AHMED III. (1637-1736), sultan of Turkey, son of Mahommed
IV., succeeded to the throne in 1703 on the abdication of
his brother Mustafa II. He cultivated good relations with
England, in view doubtless of Russia's menacing attitude.
He afforded a refuge in Turkey to Charles XII. of Sweden,
after his defeat at Poltava (1709). Forced against his
will into war with Russia, he came nearer than any Turkish
sovereign before or since to breaking the power of his northern
rival, whom his Grand Vizier Baltaji Mahommed Pasha succeeded
in completely surrounding near the Pruth (1711). In the
treaty which
Russia was compelled to sign Turkey obtained
the restitution of Azov, the destruction of the forts built
by
Russia and the undertaking that the tsar should abstain
from future interference in the affairs of the Poles or the
Cossacks. Discontent at the leniency of these terms was
so strong at
Constantinople that it nearly brought on a
renewal of the war. In 1715 the Morea was taken from the
Venetians. This led to hostilities with Austria, in which
Turkey was unsuccessful, and Belgrade fell into the hands
of Austria (1717). Through the mediation of
England and
Holland the peace of Passarowitz was concluded (1718), by
which Turkey retained her conquests from the Venetians, but
lost Hungary. A war with
Persia terminated in disaster,
leading to a revolt of the janissaries, who deposed Ahmed
in September 1730. He died in captivity some years later.
Initial text from 1911 encyclopedia
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