Children of Suleiman the Magnificent: what were their fates?

Sultan Suleiman was the tenth sovereign of the Ottoman Empire. He became if not the greatest, then one of the greatest monarchs of Turkey in all its history. In Europe it is known as the "Magnificent" conqueror, remembering the large-scale military campaigns, conquests in the Balkans, in Hungary, the siege of Vienna. At home, he is still known as a wise legislator.

Family and children of Suleiman the Magnificent

As well as it is necessary to the Muslim governor, the sultan had set of wives and concubines. Any Russian-speaking reader knows the name of Roksolana, slave-concubine, who became the beloved wife of the ruler and an important person in the management of public affairs. And thanks to the incredible popularity of the series "The Magnificent Century", the intrigues of the Sultan's harem and the longstanding confrontation between the Slavs Hürrem Sultan (Roxolans) and the Circassian Mahidevran Sultan became widely known. Of course, all the children of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent were dragged into this prolonged enmity with time. Their fates have developed in different ways. Someone remained in the shadow of their blood relatives, and someone managed to brightly inscribe his name in the pages of Turkish history. Below is the story of the children of Suleiman the Magnificent. Those of them who managed to leave any significant mark.

Children of Suleiman the Magnificent: Shehzadeh Mustafa and Selim II

These princes became rivals in a dispute started by their mothers. These are the same children of Suleiman the Magnificent, who were drawn into the bitter enmity of Hurrem and Mahidevran. Both were not the first-born of their mothers and were not initially considered as direct candidates for the throne. But the vicissitudes of fate made them so. However, this competition was largely resolved by those who started it. Roksolana managed to win the Sultan's sympathies and become his beloved wife. Mahiedevran was actually exiled to Manisa along with her son Mustafa. However, the tragic vicissitudes of the fate of Prince Mustafa just started. Soon after the empire began to spread rumors that Mustafa was plotting against his father. Suleiman believed these rumors and ordered his son to be executed when they were both in one of the military campaigns. Thus the competitor of Selim was eliminated on the throne. Selim II did not later become such a wise and determined ruler as his father. On the contrary, it is with his rule that historians associate the beginning of the sunset with the majestic Ottomans Port. And the reason for this was not only objective socio-economic prerequisites, but also the personal qualities of the heir: weak character, laziness, short-sightedness and, most importantly, drunkenness. He was a drunkard, and he remembered the Turkish people.

Children of Suleiman the Magnificent: Shehzadeh Mehmed and Shehzade Bayazid

Both of them were the sons of the Sultan from Roksolana. Mehmed was her first son, but could not be considered an heir, since he was the son of Makhidvedan Mustafa. However, when the latter fell into disgrace, Mehmed became the favorite of his father. He was appointed governor of the city of Manisa in 1541. However, he was never destined to become either a great sultan or a great commander. He died of the disease in 1543. Heir of the same Bayazid from early years grew a brave and desperate young man. Already in the early Aged he took part in military campaigns, having proved himself a talented commander. After the death of Mustafa, he began to be considered the main contender for his father's heritage. For the throne in the years that followed, a real war broke out between the brothers Bayazid and Selim, in which the latter defeated.

Mihrymah Sultan

She became the only daughter of a magnificent sultan. Her mother was Hurrem. Mihrimah received a remarkable education, which subsequently became an important assistant to her mother in the management of public affairs (at a time when Suleiman was in his innumerable campaigns).