Published in 1594, the play is loosely – and historically inaccurately – based on Selim I, a real Emperor of the Ottoman Empire in the 1500s.
[2] The play centres on Selimus, who is the youngest son of Bajazet, the current Emperor of Turkey, and how he plans to take the crown away from his father.
The play follows the family turmoil that ensues as Selimus, Acomat, and Corcut, all sons of Bajazet, war and murder in an attempt to control the crown.
Nearly all of Bajazet's line of descent is eradicated by the end of the play, and Selimus is left to rule as Emperor of Turkey.
The character of Selimus is based on the Ottoman Sultan named Selim I, who ruled the Empire between 1512 and 1520 and conquered North Africa and parts of the Arabian Peninsula during his reign.
It was not until the edition was reissued in 1638 that the title page's information was heavily reworked and the play's authorship was attributed to a writer by the initials T.G.
The work of the Scottish clergyman Alexander Balloch Grosart has been crucial to determining the true authorship of Selimus.
"[6] Grosart used analyses of word usage and sentence composition to further link Selimus to Robert Greene.
Once Selimus confirms those suspicions, Bajazet gives his son rule over Smederevo in an effort to appease him.
Prior to the beginning of the play, Bajazet's eldest son Alemshae was killed by Ottrante, a supporter of Selimus.
In response, Acomat goes to Natolia to first erase the brethren of his deceased brother Alemshae by throwing the son, Prince Mahomet, over the castle walls onto awaiting spears.
Selimus feigns that he has changed his sly, subversive ways and convinces his father that he no longer lusts after the crown.
Mustaffa, still loyal to the now deceased Bajazet, sends word to Acomat's sons Alladin and Amurath that Selimus plans to kill them too.
He promises to use the upcoming winter season to rest and prepare for the spring, during which he will launch campaigns to take the crown in Egypt, Persia, and Arabia.
"[2] As a consequence of this, we see Selimus and many other characters in the play represented as bloodthirsty murderers which was befitting for the English perspective of the Turks.
The author(s) of Selimus may even have tweaked the true history of Selim I in order to emphasize the "cruelty of the Turks.
[9] With Aga acting as the voice of reason here, his rational viewpoint contrasts strongly with the sentiments Acomat expresses.
Selimus holds similar ideas since neither of the brothers are troubled by committing murder of family members or anyone who gets in their way.