The Sultan Soliman the First, surnamed the Legislator, raised the
Turkish Empire to its highest pinnacle of glory. Owing, however, to
the great extent of frontier which his dominions possessed, he was
continually at war with one or the other of the neighbouring powers.
In 1555 he was engaged in hostilities with Persia, but, despite his
desire to pursue the contest with vigour, the weight of sixty years,
and the fatigues of twelve personally conducted campaigns, rendered
repose necessary to him; he, therefore, left the command of his forces
to the Grand Vizier Rustem.
The repose which Soliman had promised himself did not last long; the
interruption came whence it was least expected. Of his numerous sons
Mustapha, his eldest, was the child of a Circassian, whilst several
others were children of Roxelana, a jealous and ambitious woman. The
sister of this latter woman, married to the Grand Vizier Rustem, was
the link by which she succeeded in obtaining his co-operation in her
schemes. Seeing every probability of Mustapha eventually obtaining the
throne to the exclusion of her own sons, Roxelana determined upon his
death. Conspiring with Rustem, she forged letters purporting to be
addressed by the heir-apparent to a friend of his, informing him that
he was treating with his father's foe, the King of Persia, with the
view of obtaining one of his daughters in marriage. At the same time
that this communication was adroitly placed before Soliman, he received
intelligence from his Grand Vizier that Prince Mustapha displayed a
disposition to revolt, and was attending complacently to the seditious
propositions of the emissaries.
This startling news aroused the old hero; he immediately quitted his
palace and its pleasures, placed himself once more at the head of his
army, and summoned his son to his presence. On the 21st September,
1555, ignorant of the charges against him, or relying upon his
innocence, the Prince arrived at his father's camp, was met by the
chief captains, and conducted with all the pomp due to his rank as
heir-apparent to an audience of the Sultan. On entering the imperial
tent, the unfortunate man was seized by seven mutes, and strangled with
a bowstring, calling vainly upon his father, who, hidden by a silken
curtain, witnessed the horrible deed. Not satisfied with his son's
death, the old monarch also caused his grandson Murat, Mustapha's
child, to be put to death in the same way as its parent. Prince
Ziangir, a younger brother of the assassinated man, was so distressed
at the catastrophe, that, after reproaching his unnatural father, he
committed suicide. The two princes were interred together, and a
mosque erected over their remains.
The army deeply deplored the loss of the unfortunate Mustapha, who was
held in great esteem, and attributing his death to the schemes of
Rustem clamoured for his dismissal. Yielding to the universal
indignation, Soliman consented to deprive the Grand Vizier of his post,
which was bestowed on Ahmed Pacha. The general feeling of grief which
the heir-apparent's death caused throughout the empire found expression
in numerous poems and elegies; and amongst others Yahia, a celebrated
contemporary poet, composed verses that were known and repeated in all
parts of the empire. Two years later, when Rustem returned to power,
he was desirous of having Yahia executed, but this the Sultan would not
consent to; and the Grand Vizier had to satisfy his vengeance with
depriving the poet of his post of Administrator of Charity to the crown.
Meanwhile the death of Mustapha, so far from having secured rest for
either Soliman or the Empire, only gave rise to fresh complications.
Bajazet and Selim, two sons of the infamous but clever Roxelana, both
desirous of grasping the sceptre before their father's death, by means
of a deep-laid conspiracy, raised the standard of revolt; and in order
to obtain the sympathy and assistance of the army gave out that
Mustapha, instead of being dead as was generally imagined, was alive,
and heading the rebels. It was averred that the prince had been
permitted to escape, someone else having been substituted in his place
for execution. A man, bearing a resemblance to the deceased Mustapha,
was found and taught to play the part destined for him.
The army, eager to vent its rage upon Rustem, deserted largely to the
pretender, whom many officers of position recognized, or appeared to,
as their veritable prince. The Sultan was equal to the emergency; he
sent vigorous instructions to the governors of the provinces where the
disorders were; raised large bodies of mercenaries, and, above all,
sowed his gold broadcast. This latter method had the desired effect:
the impostor was betrayed, and by a man whom he had created his Grand
Vizier. Conducted to Constantinople, and put to the torture, the
claimant revealed the whole plot. Selim fled for refuge to Persia, but
was ultimately delivered up to his father for a large sum of money by
the Shah; and, together with his five little sons, put to death.
Bajazet's apparent contrition, and his mother Roxelana's intercession,
procured his pardon; but the unfortunate instrument of his villainy,
the pseudo Mustapha, was executed on the gallows.