Mehmed IV was born in Istanbul in 1642. His father was sultan Ibrahim and his mother was Hatice Turhan Sultan. He was known as the Hunter (Avci Mehmed) because of his passion for hunting. As a result of the rebellion of his grandmother Kösem Sultan, ulema (theologians), statesmen and janissaries in 1648 due to his father's continuing erratic behavior, he was enthroned as the 19th and the youngest Ottoman sultan at the age of 6. Due to his young age, the power was shared between his grandmother, his mother and their supporters for the first eight years of his reign. During this period the country remained in turmoil; the treasury was short of money and there were economic difficulties. High inflation, new taxes, bribery and corruption led to public uprisings.
After the failures on the island of Crete and the naval defeats off the island of Paros, the closure of the Dardanelles by the Venetians hit sea trade and the palace in Istanbul fell into trouble. However, the Ottoman navy later defeated the Venetian navy and ensured that the strait was re-opened to Ottoman ships.
After Istanbul, Mehmed IV started living in the palace in Edirne province and continued to hunt constantly. He went on campaigns in the Balkans and continued to rule the State from Edirne. Despite winning a few victories and reaching the widest borders in the West, the Ottoman armies suffered defeats in Hungary and Austria and began to lose territory. The Sultan's inadequate interest in state affairs due to his endless passion for hunting, the deteriorating economy and the lost lands created unrest among the people, soldiers and administrators. In 1687, Mehmed IV was dethroned and Suleyman II became the sultan in his place. Mehmed lived under surveillance in the palace and died in Edirne in 1693, then his body was brought to Istanbul and buried in the tomb of his mother, Turhan Sultan, near Yeni mosque.
With his 39-year reign, Mehmed IV is the longest-reigning Ottoman sultan after Suleyman the Magnificent.