Saadet I Giray

Saadet I Giray (1492–1538) was Khan of the Crimean Khanate (reigned 1524–1532). He was pro-Ottoman and a competent ruler. He followed Ğazı I Giray (1523–24) and was followed by İslâm I Giray (1532). Service in Turkey (1512–1524) He was one of the eight sons of Crimean Khan Mengli Giray (reigned 1478–1515). Ottoman Sultan Bayezid II (r. 1481–1512), late in his reign, faced rebellions of his two sons, Şehzade Ahmed and Şehzade Selim. One of Selim's consort was Ayşe Hatun, a daughter of Mengli Giray. In 1511 or 1512 Mengli sent troops under his son Saadet to aid his son-in-law. Selim won and replaced his father. Saadet suppressed revolts in Anatolia, and maybe married Gevherhan Sultan, a daughter of Selim and was an ally of both Selim I the Grim (r. 1512–1520) and his son Suleiman the Magnificent (r. 1520–1566). He had a son, maybe by Gevherhan, Ahmed Pasha. As Khan 1524–1532 When Saadet's brother Mehmed I was killed at Astrakhan he was followed by his son Ğazı I Giray (r. 1523–24). Gazy was unpopular with the Crimean nobles who sent to Istanbul to bring in Saadet. In April 1524 Saadet landed with Turkish troops, took the throne and killed Gazy. Saadet's nephew Gazy had reigned about six months. His initial policy was one of peace and consolidation. He found Crimea much weakened by the Nogai invasion. He sought to restore order, copied Turkish institutions, surrounded himself with Turkish officials, reorganized the army and for the first time introduced artillery. The nobles were not happy with his pro-Turkish policies. To get the support of the Shirin clan he married Shirin-Bek, the widow of his older brother Akhmed who had rebelled against Mehmed in 1519. He established peaceful relations with Astrakhan, tried to establish relations with the various Nogai Mirzas and unsuccessfully tried to mediate peace between Moscow and Kazan.