One of the most devastating wars in European history is coming to an end, shaping the continent for centuries to come. At the same time, a new state is rising on the Ottoman frontier, a great European power is in terminal decline, murder and intrigue are ravaging the palace, and a new dynasty is stepping up to rule the Empire.

Major Characters in this Episode

Emperor Ferdinand III

Emperor Leopold I

Vasile Lupu

Matei Basarab

Sultan Ibrahim I

George II Rákóczi

Abaza

Köprülü Mehmed Pasha

Constantin Șerban

Gheorghe Ștefan

Timeline for this episode

• 1645–1669 War with Venice (Cretan War)

• 1648, Peace of Westphalia:

• 1648, Khmelnytsky Uprising by Cossacks

• 1648, George Rákóczi dies and is succeeded as Prince of Transylvania by his son George II Rákóczi

• 1649, George II Rákóczi forms an alliance with a Cossack commander, Wallachia, and Moldavia against Poland, but they take no immediate action

• 1651, death of Ibrahim’s mother Kösem Sultan

• 1653, Battle of Finta, after which Vasile Lupu was exiled and imprisoned in Constantinople and replaced by Gheorghe Ștefan

• 1654, Matei Basarab dies and is succeeded by Constantin Șerban

• 1654, Pereyaslav Council has the newly independent Cossack state ally with Russia

• 1655, the beginning of the Second Northern War

• 1656, Çınar incident

• 1656, Köprülü Mehmed Pasha becomes grand vizier, beginning the Köprülü era

• 1656, the Treaty of Radnot divides up the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth

• 1657, George II Rákóczi invades Poland to aid Sweden

• 1657-1662, Transylvania attacks the Tatars

• 1657, Ferdinand III dies and is succeeded by his son Leopold I

• 1657, Sipahi rebellion

• 1658, Ottomans invade Transylvania

• 1658, Second Abaza revolt

• 1660, Ayazmakapi Fire

• 1661, Transylvania declared independence again, prompting an Ottoman-Tatar invasion