Şehzade Ahmed (son of Bayezid II) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Şehzade Ahmed
Burial place of Ahmed at Muradiye Complex
Born	c. 1466 (1466) Amasya, Ottoman Empire
Died	24 April 1513(1513-04-24) (aged 46–47) Yenişehir, Bursa, Ottoman Empire
Burial	Muradiye Complex, Bursa
Spouse	Sittişah Hatun Gülçiçek Hatun Bülbül Hatun At least others four
Issue Among others	Şehzade Murad
Full name Turkish: Şehzade Ahmed Ottoman Turkish: شہزادہ احمد
Dynasty	Ottoman
Father	Bayezid II
Mother	Bülbül Hatun
Religion	Sunni Islam

Şehzade Ahmed (Ottoman Turkish: احمد; born around 1466 – died April 24, 1513) was an Ottoman prince, also known as a Şehzade. He was the oldest surviving son of Sultan Bayezid II.

Ahmed was involved in a big conflict with his younger brother, Selim. This was part of the Ottoman Civil War that happened between 1509 and 1513. Both brothers wanted to become the next Sultan after their father. Ahmed also played a key role in the Şahkulu rebellion. In the end, Ahmed lost the war against Selim. He was executed by Selim's order after Selim took the throne.

Early Life and Role as a Prince

Ahmed was the oldest living son of Bayezid II, who was the 8th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. His mother was Bülbül Hatun.

In the Ottoman Empire, it was a tradition for all princes (şehzade) to work as governors in different areas. These areas were called sanjaks. This training happened in Anatolia, which is the Asian part of modern Turkey. Ahmed was the governor of Amasya, an important city in Anatolia.

Even though it wasn't official, many people saw Ahmed as the crown prince. This meant he was expected to become the next Sultan during his father's last years. He had strong support from the grand vizier, Hadim Ali Pasha, who was a very important official.

Ahmed was also known for his love of art and learning. He was a poet and a scholar. He supported many artists, including the famous poetess Mihri Hatun.

Brothers and the Fight for the Throne

Ahmed had two half-brothers who were still alive. One was Korkut, who was governing in Antalya. The other was Selim, who would later become Sultan Selim I, also known as Yavuz. Selim was governing in Trabzon.

There was a custom in the Ottoman Empire about who would become Sultan. The prince who reached Istanbul, the capital city, first after the old Sultan died had the right to take the throne. Because of this, the distance of a prince's sanjak from Istanbul was very important. It often decided who would become the next ruler. Ahmed's sanjak was the closest to Istanbul, which gave him an advantage.

Selim's son, Süleyman, who later became Suleiman the Magnificent, was first sent to a small sanjak called Bolu. This place was closer to Istanbul. However, Ahmed didn't like this, so Süleyman was moved to Kaffa in Crimea. Selim saw this as a sign that his father supported Ahmed more.

Selim then asked for a sanjak in Rumeli, which was the European part of the empire. At first, he was told no, because princes usually didn't get sanjaks there. But with help from the ruler of Crimea, Meñli I Giray, Selim got the sanjak of Semendire. This place is modern Smederevo in Serbia. Even though it was in Rumeli, it was quite far from Istanbul.

Because of this, Selim decided to stay close to Istanbul instead of going to his new sanjak. His father, Sultan Bayezid, saw this as an act of rebellion. Bayezid's forces fought Selim's forces in August 1511 and defeated them. Selim then escaped to Crimea.

The Şahkulu Rebellion

While Sultan Bayezid was fighting Selim, Ahmed was given a task. He was supposed to stop the Şahkulu Rebellion in Anatolia. However, Ahmed did not fight the rebels. Instead, he tried to get the soldiers to support him in his goal of becoming Sultan. He left the battlefield.

This made the soldiers uneasy. More importantly, Ahmed's main supporter, Hadim Ali Pasha, died during this rebellion. This was a big loss for Ahmed.

Taking Over Konya

When Ahmed heard that his brother Selim had been defeated by their father, he made a bold move. Ahmed declared himself the Sultan of Anatolia. He then started fighting against one of his nephews. This nephew's father had already passed away.

Ahmed successfully captured Konya, an important city. His father, Sultan Bayezid, asked him to go back to his own sanjak. But Ahmed refused and insisted on ruling in Konya. He also tried to capture the capital city, Istanbul. However, he failed because the soldiers blocked his way. They said they preferred a more capable Sultan.

At this point, Selim returned from Crimea. He forced his father, Bayezid, to give up the throne to him. Selim was then crowned as Selim I.

Final Battle and Death

Even after Selim became Sultan, Ahmed still controlled a part of Anatolia for a few months. Finally, the armies of Selim and Ahmed met in battle. This happened near Yenişehir, which is close to Bursa, on April 24, 1513.

Ahmed's forces were defeated in the battle. He was arrested shortly after and then executed.

Family Life

Wives

Ahmed had at least seven wives. We know the names of three of them:

• Sittişah Hatun, who was the mother of Şehzade Osman.
• Gülçiçek Hatun, who is buried in Amasya.
• Bülbül Hatun.

Sons

Ahmed had at least seven sons:

• Şehzade Süleyman (died of illness on April 24, 1513, in Cairo). He was a governor in Koca and Çorum. He had two daughters.
• Şehzade Alaeddin (died of illness on May 14, 1513, in Cairo). He was a governor in Bolu. He married his cousin Neslişah Hanımsultan. They had one daughter.
• Şehzade Osman (lost his life on April 14, 1513, in Amasya). His mother was Sittişah Hatun. He was a governor in Osmancık.
• Şehzade Murad (born 1495 – passed away around 1519 in Ardabil). He was a governor in Bolu. He had two sons and one daughter.
• Şehzade Ali (born 1499 – lost his life in 1513).
• Şehzade Mehmed (born 1500 – lost his life in 1513).
• Şehzade Kasım (born around 1501 – lost his life on January 30, 1518, in Cairo).

Daughters

Ahmed had at least four daughters:

• Kamerşah Sultan, who married Damad Mustafa Bey in 1508.
• Fatma Sultan, who married Sultanzade Mehmed Bey in 1508.
• Fahrihan Sultan, who married Damad Suleiman Bey in 1508.
• Hanzade Sultan, who married Damad Ahmed Bey.