The Ottoman sultan who succeeded Suleiman the Magnificent — under whom the empire, though still expanding, saw the famous naval defeat at Lepanto.
Life
Selim II (reigned 1566–1574), son of Suleiman, left much governance to his capable grand vizier Sokollu Mehmed Pasha. His reign saw the conquest of Cyprus (1571) but also the destruction of the Ottoman fleet by a Christian league at the Battle of Lepanto (1571) — a shock that the empire, rebuilding its navy within a year, absorbed. His reign is often taken to mark the beginning of a gradual shift in Ottoman fortunes.