital and because the undue severity of Sicala Sinan Pasha was causing the Anatolian troops to desert, the Turks did not gain much by their victory. Ibrahim Pasha, Safie Sultana's favourite, became grand vizier through her influence and she sold by proxy all the high offices of State. In 1598 Raab, Totis, Ves perem and Pappa were lost by the. Turks. In 1599 overtures for peace were made by all sides without result. The unique military achievement of this campaign was that of Tiraki Hassan Pasha who in 1600 captured Kanizsa. A year later the attempt of the archduke Ferdinand to retake it at the head of 30,00o men was defeated. Military mutinies and Jelalli insurrections broke out in the interior and Shah Abbas marched on Tabriz and Erivan, when the sultan died in 1603.