Mahmud I
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|style="width:30%;" rowspan="1"|Preceded by
| style="width: 40%; text-align: center;" rowspan="1"| Ottoman Sultan
1730–54
| style="width: 30%; text-align: center;" rowspan="1"| Succeeded by
|- |}
Mahmud I (in Arabic محمودالأول) (August 2, 1696 – December 13, 1754) was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1730 to 1754. He was the son of Mustafa II (1695–1703) and the older brother of Osman III (1754–57).
Mahmud I was recognized Sultan by the mutineers, as well as by court officials; but for some weeks after his accession the Empire was in the hands of the insurgents. Their chief, Patrona Halil, rode with the new Sultan to the Mosque of Eyub, when the ceremony of girding Mahmud I with the sword of Othman was performed; and many of the chief officers were deposed, and successors to them were appointed at the dictation of the bold rebel, who had served in the ranks of the Janissaries, and who appeared before the Sultan bare-legged, and in his old uniform of a common soldier. A Greek butcher, named Yanaki, had formerly given credit to Patrona, and had lent him money during the three days of the ltte insurrection. Patrona showed his gratitude by compelling the Divan to make Yanaki Hospodar of Moldavia. The insolence of the rebel chiefs became at length insupportable. The Khan of the Crimea, whom they threatened to depose, was in Constantinople; and with his assistance the Graud Vizier, the Mufti, and the Aga of the Janissaries, succeeded in freeing the government from its ignominious servitude. Patrona was killed in the Sultan's presence, after a Divan in which he had required that war should be declared against Russia. His Greek friend, Yanaki, and 7,000 of those who had supported him, were also put to death. The jealousy which the officers of the Janissaries felt towards Patrona, and their readiness to aid in his destruction, facilitated greatly the exertions of Mahmud I's supporters in putting an end to the reign of rebellion, after it had lasted for nearly two months.
The rest of Mahmud I's reign was dominated by wars with Persia and Russia.
Mahmud I entrusted government to his viziers and spent much of his time composing poetry.
Reference
- Incorporates text from History of Ottoman Turks (1878)