The great war that took place between the years of 1683-1699 was called as the Catastrophic Years. In these years, turkey had fought all alone against a powerful coalition. The great states of this coalition were the German Empire, the Russian Empire, the kingdom of Poland and the Venetian Republic. In addition to this, the kingdom of Spain with which Turkey had been in a continuous state of war and several medium- and small-scaled states had participated in this coalition. The biggest front was Hungary in which the German-Turkish war took place. Budin that got rid of the blockade in the year of 1684 was again besieged by the Allied Forces on the date of 18th June 1686 and it was lost on the date of 2nd September pursuant to a very cruel and violent defence. All of the Turks in the city (Budapest) were put to the sword. Some of them could run away along the path of the Danube River. Budin Governor, the Vizier Abdurrahman Abdi Pasha was among the March yrs. 81 mosques and thousands of Turkish public works in compliance with this tradition that were located in the city were demolished with all their foundations.
There was a pitched battle (12th August 1687) that took place in the region of Mohaj where Kanuni had won Hungary 161 years before. In this pitched battle, the Turkish army was defeated. Most of the regions in Hungary were invaded by the Germans. The situation in the other fronts was not good. Venetians captured Athens (25th September 1687) and Mora. Only the army of Polan was defeated in Kamaniçe (3rd September 1687). Mehmed IV was dethroned. He was 46 years old and he was in the throne of the state for a period of over 39 years. He was respectively replaced by his brothers, Suleyman III (1687-1691) and Ahmed II (1691-1696).
Bad news were heard of about the front in Germany and these terrible news depressed Istanbul. Egri (14th December 1687) and Istolni-Belgrade (6th September 1688) were lost. In the year of 1688, nearly the entire regions of Hungary was lost. These defeats carried on. Belgrade (8th September 1688), Banjaluka (4th September), Zvornik (4th October) were captured by the Germans one after the other. Suleyman II decided to organise an imperial military expedition. He came from Edirne to Sofia (6th June-25th June 1689). However, he did not advance ahead. The Turkish armies were defeated by Germans in Batucina and Niş (30th August and 24th September 1689). In order to remedy this situation, Köprülüzade Fazıl Ahmed Pasha was appointed to the grand viziership (25th October 1689). He was Köprülü Mehmed Pashas middle child and Köprülüzade Fazıl Ahmed Pashas brother. He took stiff precautions and he organised a military expedition (13th July 1690) and he recaptured Belgrade. Meanwhile, the Germans invaded Erdel (4th December 1691). Köprülüzade set in motion for his second military expedition against the Germans (14th June 1691). However, when he died as a March yr in the war of Salankamen, the Ottoman Imperial Army was defeated thereof (19th August).
The Venetians wanted to land troops in the Crete Island. However, they were repulsed (28th August 1692). Nevertheless, they could invade the Chios Island (21st September 1694). Upon the death of his uncle in these days, Mustafa II who was the eldest son of Mehmed IV ascended the throne (6th February 1695). The Vizier, Mezomorta Hüseyin Pasha defeated the Venetian navy for two times successively in the open seas battles that took place in Chios Starit and Koyun Islands (9th and 28th February 1695) and he recaptured the island of Chios (22nd February). He defeated the Venetian navy again in Yera (19th September).
Mustafa II organised his first military expedition. He defeated the German Army in the Lugoş pitched battle in Transilvania (22nd September 1695). The Tsar Petro the Great was defeated in front of Azov (Rostov Khanates) (13th October 1695). However, he captured Azov in his second attempt (6th August 1696). Mustafa II organised his secondary imperial military expedition against the Germans and he defeated the German army in Olash (27th August 1696). In the following year, he organised his third military expedition. However, upon the collapse of the Danube bridge in Senta (11th September 1697), the Turkish army that were divided into two branches on both sides of the river was defeated. Therefore, the last military expedition that had been organised to recapture Hungary did not yield any result. Mustafa II wanted to make great arrangements within a year and to recapture Hungary. However, everyone was tired of wars. There was a great need for the state of peace. Therefore, the ruler gave in.
The negotiations for the peace lasted for a long time and they passed under difficult conditions. These negotiations were administered with great resistance by Mehmed Rami Effendi who was the chief delegate of the Turks and the Foreign Minister of the state. Therefore, Karlofça Peace Agreement was concluded. (26th January 1699). This was the first agreement through which the Ottoman State had surrendered its lands. Therefore, the great war that lasted for 16 years that have been called as Catastrophic Years in the Ottoman history came to an end. The losses of Turks were significant: the most significant losses were Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Transilvania (to Germany), Mora (to Venetia), Podolia and the Turkish Galicia (to Venetia), and the environs of Azov (Rostov) (to Russia).
Mustafa II was dethroned upon an inauspicious revolution that was called as Edirne Event (22nd August 1703). After a few months, de died of his sorrow and grief. His brother, Ahmed III (1703-1730) became the ruler in his place. The tradition of the residence of the rulers in Edirne that had been applied for nearly 40 years was annulled. Mustafa II had participated in the military expeditions in his princedom period and he had been an experienced ruler that was the last warrior ruler of the state. Pursuant to him, the tradition of the management and command of the armies by the rulers in person and the organisation of the military expeditions by the rulers in person was given up and abolished.
On the verge of century XVIII, the state of Turkey had revealed all its terrible and deep weak points that burst out upon the Vienna Defeat. It had lost much of its older power. However, the foundation of this state was laid so strong and robust that its decline and collapse would necessitate centuries to come into existence. Pursuant to the Second World War, the English and French Empires were abolished within only a few years without being subject to the foreign pressures and the transgressions that Turkey had experienced. Taking this situation into consideration, the power of existence pertaining to the Ottoman State can be much more easily understood. The century XVI in which the Ottoman power was superior or at least equal to the rest forces of the world was left behind. However, the state still was superior in respect of power over the total forces of the most powerful two states that followed it. Nevertheless, the Europe had developed some characteristics such the positive sciences and the critical opinions, the determination and resolution in the attempts and movements, the diligence and the prefiguration of the future with a great desire and determination. Therefore, the Europe had outmatched the East long time ago and it outmatched or it was on the verge of outmatching Turkey that was the greatest and the most developed representative of the East by means of the high qualities stated above. The superiority of the Europe over the Turks would be revealed clearly in nearly all institutions within the century XVIII. Furthermore, the establishment of dominion in the Oceans would provide a great power and wealth for the West; and it would prepare to capture the widest regions of the world through capital accumulation. Since the middle of the century XVIII, a very powerful Turkish empire in India collapsed all of a sudden.
The population of the world was nearly 648 millions in the year of 1700. There were 454.9 millions of people in Asia (%67.5), 134.4 millions of people in Europe (%19), 71.1 millions of people in Africa (%10.4), 10.8 millions of people in the North America (%1.6), 10.6 millions of people in the South America (%1.5), and 3.1 millions of people in Oceanica (%0.5).
The surface areas and the populations of the big states were as follows: Turkish empire (the surface area of 15.914.606 km2, and the population of 77.985.000), Indian Turkish Empire (Timurogullari dynasty) (the surface area of 4.622.885 km2, and the population of 170.000.000), Iran Turkish Safevi Empire (the surface area of 1.956.791 km2, and the population of 18.000.000), Chinese Empire (the surface area of 12.268.208 km2, and the population of 120.000.000), French Empire (the surface area of 4. 494.364 km2, and the population of 21.406.000), Kingdom of Great Britain (the surface area of 1.833.478 km2, and the population of 9.011.000), (in addition, the states in which the same king had established dominion such as the Netherlands: the surface area of 1.021.274 km2, and the population of 7.530.000), German Empire (the surface area of 803.821 km2, and the population of 22.479.000), Kingdom of Spain (the surface area of 15. 086.003 km2, and the population of 30.405.000), Sweden Kingdom (the surface area of 1.278.023 km2, and the population of 4.500.000), Venetian Republic (the surface area of 72.683 km2, and the population of 4.800.000), Russian Empire (the surface area of 14. 568.540 km2, and the population of 12.000.000), Kingdom of Poland (the surface area of 760.407 km2, and the population of 12.000.000), Morocco Empire (the surface area of 3. 051.699 km2, and the population of 8.000.000).
In the period of Ahmed III, the principle of the foreign policy was the recapture of the lands that had been surrendered as per Karlofça Agreement. This policy was applied through armed force, and the regions surrendered to Russia and Venetia were recaptured. However, the lands surrendered to Germany could not be recaptured despite the great attempts; and the regions surrendered to Poland were not even planned to be recaptured. Actually, the policy of the Sublime Port of the Ottoman Government was to support Poland against Germany and Russia as much as it could and to provide its abolition between these two states. Russia was subdued upon the military expedition to Prut (1711). The Grand Vizier and the Chief Commander, Baltacı Mehmet Paşa who commanded this military expedition was dishonoured and overthrown due to some allegations that have been definitely determined as unfounded and untrue allegations recently. In these years, the stay of the Sweden King Karl XII in Turkey for years became one of the most important events of the European diplomacy.
Then, the Vizier and the Chief Commander, Damad Iznikli Şedid Şehid Silahdar Ali Pasha had captured Mora from Venetia (1715). In the military expedition that he organised in the following year in order to recapture Hungary from Germany, he died in the battlefield as a March yr in the course of Petervaradin pitched battle (5th August 1716) and his army was defeated. The war against Germany and Venetia came to an end with Pasarofça Agreement (21st July 1718). According to this agreement, Venetia would surrender the regions that it had captured as per Karlofça Agreement (Mora, etc.) and therefore, he was crossed out of the group of the big states. However, let alone the recapture of the regions that had been surrendered to Germany before, the important lands and cities such as Banat (Tameşvar), Belgrade and Semendire, etc. were surrendered to Germany. Upon this agreement, the first period of the sultanate Ahmed III was closed.
The second period of the sultanate of Ahmed III was called as Tulip Age (1718 1730). This period included the sovereignty years of the Grand Vizier, Damat Nevşehirli Ibrahim Pasha. Ibrahim Pasha was convinced that the policy of conquests and even the recapture of the lands would not be possible unless the public order was settled and some superior development in respect of technical innovations of Europe were adopted. The Tulip Age was a glorious period. Istanbul that was tired of wars and revolutions and the Turkish cities that imitated Istanbul wanted to take the advantage of the material zest of the life in this period. It was an awakening period for Turkish arts and culture. Despite the policy for the state of peace, Ibrahim Pasha started his conquests in the East since the year of 1722. The great crisis that resulted from the collapse of the Safevi dynasty in Iran enabled these conquests. The countries in the Western Iran and the Caucasus that were under the domination of Iran and very valuable lands with the total surface area of 290.000 km2 were captured by Turkey. The Ottoman State that extended towards the Caspian Sea again gained an equal balance with its eastern border that it had had in the century XVI. Upon Hamedan Agreement (4th October 1727), Iran recognised and acknowledged these conquests. However, the last conqueror of these Turks, Nadir Khan (Shah in the future) who appeared in the meantime recaptured Tabriz. Under these circumstances, those who envied the power of Ibrahim Pasha caused a dishonourable revolution and had the Pasha to be executed. Ahmed III was overthrown (1st October 1730).
Ahmed IIIs nephew (the son of Mustafa II), Mahmud I (1730 1754) ascended the throne. Pursuant to the annihilation of those who caused the Patrona Rebellion within a short period, he continued nearly all traditions of the Tulip Age in a more temperate manner. His sultanate that lasted nearly for a quarter century was one of the last periods of dignity and fortune of Turkey. The war that Turkey fought on its own against the German and Russian Empires (1736 1739) came to an end with the victory of the Ottoman State. Therefore, Turkey pointed out in an obvious manner that it could defeat the two empires that were very powerful all alone. Belgrade Agreement (18th September 1739) gave back to Turkey the lands that had been surrendered to Germany in accordance with the Pasarofça Agreement. After 22 years, Belgrade was recaptured by Turkey. The war against Iran lasted until the year of 1746. It came to an end with the abandonment of the conquests in Iran and the resolution of the agreement upon the conditions of Kasr-i Şirin Agreement (1639).
In the middle of the century XVIII, the world population reached to 700,4 millions of people:: 447,1 millions of people in Asia (% 64), 152,3 millions of people in Europe (% 21,7), 75,1 millions of people in Africa (% 10,7), 11,7 millions of people in the North America(% 1,7), 11,1 millions of people in the South America (% 1,6), 3,1 millions of people in Oceanica (% 0,3). The situations of the Big States in accordance with the range of significance- were as follows: Turkey Empire (the surface area of 15,538,000 km2, and the population of 76,2 millions), Kingdom of France (the surface area of 1,871,962 km2, and the population of 22,7 millions), Kingdom of Great Britain (the surface area of 5,396,262 km2, and the population of 13 millions), Chinese Empire (the surface area of 10,797,408 km2, and the population of 180 millions), Iran Turkish Empire (the surface area of 1,751,791 km2, and the population of 16,5 millions), German Empire (the surface area of 834,009 km2, and the population of 26,3 millions), Indian Turkish Empire (the surface area of 3,103,243 km2, and the population of 140 millions), Russian Empire (the surface area of 16,517,455 km2, and the population of 15 millions), Afghanistan Empire (the surface area of 1,652,042 km2, and the population of 15 millions), Kingdom of Poland (the surface area of 790,400 km2, and the population of 15,6 millions), Prussian Kingdom (the surface area of 121,224 km2, and the population of 2,4 millions).
Mahmut I was firstly replaced by his younger brother, Osman III (1754-1757), and then, his paternal nephews, son of Ahmet IIIMustafa III (1757-1774) and his brothers Abdülhamit I (1774-1789).