Selim II

Selim was known for being a generous supporter of poets and had a strong interest in literature, and wrote poems under the pen name Selimi. During his time as the governor of Kütahya, he actively engaged with poetry, surrounding himself with poets, including notable figures like Turak Çelebi. Among his associates, Nigari not only served as a confidante but also played roles as an entertainer and portraitist for the sultan. He is reputed in the sources of the period to have been a generous monarch, fond of pleasure and entertainment and of drink councils, and who enjoyed the presence of scholars, poets and musicians around him. However, it is stated that he did not appear much in public, and that his father often went to Friday prayer and out among the public; Selim neglected this and spent his time in the palace.

Selim II was the Ottoman sultan from 1566 to 1574. He faced internal power struggles and relied heavily on his grand vizier, Sokollu Mehmed Pasha, for governance. Notable achievements during his reign included the conquest of Cyprus and Tunis but setbacks occurred in the Battle of Lepanto and failed capture of Astrakhan. Selim also undertook architectural projects such as expanding his father's mosque in Damascus and constructing a large mosque in Edirne known as Selimiye Mosque.