Charles I of Austria vs Murad IV

Charles I became Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary upon the death of his great-uncle Franz Joseph I. He inherited a war-weary empire in the midst of World War I, facing military defeat and internal disintegration.

Charles I conducted secret peace negotiations with France through his brother-in-law, Prince Sixtus of Bourbon-Parma. He proposed supporting French claims to Alsace-Lorraine in exchange for a separate peace. The negotiations failed when Germany refused to cede territory, and the affair was leaked, damaging Charles's credibility.

Following the collapse of Austria-Hungary at the end of World War I, Charles I issued a proclamation renouncing participation in state affairs but did not formally abdicate. He went into exile in Switzerland, ending over 600 years of Habsburg rule.

Charles I made two attempts to regain the Hungarian throne, traveling to Hungary in March and October 1921. Both attempts failed due to lack of support from the Hungarian regent Mikl

Murad IV faced a major revolt by the Janissaries, who demanded the execution of several officials. Murad IV initially conceded but later executed the Janissary leaders and purged the corps. He then imposed strict discipline, reducing the Janissaries' political power and restoring order in the capital.

Murad IV issued a decree banning the use of tobacco, coffee, and alcohol throughout the Ottoman Empire. He enforced this ban with harsh penalties, including execution for violators. This measure aimed to restore public morality and discipline, reflecting his authoritarian rule.

Murad IV personally led a massive Ottoman army to recapture Baghdad from the Safavid Empire after a 40-day siege. The city had been lost to the Safavids in 1623. The victory restored Ottoman control over Mesopotamia and was a major military achievement of his reign.

Murad IV's recapture of Baghdad led to the Treaty of Zuhab with the Safavid Empire. This treaty established the permanent border between the Ottoman and Safavid empires, which largely corresponds to the modern Iran-Iraq border. It ended decades of war between the two empires.