Şehzade Beyazıt
Encyclopedia
Şehzade Beyazit was an Ottoman
prince who fought for the throne
(Asiatic part of modern Turkey
) as a provencial (sanjak
) governor. But during his father's 12th campaign (see Campaigns of Suleiman the Magnificent
) to Nakhchivan (a part of modern Azerbaijan
) in 1553 he was assigned to rule in Edirne
(European Turkey) to control Rumeli (European territories of the empire) in the absence of his father. During the campaign, Beyazit's older half brother Şehzade Mustafa
was executed. The news of execution caused unrest in all parts of the empire and a certain Mustafa rebelled against Suleyman in Rumeli claiming that he was Şehzade Mustafa. Although the rebellion was subdued by a vizier, Suleyman suspected that Beyazit was deliberately slow to react.
) Selim was the governor of Manisa
and Beyazit was the governor of Kütahya
(both in Anatolia) two cities at almost equal distance to İstanbul
, the capital. Suleyman was in his 60s and the competition between the two brothers over the throne was evident. Suleymen scolded his sons and decided to change their places of duty. Selim was assigned to rule in Konya
and Beyazit to Amasya
, both sanjaks being farther but still equidistant. Selim swiftly moved to Konya . But to the dismay of his father, Beyazit obeyed after much hesitatiton. Angered Süleyman accused Beyazit of being a rebel and supported his elder son Selim against disobedient Beyazit. Selim in collobration with Sokollu Mehmet Pasha (future grand vizier
) defeated his brother near Konya.(31 May 1559)
initially wellcomed Beyazit, he later jailled him on the request of Suleyman. But both Süleyman and Selim sent envoys to Persia to persuade the shah for Beyazit's execution. Finally on 25 September 1561 Beyazit and his four sons were executed in Persia by an Ottoman executioner.
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
prince who fought for the throne
Background
Beyazit's father was Suleyman I (known as the Lawgiver or the Magnificent) . His mother was Hürrem Sultan. He ruled in AnatoliaAnatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
(Asiatic part of modern Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
) as a provencial (sanjak
Sanjak
Sanjaks were administrative divisions of the Ottoman Empire. Sanjak, and the variant spellings sandjak, sanjaq, and sinjaq, are English transliterations of the Turkish word sancak, meaning district, banner, or flag...
) governor. But during his father's 12th campaign (see Campaigns of Suleiman the Magnificent
Campaigns of Suleiman the Magnificent
The imperial campaigns The Ottoman Turkish name for the imperial campaigns, according to Şemseddin Sâmî in his book of Suleiman the MagnificentSuleiman the Magnificent is also known as Suleiman I are a series of conflicts led by Suleiman, who was the tenth and longest-reigning Sultan of the...
) to Nakhchivan (a part of modern Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
) in 1553 he was assigned to rule in Edirne
Edirne
Edirne is a city in Eastern Thrace, the northwestern part of Turkey, close to the borders with Greece and Bulgaria. Edirne served as the capital city of the Ottoman Empire from 1365 to 1453, before Constantinople became the empire's new capital. At present, Edirne is the capital of the Edirne...
(European Turkey) to control Rumeli (European territories of the empire) in the absence of his father. During the campaign, Beyazit's older half brother Şehzade Mustafa
Sehzade Mustafa
Şehzade Mustafa Muhlisi , the prince of Manisa from 1533 to 1541 and the prince of Amasya from 1541 to 1553, was Suleiman the Magnificent's first born son by Mahidevran . He was the apparent heir to the Turkish throne.- Life :Mustafa experienced problems in his relations with his father...
was executed. The news of execution caused unrest in all parts of the empire and a certain Mustafa rebelled against Suleyman in Rumeli claiming that he was Şehzade Mustafa. Although the rebellion was subdued by a vizier, Suleyman suspected that Beyazit was deliberately slow to react.
Rebellion
After Mustafa's (and a younger brother's) death, Suleyman had only two sons, Beyazit and Selim (future Selim IISelim II
Selim II Sarkhosh Hashoink , also known as "Selim the Sot " or "Selim the Drunkard"; and as "Sarı Selim" or "Selim the Blond", was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1566 until his death in 1574.-Early years:He was born in Constantinople a son of Suleiman the...
) Selim was the governor of Manisa
Manisa
Manisa is a large city in Turkey's Aegean Region and the administrative seat of Manisa Province.Modern Manisa is a booming center of industry and services, advantaged by its closeness to the international port city and the regional metropolitan center of İzmir and by its fertile hinterland rich in...
and Beyazit was the governor of Kütahya
Kütahya
Kütahya is a city in western Turkey with 212,444 inhabitants , lying on the Porsuk river, at 969 metres above sea level. It is the capital of Kütahya Province, inhabited by some 517 804 people...
(both in Anatolia) two cities at almost equal distance to İstanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, the capital. Suleyman was in his 60s and the competition between the two brothers over the throne was evident. Suleymen scolded his sons and decided to change their places of duty. Selim was assigned to rule in Konya
Konya
Konya is a city in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey. The metropolitan area in the entire Konya Province had a population of 1,036,027 as of 2010, making the city seventh most populous in Turkey.-Etymology:...
and Beyazit to Amasya
Amasya
- History :Its location in this steep valley makes the city a mountain stronghold, easy to defend, and thus Amasya has had a long and prominent history.-Antiquity:...
, both sanjaks being farther but still equidistant. Selim swiftly moved to Konya . But to the dismay of his father, Beyazit obeyed after much hesitatiton. Angered Süleyman accused Beyazit of being a rebel and supported his elder son Selim against disobedient Beyazit. Selim in collobration with Sokollu Mehmet Pasha (future grand vizier
Grand Vizier
Grand Vizier, in Turkish Vezir-i Azam or Sadr-ı Azam , deriving from the Arabic word vizier , was the greatest minister of the Sultan, with absolute power of attorney and, in principle, dismissable only by the Sultan himself...
) defeated his brother near Konya.(31 May 1559)
After the rebellion
Beyazit returned to Amasya and continued to escape to Safavid Persia together with his sons and a small army. Although Shah Tahmasp ITahmasp I
Tahmasp or Tahmasb I was an influential Shah of Iran, who enjoyed the longest reign of any member of the Safavid dynasty...
initially wellcomed Beyazit, he later jailled him on the request of Suleyman. But both Süleyman and Selim sent envoys to Persia to persuade the shah for Beyazit's execution. Finally on 25 September 1561 Beyazit and his four sons were executed in Persia by an Ottoman executioner.