Many fans of the “Magnificent Century” series are interested in the real reason for the execution of Shehzade Mustafa.
According to historical data It was never possible to establish the true cause, and in the “Magnificent century” we were shown one of the versions of the execution of the elder shehzade. But it is also believed that in real life, Mustafa was not as “soft and fluffy” as we were shown on the show. And he earned the love of the janissaries not by good deeds and the ability to govern the state, but by bribery. Mustafa raised the salary of the Janissary.
They also found letters from Mustafa to Shah Tahmasp with a personal seal of the Shehzade, in which he asks for support in the event of a coup.
The involvement of Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska Sultan in these letters has not been proven. It is possible that Mustafa really wanted to overthrow his father from the throne and take his place.
As for the series, then Mustafa was shown to us almost like an angel, who is loyal to his father to the bone. But Suleiman was constantly dissatisfied with his first-born, and constantly suspected him of something. Letters from Shah Takhmasp became the last straw, and the father decided to strangle his son with a silk cord.
In my opinion (judging by the series), Suleiman only needed an excuse to get rid of Mustafa.
We all remember that when the ruler had his first son from his beloved woman Mehmed, he saw him in a dream on the throne.
Even then, Suleiman decided that Mehmed would sit on the throne, but with the “hands” of Mahidevran, the main candidate for the throne, was eliminated. Only Suleiman did not return Mustafa to Manisa, but sent his second son there from Khyurrem - Sultan - Selim.
Remember the constant “prophetic” dreams of the sovereign - in them Mustafa was always a “fiend of hell” who encroaches on the sovereign's throne and often through bloodshed.
Also, Suleiman once said a very interesting phrase on the balcony:
- Oh Allah! Do not allow the bloodshed of your own son, or postpone this moment!
Suleiman remembered that his father Selim, to enter the throne, killed his own father, Suleiman's grandfather, Sultan Bayazid. Suleiman was very afraid that history would repeat itself, and his own son would overthrow him from the throne.
Of course, one can refer to the love of the people and the janissaries, that it was they who, with their desire and devotion, brought the shehzade to execution, but all I think that Suleiman initially knew that one of the sons from Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska should take the throne, and from Mustafa he would find how get rid of.
