Overview
Selim III was the first sultan to attempt a full reform of the state on European lines. His New Order alarmed the Janissaries and the religious establishment, who brought him down.
Rise to Power
He succeeded his uncle Abdülhamid I in 1789, in the middle of the war with Russia and Austria, which he ended with the treaties of Sistova (1791) and Jassy (1792).
Rule and Achievements
- Created the Nizam-ı Cedid, a new army trained and equipped on European lines, with its own treasury
- Opened the first permanent Ottoman embassies in European capitals, beginning with London in 1793
- Faced Napoleon's invasion of Egypt in 1798
Legacy
In 1807 the Janissaries rose and deposed him in favour of his cousin Mustafa IV. When reformers tried to restore him in July 1808, Mustafa had him killed.