Mustafa I (1st reign), Ottoman Sultan AH 1027-1027/AD 1617-1618

A 1356, Fine

Amid (Diyarbakr) mint. Tughra; Reverse, mint and date. Very rare. Amid (Amida) was an ancient and medieval city of Mesopotamia located where Diyarbakr, Turkey stands today.

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Mustafa I ibn Mehmet, called Mustafa “the Mad” by modern historians, was the son of Mehmet III and twice Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, 1617 to 1618 and again 1622 to 1623. Before 1603 it was customary for the Ottoman sultan to have his brothers executed shortly after ascending the throne. For unknown reasons, when the 13-year-old Ahmed I was enthroned in 1603, he spared the life of his twelve-year-old brother Mustafa. When Ahmed died in 1617, multiple princes were now eligible for the Sultanate. Mustafa suffered from mental problems but was deemed a better choice than Osman, Ahmed’s young son. It was the first time an Ottoman sultan was succeeded by his brother rather than his son. It was hoped that the responsibilities of court life would improve his mental health but his behavior remained eccentric. He pulled at the turbans of his viziers and yanked their beards. In 1618, an opposition palace faction deposed Mustafa and installed his young nephew Osman II.