Ahmed gave himself up to pleasure during the remainder of his reign, which ended in 1617, and demoralization and corruption became as general throughout the public service as indiscipline in the ranks of the army.
The army had been thinned by desertion and was enervated by long indiscipline.
His policy of never interfering in strikes and leaving even violent demonstrations undisturbed at first proved successful, but indiscipline and disorder grew to such a pitch that Zanardelli, already in bad health, resigned, and Giolitti succeeded him as prime minister (November 1903).
The result, though disastrous, abundantly demonstrated Leslie's capacity as a soldier, and it might be claimed for him that Cromwell and the English regulars proved no match for him until his movements were interfered with and his army reduced to indiscipline by the representatives of the Kirk party that accompanied his headquarters.
But he was also the severe and capable administrator who during years of hard work at the admiralty did more than any other to raise the navy from the state of corruption and indiscipline into which it had fallen during the first half of the eighteenth century.