Mehmed II Giray

Mehmed II Giray
Mehmet Giray (detail) crossing a river in Hungary in 1566 with the Ottomans. History of Sultan Süleyman by Seyyid Lokman, 1579.
Khan of the Tatar Crimean Khanate
Reign1577–1584
PredecessorDevlet I Giray
SuccessorSaadet II Giray (nominally)
İslâm II Giray
Born1532
DiedMay 1584(1584-05-00) (aged 51–52)
DynastyGiray dynasty
ReligionIslam

Mehmed II Giray (1532 – May 1584) was Khan of the Crimean Khanate who reigned from 1577 to 1584. During his reign he made at least three campaigns against Persia in the service of the Ottomans. He was overthrown by the Ottoman Empire in the Crimean campaign (1584), for refusing to participate to another Ottoman campaign. He was one of the numerous sons of Devlet I Giray. Five of his brothers were later Khans.

He was called Semiz or 'the fat'. Because of his weight he avoided riding horseback and preferred to travel in a wagon drawn by six or eight horses. His use of a wagon contributed to his death. When he came to the throne he had no living uncles and six living brothers: Adil, Alp, Gazi, Fetkh, Mubarak and Selyamet. Saadet II Giray was his son. His many brothers, each of whom was a potential khan, caused trouble during his reign and after.