“I Have My Conditions”: The Grand Vizier Who Saved the Empire by Obtaining Full Authority from the Sultan
The mid-17th century was a dark chapter for the Ottoman Empire, pushed to the brink of collapse by harem intrigues, military revolts, and failed leadership. Amid this chaos, the elderly but resolute Köprülü Mehmed Pasha emerged. He became the first Grand Vizier in history to demand absolute authority, dictating his own terms to the Sultan. These conditions were not a quest for personal power but a bitter, necessary prescription to save a decaying state, fundamentally changing the course of history.
The Empire on the Brink: The Period of Chaos Before Köprülü
To understand Köprülü Mehmed Pasha’s emergence, one must grasp the profound crisis that characterized the Ottoman period of stagnation preceding him. Sultan Mehmed IV, a child of only 7 years old, sat on the throne. This situation led to the fragmentation of power among different centers of influence within the palace. The deadly rivalry between the Sultan’s grandmother, Kösem Sultan, and his mother, Turhan Hatice Sultan, paralyzed the state for years; although this struggle ended with the strangulation of Kösem Sultan, stability was never achieved.
State authority had crumbled, particularly within the army. Rebellious Janissaries executed dozens of statesmen in the notorious “Plane Tree Incident,” publicly displaying the Sultan’s complete loss of control. Externally, the endless siege of Crete allowed the Venetian navy to blockade the Dardanelles, threatening the capital itself. As a succession of Grand Viziers failed or were executed, the empire spiraled towards collapse from both internal and external pressures, desperately needing a savior.
The Offer Born of Desperation: Why Köprülü Mehmed Pasha?
In this desperate environment, the young Valide Sultan Turhan Hatice Sultan, who held the reins of the state, resorted to a last resort upon the advice of her counselors. The person sought had to be experienced, honest, but also ruthless and decisive, and far removed from the palace’s circles of intrigue. All eyes turned to Köprülü Mehmed Pasha, then living in retirement, approaching eighty, and a former provincial governor. Köprülü was an Albanian-origin devşirme (convert) who had served in various levels of state administration and was known for his honesty and stern character. His non-involvement with palace cliques made him the most attractive candidate.
When the offer was presented to him, Köprülü was well aware of the bitter end of previous Grand Viziers. For this reason, he made history by setting his own conditions for accepting the Grand Viziership, the most powerful office in the empire. This was more of an ultimatum than a negotiation: either he would be given absolute authority to save the state, or he would not take on this ruin.
A First in History: What Were the “Conditions” for the Grand Viziership?
Köprülü’s conditions were proof of his accurate diagnosis of the state’s problems. These conditions aimed to re-establish the prestige and functionality of the Grand Vizierate in the Ottoman Empire. These demands, fundamentally categorized under three main headings, were accepted by Valide Sultan Turhan Hatice Sultan.
Demand for Absolute Authority: An End to Palace Interference
Köprülü’s first and most crucial condition was that the palace, especially the Harem, should in no way interfere with his decisions and appointments. He argued that the state should be governed solely by the Divan-ı Hümayun, meaning the council presided over by the Grand Vizier. He wanted to guarantee that he would not act based on the suggestions of the Sultan, the Valide Sultan, or other palace officials, and that all his decisions would be unquestioningly accepted by the Sultan. This was the most radical step taken to re-establish state authority and aimed to recentralize power in the office of the Grand Vizier.
Guarantee of Merit and Justice: Full Control Over Appointments and Judgments
His second condition was to have sole authority over appointments and dismissals in state positions. At that time, important offices were distributed not based on merit, but through bribery or palace connections. Köprülü demanded full authority to break this corrupt system and appoint capable individuals loyal to the state. Furthermore, he requested the right to personally judge and punish statesmen against whom there were complaints or accusations. This would ensure that justice was administered according to the law, not based on individuals, and would send the message that no one was privileged.
Guarantee of Personal Safety: A Shield Against Slander
Köprülü’s final condition was perhaps the most personal yet vital. He demanded that no decision be made against him without taking his defense, in case of any slander or complaint reaching the palace, thereby guaranteeing his personal safety. Köprülü, knowing how easily previous Grand Viziers were sent to their deaths by mere rumor, understood that he needed a solid backing to make radical decisions. This condition would give him the courage to implement his “iron fist” policies without fear of his enemies’ intrigues.
The Iron Fist: Köprülü’s Rule and Radical Measures
On September 15, 1656, Köprülü Mehmed Pasha received the seal of the Grand Vizier and unhesitatingly used the unique authority granted to him to cleanse the decaying structure of the state. His first act in power was to initiate a major purge operation.
Military Discipline: He executed hundreds of Janissary and Sipahi officers who were involved in the Plane Tree Incident or displayed undisciplined behavior. He re-established an order of fear and obedience within the army.
Bureaucratic Purge: He dismissed dozens of pashas, governors, and qadis found to have taken bribes or abused their power, executing many and exiling others.
Foreign Policy Success: He reorganized the army and navy and marched against the Venetians. He broke the Venetian blockade of the Dardanelles, recaptured Bozcaada (Tenedos) and Limni (Lemnos). He suppressed the Transylvania (Erdel) rebellion, thereby re-establishing state authority on the empire’s northern borders.
Köprülü’s five-year Grand Viziership was extremely bloody and harsh. For this reason, he was also referred to as “the cruel”. However, this shock therapy ended anarchy, refilled the treasury, and re-established state authority. The Empire turned back from the brink of collapse thanks to his iron fist.
The Beginning of an Era: The Köprülü Legacy Flourishing in Topkapı Palace
When Köprülü Mehmed Pasha died in 1661, he left behind a stabilized empire and a dynasty, securing the Grand Vizierate for his son, Fazıl Ahmed Pasha. This began the Köprülü Era, a half-century of rule by his family that brought crucial stability from Topkapı Palace. His son continued his father’s reforms with a more constructive approach, delaying the empire’s decline. The Grand Vizier’s initial bold conditions had ultimately become the manifesto for an empire’s rebirth.
Frequently Asked Questions about Köprülü Mehmed Pasha
Why did Sultan Mehmed IV’s mother, Turhan Sultan, agree to such radical conditions?
The decision was born of pure desperation. The state was bankrupt, the military was in open rebellion (as seen in the “Plane Tree Incident”), and the Venetian navy threatened the capital. Turhan Sultan recognized that partial measures had failed and that only a figure with absolute, unquestioned authority, completely insulated from palace intrigue, could implement the brutal “shock therapy” needed to restore order. Agreeing to Köprülü Mehmed Pasha’s terms was a massive gamble, but it was the only option left to save the throne and the empire itself.
Was Köprülü Mehmed Pasha’s rule as cruel as history suggests?
Yes, by modern standards, his five-year rule was exceptionally harsh and bloody. He executed thousands, from rebellious soldiers to corrupt bureaucrats, often with little formal trial. However, within the context of the 17th century’s brutal political landscape, his actions were seen by many as a necessary evil. He used fear and an “iron fist” not for personal gain, but to systematically eliminate the sources of anarchy that were tearing the empire apart. His cruelty was a tool to re-establish the state’s authority and the rule of law.
What was the “Plane Tree Incident” (Vaka-i Vakvakiye)?
The “Plane Tree Incident” of 1656 was a gruesome rebellion and a symbol of the state’s collapse before Köprülü Mehmed Pasha took power. Enraged Janissaries and Sipahis, protesting debased currency, stormed the palace and demanded the execution of around thirty high-ranking officials. The young Sultan was forced to surrender them, and the rebels brutally executed them by hanging their bodies from the plane trees in Sultanahmet Square. This event demonstrated that the Sultan had lost all control over his own military and capital.
