Askia Ishaq II vs Mehmed III

Askia Ishaq II became ruler of the Songhai Empire after a period of internal strife following the death of Askia Daoud. He was the last of the Askia dynasty to rule an independent Songhai Empire.

Askia Ishaq II's army was decisively defeated by a Moroccan invasion force equipped with firearms at the Battle of Tondibi near Gao. The Songhai forces, lacking gunpowder weapons, were routed, leading to the collapse of the Songhai Empire.

Following the defeat at Tondibi, Askia Ishaq II fled the capital Gao. He was later captured and executed by the Moroccans, marking the end of the Songhai Empire as an independent state and the beginning of Moroccan rule over the region.

Upon ascending the throne, Mehmed III ordered the execution of his nineteen brothers to eliminate potential rivals. This was the largest single fratricide in Ottoman history, following the tradition of Mehmed II's law of fratricide. It shocked the court and populace.

Mehmed III personally led the Ottoman army to victory against the Habsburg forces at Keresztes in Hungary. Despite initial setbacks, the Ottomans won, securing control over much of Hungary. This was the last time an Ottoman sultan personally commanded a campaign.

Mehmed III's reign saw the outbreak of the Celali rebellions, a series of uprisings by Anatolian peasants and soldiers. The government sent forces to suppress them, but the rebellions continued into the next century, weakening central authority.

Mehmed III died in 1603, ending the direct influence of his mother Safiye Sultan over the court. She had been a dominant figure during his reign, but after his death, her power waned as the new sultan Ahmed I took a different approach.