Mustafa I.

Mustafa I., Ottoman مصطفى الأول ( * 1592, † January 20, 1639 ) was Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1617 to 1618 and from 1622 to 1623 He was the brother of Ahmed I..

Mustafa was a 2- year-old stuck in the " Prince cage " where he had to spend 14 years during the reign of his brother. He was probably for this reason, mentally retarded or mentally ill or in addition, neurotic and therefore a pawn in the power games in the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul. Previously it had been an Ottoman custom to let strangle the remaining brothers of the Thronbesteigers because of the risk for power. The so-called Prince prison ( Kafes ) was introduced by his brother Ahmed after Sultan Mehmed II had initiated (reigned 1441-1461 ), the custom of fratricide to power consolidation or non - threat to the power in the Ottoman Empire.

After his brother 's death, Mustafa Ahmet I in 1617 came to the throne as the son of Ahmet Osman II was then only 13 years old. Mustafa I. but was canceled after only 96 days in 1618 due to government incompetence and again in his place his underage nephew Osman II was now but a new sultan. After his assassination in 1622, he was again for a year Sultan. But as he was overwhelmed for this task because of his mental imbecility as before and called in delusion after his strangled nephew Osman I, therefore, he was dropped off with a fatwa issued by the Scheichülislam by the Janissaries and imprisoned again. He died then, 16 years later in his " Prince cage ". His grave is located in the former baptistery in front of Hagia Sophia. Was succeeded by Osman's brother Murad IV

That was manifestly unsuitable personality like Mustafa I. repeatedly was Sultan, showing the little importance that had the institution of the Sultanate of the Ottoman Empire of the 17th century.