This image shows a small black and white shoulder-up engraving of the Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II. He is bearded, mustachioed, and wearing an elaborate turban and headdress as well as a rich, fur-lined coat. The captions below the image reads in Danish, “Mahmud II - Ottoman Emperor”. Mahmud II, the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1808 to 1839, was known to be a savvy ruler who at times used ruthless tactics to secure power and legitimacy. He oversaw the empire during the Greek War of Independence, which he thought was sparked by Alexander I of Russia, who he saw as a major threat. Mahmud is also notable for attempting to westernize the Ottoman Empire as well as for killing off the Janissary corps and establishing a European-style army.
