As the Ottomans focus on fighting the Safavids off to the East, economic pressures are leading to increasing corruption and abuse of power throughout the Empire. As offices are sold and the people are wrung out for every last bit of tax revenue, it's only a matter of time before the Ottomans face the consequences.

Major Characters in this Episode

Sultan Murad III

Mihnea Turcitul “Mihnear Turned-Turk”

Stephen Báthory

Ioan IV Potcoavă

Mehmed Sokollu

Peter the Lame

Petru Rareș

Petru Cercel

Aaron the Tyrant

Ștefan Surdul

Alexandru V the Wrongdoer

Peter the Cossack

Timeline for this episode

• 1577, Ioan IV Potcoavă briefly takes control of Moldavia

• 1578-1590 Ottoman Safavid War

• 1578, Battle of Çıldır

• 1579, Grand Vizier Mehmed Sokollu is assassinated

• 1579-1582, Ioan V the Saxon takes control of Moldavia

• 1583, Battle of Torches

• 1584, battle of Slunj

• 1583-1585, Mihnea Turcitul is exiled to Tripoli after raising taxes

• 1585, The Hapsburgs sign a peace treaty with the Ottomans, ending active fighting in the Mediterranean

• 1590, Treaty of Constantinople ends the Ottoman-Safavid war

• 1591, Peter the Lame dies and is succeeded by Aaron the Tyrant

• 1593 The Battle of Sisak

• 1593-1606 the Long Turkish War

• 1594, Banat uprising