Mustafa I (2nd reign), Ottoman Sultan AH 1031-1032/AD 1622-1623

A 1364, Very Fine

Misr (Egypt) mint. Sultan Mustafa bin Mehmet khan ‘azza nasruhu, mint and date below; Reverse, sultan al-birrayn wa khaqan al-bahrayn al-sultan bin al-sultan “sultan of the two lands and khaqan of the two seas, the sultan, son of the sultan”. The “two lands” allude to Asia and Europe, separated at Constantinople by the Bosporus. The “two seas” are the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. The mint name Misr translates as “Egypt”, referring to the province. The mint itself is believed to have been at Cairo. Very rare.

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The Ottoman sultan Osman II (1618-1622) was assassinated in 1622 and his uncle, the former sultan Mustafa I was restored to the throne. Mustafa began his second reign by executing all those who had participated in the assassination of Osman. During his second reign, Mustafa came to be known as Mustafa “the Saint”. The sultan’s mental state was unimproved and he reigned as a puppet, controlled by family members and courtiers. He believed that his late nephew was still alive and could be found searching for him throughout the palace, calling on Osman to relieve him from the burden of rule. Political instability and rebellion ensued. Mustafa was deposed once again and the 11-year-old Murad IV, another son of Ahmed I was enthroned on September 10, 1623. Mustafa lived until 1639 and was buried in the courtyard of the Hagia Sophia Mosque.