SULTAN III. OSMAN HAN

Father : Sultan II. Mustafa
Mother : Şehsuvar Sultan
Date of Birth : January 2, 1690
Accession to the Throne : December 13, 1754
Death : October 29/30, 1757

He was accessed to the Ottoman throne as the twentyfifth sovereign. He was under supervision at the palace when he was a prince. He was well educated and self-made. Although he was a kind-hearted person, he was temperamental and nervous.

He got alarmed on issues which he could not understand and wanted his orders to be fulfilled immediately. Since he was an extremely curious person, he tried to learn about everything. He was generally under the influence of his immediate surroundings.

His reign is considered one of political significance due to the previous treaties signed by the state. Some occurrences and rebellions on the Eastern border were dealt with. Although the period was one of peace comparatively speaking, and his sovereignty did not last long, grand viziers were changed too frequently and well educated statesmen were misused.

On the year he was enthroned, İstanbul went through an incomparably long and harsh winter season. The Golden Horn was frozen and people were able to walk on ice between the financial department quay and Sütlüce. The public however, was in desperate straits. The second disaster was experienced with the İstanbul fire which had continued for 36 hours. The fire which started around Hocapaşa, burnt down all the wooden houses. While efforts were being made to heal the wounds of this disaster, a new fire started around Cibali where restorations were made. This second fire continued for 48 hours and around two thousand houses, one thousand stores, more than five hundred mills, two hundred mosques and small mosques, seventy Turkish baths and commercial buildings were burnt down to ashes. People were left homeless an epidemic disease were seen throughout the city.

Sultan Osman was a very fat, medium height man. His extra weight impacted his physical appearance and prevented his walking. He had a small face compared to the rest of his body, a fair complexion and hazel eyes. He liked to go round in disguise and used to go out to the city day or night on horse back dressed as a scholar and talk with the public.