Meñli II Giray

Mengli II Giray (1678–1740) was twice khan of the Crimean Khanate (1724–1730 and 1737–1740). He was a son of khan Selim I Giray and thus one of the six brothers who were khans during most of the period from 1699 to 1742. He was said to be intelligent, a lover of literature and involved with the Sufi order. He funded mosques and madrassas in Crimea, Budjak and Istanbul. During his first reign he regained control the Crimean nobles and then the Nogais in Budjak and the Kuban region.

He was born in 1678 on the isle of Rhodes during his father’s first exile. In 1704–1707 he was nureddin under his brother Ğazı III Giray. In 1707–1708 and 1713–1715 he was kalga during the first two reigns of his brother Qaplan I Giray. When Qaplan quit he settled at Kadykey near Silistra.