The Ottoman Empire, or as it was often called in Europe the Ottoman Empire, for many centuries remained a country - a mystery, full of the most unusual and, at times, terrible secrets.

At the same time, the Sultan's palace was the center of the "darkest" secrets, which were by no means disclosed to guests and "business" partners. It was here that the most bloody dramas and events were hidden behind external luxury and splendor.

The law legalizing fratricide, keeping the heirs of the throne in harsh conditions, massacres and running a race with the executioner as a way to avoid execution - all this was once practiced on the territory of the empire. And later they tried to forget about all this, but ...

Fratricide as a law (Law of Fatih)

The internecine struggle of the heirs to the throne was characteristic of many countries. But in Porto, the situation was complicated by the fact that there were no legalized rules for succession to the throne - each of the sons of the deceased ruler could become a new sultan.

For the first time, in order to strengthen his power, the blood of the brothers decided to shed the grandson of the founder Ottoman Empire Murad I. Later, Bayezid I, nicknamed Lightning, also used his experience of getting rid of rivals.

Sultan Mehmed II, who went down in history as the Conqueror, went much further than his predecessors. He elevated fratricide to the level of the law. This law ordered the ruler who ascended the throne, in without fail take the lives of their brothers.

The law was adopted with the tacit consent of the clergy and existed for about 2 centuries (until mid-seventeenth in).

Shimshirlik or cage for shehzade

After deciding to abandon the Law on Fratricide, the Ottoman sultans invented another way to deal with potential contenders for the throne - they began to imprison all shehzades in Kafes ("cells") - special rooms located in the main palace of the empire - Topkapi.

Another name for the "cell" is shimshirlik. Here the princes were constantly under reliable protection. As befits the heir to the throne, they were surrounded by luxury and all sorts of amenities. But all this splendor was surrounded on all sides by high walls. And the gates to shimshirlik were closed with heavy chains.

Shehzade were deprived of the opportunity to go outside the doors of their "golden cage" and communicate with anyone, which negatively affected the psyche of the young princes.

Only in the second half of the XVIII century. the heirs to the throne received some indulgences - the walls of the cell became a little lower, more windows appeared in the room itself, and the shehzade himself was sometimes allowed to go out in order to escort the Sultan to another palace.

Maddening silence and endless intrigue

Despite the unlimited power, the sultan in the palace did not live much better than shehzade in shimshirlik.

According to the rules that existed at that time, the Sultan was not supposed to talk a lot - he had to spend his time thinking and thinking about the good of the country.

In order for the sultans to talk as little as possible, a special system of gestures was even developed.

Sultan Mustafa I, having ascended the throne, tried to oppose the system and establish a ban on this rule. However, the viziers did not support their ruler and he had to put up with it. As a result, the Sultan soon went mad.

One of Mustafa's favorite activities was walking along the seashore. During the promenade, he threw coins into the water so that "at least the fish could spend them somewhere."

Along with this order of behavior, numerous intrigues added tension to the palace atmosphere. They never stopped - the struggle for power and influence went on around the clock, 365 days a year. Everyone took part in it - from viziers to eunuchs.

Ambassadors at Topkapi Palace.

Artist Jean Baptiste Vanmour

Combination of posts

Until about the 15th century, there were no executioners at the courts of the Ottoman sultans. However, this does not mean that there were no executions. The duties of executioners were performed by ordinary gardeners.

The most common type of execution was beheading. However, the viziers and relatives of the Sultan were executed by strangulation. It is not surprising that gardeners in those days were selected those who not only mastered the art of caring for flowers and plants, but also possessed significant physical strength.

It is noteworthy that the executions of the guilty and those who were considered as such were carried out right in the palace. In the main palace complex of the empire, two columns were specially installed on which severed heads were placed. A fountain was provided nearby, intended exclusively for executioner gardeners, who washed their hands in it.

Subsequently, the posts of palace gardener and executioner were divided. Moreover, deaf people were selected for the position of the latter - so that they could not hear the moans of their victims.

Escape from punishment

The only way to avoid death for high-ranking officials of the Porte, starting from late XVIII century, was to learn to run fast. They could save their lives only by running away from the chief gardener of the Sultan through the palace gardens.

It all started with the invitation of the vizier to the palace, where they were already waiting for him with a goblet of frozen sherbet. If the color of the proposed drink was white, then the official received a temporary reprieve and could try to correct the situation.

If there was a red liquid in the goblet, which meant a death sentence, then the vizier had no choice but to run without looking back to the gate on the opposite side of the garden. Anyone who managed to reach them before the gardener could consider himself saved.

The difficulty was that the gardener was usually much younger than his rival, and more prepared for this kind of exercise.

However, several viziers still managed to emerge victorious from the deadly race. One of the lucky ones turned out to be Haji Salih Pasha - the last one who had such a test.

Subsequently, the successful and fast-running vizier became the governor of Damascus.

Vizier - the cause of all troubles

Viziers in the Ottoman Empire special position. Their power was practically unlimited and was second only to the Sultan's power.

However, sometimes approaching the ruler and the possession of power played a cruel joke with the viziers - often high-ranking officials were made "scapegoats". They were "hung" with responsibility for literally everything - for an unsuccessful military campaign, famine, impoverishment of the people, etc.

No one was immune from this, and no one could know in advance what and when he was accused. It got to the point that many viziers began to constantly carry their own wills with them.

The obligation to pacify the crowd also represented a considerable danger for the officials - it was the viziers who negotiated with the disgruntled people, who often came to the Sultan's palace with demands or discontent.

Affairs of love or the Sultan's harem

One of the most exotic and at the same time "secret" places of the Topkapi Palace was the Sultan's harem. During the heyday of the empire, it was a whole state within a state - up to 2 thousand women lived here at the same time, most of whom were slaves bought in slave markets or abducted from territories controlled by the Sultan.

Only a few had access to the harem - those who guarded the women. strangers, who dared to look at the concubines and wives of the Sultan, were executed without trial or investigation.

Most of the inhabitants of the harem might never even see their master, but there were those who not only often visited the Sultan's chambers, but also had a rather strong influence on him.

The first woman who managed to force the ruler of the empire to listen to her opinion was a simple girl from Ukraine Alexandra Lisovskaya, better known as Roksolana or Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska Sultan. Once in the harem of Suleiman I, she captivated him so much that he made her his lawful wife and his adviser.

In the footsteps of Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska, the Venetian beauty Cecilia Venier-Baffo, the concubine of Sultan Selim II, also followed. In the empire, she bore the name Nurbanu Sultan and was the beloved wife of the ruler.

It was with Nurbanu Sultan, according to historians - experts in the Ottoman Empire, that the period that went down in history as the "women's sultanate" began. During this period, almost all the affairs of the state were in the hands of women.

Nurban was replaced by her compatriot Sofia Baffo or Safiye Sultan.

The concubine went furthest, and then the wife of Ahmed I Mahpeyker or Kesem Sultan. After the death of the ruler, who made Kesem his lawful wife, she ruled the empire for almost 30 years as regent, first for her sons, and then for her grandson.

The last representative of the "female sultanate" Turhan Sultan, who eliminated her predecessor and mother-in-law Kesem. She, like Roksolana, was from Ukraine, and before she got into the Sultan's harem she was called Nadezhda.

blood tax

The third ruler of the Ottoman Empire, Murad I, went down in history not only as a sultan who legalized fratricide, but also as the "inventor" of devshirme or blood tribute.

Devshirme was taxed by the inhabitants of the empire who did not profess Islam. The essence of the tax was that boys aged 12-14 were periodically selected from Christian families to serve the Sultan. Most of those selected became janissaries or went to work on farms, others ended up in the palace and could "reach" to very high government positions.

However, before being sent to work or service, the young men were forcibly converted to the Islamic faith.

The reason for the appearance of devshirme was the distrust of the Sultan to his Turkic environment. Sultan Murad and many of his followers believed that converted Christians, deprived of parents and home, would serve much more zealously and be more faithful to their master.

It is worth noting that the corps of the Janissaries was indeed the most faithful and effective in the army of the Sultan.

Slavery

Slavery was widespread in the Ottoman Empire from the first days of its creation. Moreover, the system lasted until late XIX in.

Most of the slaves were slaves brought from Africa and the Caucasus. Also among them were many Russians, Ukrainians and Poles taken prisoner during the raids.

It is noteworthy that according to existing laws, a Muslim could not become a slave - this was the "prerogative" exclusively of people of a non-Muslim faith.

Slavery in Porto differed significantly from its European counterpart. It was easier for Ottoman slaves to gain freedom and even achieve a certain amount of influence. But at the same time, the treatment of slaves was much more cruel - slaves died by the millions from hard overwork and terrible working conditions.

Many researchers believe that after the abolition of slavery, there were practically no immigrants from Africa or the Caucasus as evidence of the high mortality among slaves. And this despite the fact that they were brought into the empire by the millions!

Ottoman genocide

In general, the Ottomans were quite loyal to representatives of other faiths and nationalities. However, in some cases, they changed their usual democracy.

So, under Selim the Terrible, a massacre of Shiites was organized, who dared not recognize the Sultan as the defender of Islam. More than 40,000 Shiites and their families died as a result of the "purge". Settlements where they lived were wiped off the face of the earth.

Procession of the Sultan in Istanbul

Artist Jean Baptiste van Moore.

The more the influence of the empire decreased, the less the tolerance of the sultans towards other peoples living on the territory of the empire became less.

By the 19th century massacres became practically the norm of life in the Porte. The system reached its peak in 1915, when more than 75% of the Armenian population of the country was destroyed (over 1.5 million people died as a result of the genocide).

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People forced to hide under the mask of an executioner all their lives. Who are they?

In the Ottoman Empire, executions played an important part in justice. Many statesmen fell under their influence. Also interesting are those who carry out the execution.

Not everyone could become an executioner. One of the most important requirements for them was dumbness and deafness. Thanks to these qualities, the executioners were ruthless. They simply did not hear the suffering of those who were killed and therefore were indifferent.

The rulers of the Ottoman Empire began to hire executioners from the 15th century. By nationality, they were people from among the Croats or Greeks. There was also a special detachment, consisting of five Janissaries, who were engaged in executions during military campaigns. The executioners had their own boss, he was responsible for their "work".

The executioners knew human anatomy well, no worse than any doctor. But they always started with the simplest, acting as an assistant to an experienced colleague, learning all the subtleties of the craft. Thanks to the knowledge gained, the executioners could both bring the victim maximum suffering, and take his life without suffering.

The executioners did not marry, so after their death, the negative stamp of the executioner ancestor would lie on future generations. Thus, the executioners, as it were, disappeared from society.

The order to execute the offender came from the head of the bostanji (Guard of the Sultan - ed.), who gave him to the chief executioner. Of great importance was the position in society of the condemned to death. So, in the case of the execution of the Grand Vizier, for example, strangulation was most often used. And ordinary Janissaries were cut off their heads.

Members of the ruling dynasty and other members of the "caste of the chosen" were "clean" strangled with a bowstring, with which they were strangled. In this case, there was no blood.

Most civil servants were killed by beheading with a sword. But those who were convicted of theft, murder or robbery were not so lucky. They could be hung on a hook by the rib, put on a stake and even crucified.

The main prisons during the Ottoman Empire were Edicul, Tersane and Rumeli Hisar. In the Topkapi Palace, between the towers of Babus-Salam, there was a secret passage to the premises where the executioners were located and where the condemned Ottoman nobles were taken. The last thing they saw in their lives was the courtyard of the Sultan's palace.

In this place, the famous Grand Vizier Ibrahim Pasha was strangled. In front of Babus-Salam, the executioners erected the heads of the people they had executed on the columns as a warning to the public. Another place of execution was a platform near the fountain in front of the palace. It was in it that the executioners washed their bloody swords and axes.

The accused, whose cases were under consideration, were kept either in the Balykhane castle or in Edikyul. They recognized their fate by the color of the sherbet that the guards brought them. If the color was white, then it meant acquittal, and if it was red, then it meant a guilty plea and the death penalty. The execution took place after the convict drank his sherbet. The body of the executed was thrown into the Sea of ​​Marmara, the heads were sent to the Grand Vizier as evidence of the execution.

It is known from history that the suspects and accused in medieval Europe were subjected to various kinds of cruel torture; Amsterdam even has a torture museum.

There was no such practice in the Ottoman state, since the local religion forbids torture. But in some cases, for political reasons or in order to demonstrate a certain lesson to society, those who committed serious crimes were subjected to torture. One of the most common types of torture was hitting the heels with sticks - "falaka".

The strength of the Ottoman sultans lay in the fact that when they issued their decrees - “firmans”, everyone, without exception, had to obey them and no one dared to disobey, since everyone knew that disobedience was seriously punished.

FATIHA LAW.

3 posts

In this topic, we will talk about the Law of Mehmed II Fatih and what the "Women's Sultanate" is.

A bit of history. What kind of power awaits our Nurbana - the wife of Sultan Selim II?

The female sultanate is a historical period in the life of the Ottoman Empire, which lasted a little over a century. It is characterized by the transfer of actual power into the hands of the four mothers of the sons of the sultans, whose sons, the ruling padishahs, obeyed them unconditionally, making decisions about domestic and foreign policy, national issues.

So these women were:

Afife Nurbanu Sultan (1525-1583) - Venetian by origin, birth name Cecilia Baffo.

Safiye Sultan (1550-1603) - Venetian by origin, birth name Sophia Baffo.

Mahpeyker Kösem Sultan (1589-1651) - Anastasia, most likely from Greece.

Hatice Turhan Sultan (1627-1683) - Hope, originally from Ukraine.

The correct date of the "Women's Sultanate" should be considered 1574, when Valide Sultan became Nurbanu. And it is Nurban Sultan who should be considered the first representative of the historical period of the Ottoman Empire called the "Women's Sultanate".

Nurbanu began leading the harem in 1566. But Nurban managed to seize real power only during the reign of her son Murad III.

In the year of accession to the throne, Murad III, succumbing to the influence of Nurbanu's mother and the Grand Vizier Mehmed Pasha Sokollu, who was an obedient executor of Nurban's will, gave the order to execute all his half-brothers, explaining his decision by Mehmed Fatih's Law on fratricide, issued in 1478. Prior to this, the Law had not been used for 62 years, so there was no need for it.
When Suleiman ascended the throne, he had no rival brothers at that time.
Also, when his son Selim ascended the throne, he (Selim) no longer had brothers. (Mustafa and Bayazet were executed by Suleiman, Cihangir died a natural death and he was not a contender for the throne due to illness, and Mehmet was specially infected with smallpox back in Manisa by competitors for the throne.

After 21 years, when Sultan Murad III, the son of Selim II, the new Sultan, the son of Murad III, dies, Mehmed III again uses this law and again this will be done at the insistence of the mother of the Sultan, already Valide Safie Sultan.
Mehmed III executed 19 of his half-brothers in 1595. This year will go down in history as the most bloody year application of the Fatih Law.

After Mehmed III, Ahmed I will ascend the throne, whose concubine will be the famous Kösem, in the future the imperious and cunning Valide Sultan.
Ahmed I will introduce the practice of imprisoning the brothers of the ruling sultans in one of the palace pavilions, in the "Cafes" (translated as "Cage"), which, however, is not a repeal of the Fatih law, but only supplements the right of choice - death or a cage for life imprisonment. Yes, and Kösem Sultan did not make any effort to introduce this practice, since she was able to interfere in the decision of the sultans much later.
We will only mention that the ruling Sultan Murad IV, the son of Kösem in 1640, left without heirs, out of fear of competition, will try to kill his own brother, another son of Kösem. However, Kösem, who at that time had enormous power, would prevent this, because otherwise, the rule of the Ottoman dynasty would have ceased, and the Ottomans ruled the empire for 341 years.
In fairness, we note that the Fatih Law was in effect until the beginning of the 20th century, until the Ottoman Empire ceased to exist. It was last used in 1808 when Sultan Mahmud II, who took the throne, killed his brother Sultan Mustafa IV.

Who is Mehmet Fatih? Whose name made powerful sultanas and their heirs to the throne tremble with fear throughout almost the entire existence of the Ottoman Empire?
The mention of the name of Mehmet Fatih made Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska Sultan and her sons shudder, only Mahidevran slept peacefully, not being afraid that her son would be hit.
Nothing else is to blame for everything - like the LAW ON FRATHY, the law that was invented and introduced by Mehmet Fatih (the Conqueror), the ancestor of Sultan Suleiman, the one who conquered Constantinople and renamed it Istanbul. The law allows the reigning brother to kill all the other brothers so that later they do not encroach on his throne.
Mustafa, the son of Mahidevran, did not fall under the law of Fatih, since he was the eldest and main heir to the Ottoman throne. Of course, Makhidevran was lucky in this, because before him the Sultan had sons from previous concubines - from Fulane and Gulfem. But they died of illness during the years of epidemics, and THEREFORE, Mustafa became the first and main contender for the Ottoman throne.
Mahidevran was not afraid of the Fatih law.
After Mustafa, the Sultan had 6 children from his new beloved concubine and future wife - Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska: daughter Mihrimah and 5 sons (Mehmet, Abdalla, Selim, Bayazet, Cihangir.) Abdallah died in infancy, so they did not consider it necessary to introduce him into the series, it wasn't even mentioned.
To all of the above, Hürrem was most afraid of this damned law, because she knew that having reigned, Mustafa would kill her sons, no matter how kind or merciful he seemed - the law is the law, and the Council will insist on the execution of this law in order to live in peace, without fear that one of the brothers will encroach on the throne.

And now more about the Fatih law:

In 1478, Mehmet II Fatih the Conqueror introduced the Law of Succession, the second more common name of the law of fratricide.
The law states: “Any person who dares to encroach on the Sultan's throne must be immediately executed. Even if my brother wishes to take the throne. Therefore, the heir who becomes the Sultan must immediately execute his brothers in order to preserve order.

Mehmed II introduced his law at the end of his reign. It was supposed to serve as a reliable protection for the heirs of Mehmed II from pretenders to the throne, opponents dissatisfied with the power, primarily from the relatives and half-brothers of the ruling sultan, who could openly oppose the Padishah and revolt.
To prevent such unrest, the brothers were to be executed immediately after the accession of the new sultan to the throne, regardless of whether they encroached on the throne or not. This was very easy to do, since it was impossible to deny that at least once in their lives, legitimate shehzade did not think about the throne.

And finally, we note that the Fatih Law was valid until the beginning of the 20th century, until the Ottoman Empire ceased to exist. It was last used in 1808 when Sultan Mahmud II, who took the throne, killed his brother Sultan Mustafa IV.
The Ottoman Empire lasted until 1922 and collapsed due to defeat in the First World War.

The law of Fatih, or what the great Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska was most afraid of.

Fatih law. The cruel and immutable rule of the existence of the powerful Ottoman dynasty, the inevitable fate that terrifies the powerful sultanas who gave birth to their master shekhzade. How was this custom established, which gave rise to many intrigues at the foot of the Sultan's throne?

The mere thought that her sons would become victims of the Fatih Law made Hürrem Sultan's heart shrink in burning anxiety. On the contrary, Mahidevran was not very worried about the fact that this norm would bring misfortune to her son Mustafa in the future. The fact is that Mehmet Fatih legalized true fratricide- the heir who was lucky enough to become the chosen one of Allah and ascend the throne was obliged to kill his brothers in order to avoid confusion and disobedience.

Mustafa was lucky: he was the eldest boy among the children of Sultan Suleiman and did not fall under the Fatih Law. Of course, if the sons of the previous favorites, Gulfem and Fyulane, survived, then Mahidevran would have to desperately intrigue in order to save the life of his only shehzade. However, fate for the time being allowed the main wife of the ruler to remain calm and not think about the sad fate of the mother who lost her son.

But over the head of the sons of the red-haired Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska Sultan, the Law of Fatih swayed like a sword of Damocles. The mother of five boys knew perfectly well that if the son of her rival became a sultan, then they would not live. No matter how kind and understanding brother Mustafa is, he will stop at nothing, wanting to save the state from collapse and civil war. The law is strong, but it's law. The Council will insist on its implementation, denying family feelings in the name of the interests of the country.

More about Fatih law

Having made many glorious campaigns, Mehmed Fatih became famous among his subjects not only as a conqueror, but also as a legislator. The law “On the Succession to the Throne”, published in 1478, which entered the annals of history as the law on fratricide, stated that any person who dared to encroach on the throne of the ruler should be put to death. Even if it is the next of kin. It followed from this that the new sultan would first of all be obliged to destroy all potential rivals for supreme power.

This norm appeared at the end of the reign of Mehmed II and was supposed to help secure the rights to the throne of the heirs of Fatih himself, and not of his half-brothers and uncles, who had the opportunity to oppose the reigning padishah and lead the population dissatisfied with the rule. For the purposes of the internal security of the empire, it was necessary to immediately secretly or explicitly eliminate male competitors, all the more so since there were always reasons: every legitimate shekhzade dreamed of the throne at least once in his life.

The last time the law on fratricide was implemented was in 1808, when Mahmud II dealt with his brother Mustafa IV. Subsequently, this norm will cease to exist along with the collapse of the Ottoman state after the defeat in the First World War in 1922.

Fatih law: in the struggle for power, all means are good

Any empire rests not only on military conquests, economic strength and powerful ideology. An empire cannot exist for a long time and develop effectively without a stable system of succession to the supreme power. What anarchy can lead to in an empire can be traced to the example of the Roman Empire during its decline, when virtually anyone who offered more money to the Praetorians, the capital guard, could become emperor. In the Ottoman Empire, the issue of the order of coming to power was regulated primarily by the Fatih law, cited by many as an example of cruelty and political cynicism.

The Fatih law of succession came about thanks to one of the most famous and successful sultans of the Ottoman Empire Ottoman sultans: 600 years of conquest, luxury and power , Mehmed II (r. 1444-1446, 1451-1481). The respectful epithet "Fatih", that is, the Conqueror, was given to him by admiring subjects and descendants as recognition of his outstanding merits in expanding the territory of the empire. Mehmed II really did his best, having carried out numerous victorious campaigns both in the East and in the West, primarily in the Balkans and in Southern Europe. But his main military act was the capture of Constantinople in 1453. By that time, the Byzantine Empire had actually ceased to exist, its territory was controlled by the Ottomans. But the fall of the great city, the capital of a monumental empire, was a momentous event that marked the end of one era and the beginning of the next. The era in which the Ottoman Empire had a new capital, renamed Istanbul, and she herself became one of the leading forces in the international arena.

However, there are many conquerors in the history of mankind, much less than the great conquerors. The greatness of the conqueror is measured not only by the scale of the lands conquered by him or the number of enemies killed. First of all, it is a concern to preserve what has been conquered and turn it into a powerful and prosperous state. Mehmed II Fatih was a great conqueror - after many victories, he thought about how to ensure the stability of the empire in the future. First of all, this required a simple and clear system of inheritance of power. By that time, one of the mechanisms had already been developed. It was concluded in principle, on which the life of the Sultan's harem was built - "one concubine - one son." Sultans very rarely entered into official marriages, usually concubines gave birth to children. So that one concubine does not receive too much influence and does not start intrigues against sons from other concubines, she could have only one son from the Sultan. After his birth, she was no longer allowed to have intimacy with the master. Moreover, when the son reached a more or less sane age, he was appointed governor in one of the provinces - and his mother had to accompany him.

In politics, brothers are the most dangerous

Nevertheless, difficulties with the succession to the throne still remained - the sultans were not limited in terms of the number of concubines, so they could have many sons. Taking into account the fact that every adult son could be considered a full-fledged heir, the struggle for future power often began even before the death of the previous sultan. In addition, even having received power, the new sultan could not be completely calm, knowing that his brothers were capable of revolting at any moment. Mehmed II himself, having finally come to power, resolved this issue simply and radically - he killed his half-brother, a potential rival in the struggle for power. And then he issued a law according to which the Sultan, after ascending the throne, has the right to execute his brothers in order to maintain the stability of the state and in order to avoid future rebellions.

Fatih law in the Ottoman Empire Ottoman Empire: the southern bridge between East and West formally acted for more than four centuries, until the end of the existence of the sultanate, abolished in 1922. At the same time, one should not make a fanatic out of Mehmed II, who allegedly bequeathed to his descendants to mercilessly destroy all brothers. The Fatih law did not say that each new sultan was obliged to kill his closest relatives. And many sultans did not resort to such drastic measures. However, this law gave the head of the empire the right to ensure the political stability of the entire state through such intra-family “bleeding”. By the way, this law was not a cruel whim of a maniac sultan: it was approved by the legal and religious authorities of the Ottoman Empire, who considered that such a measure was justified and expedient. The Fatih law was often used by the sultans of the Ottoman Empire. So, during his accession to the throne in 1595, Sultan Mehmed III ordered the death of 19 brothers. However, the last case of the application of this extraordinary legal norm was noted long before the fall of the empire: in 1808, Murad II, who came to power, ordered the murder of his brother, the previous Sultan Mustafa IV.

Fatih law: laws and serials

It is unlikely that such a large number of non-Turkish people, that is, those who did not study the acts of Mehmed II in the school history course, would have remembered the Fatih law in our time, if it were not for the notorious TV series “The Magnificent Age”. The fact is that the scriptwriters made the Fatih law one of the main plot springs of the whole story. According to the script, Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska, the famous concubine and beloved wife of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, began to weave her intrigues against other concubines and the eldest son of Sultan Suleiman. At the same time, her main activity was directed precisely against the Fatih law on succession to the throne. The logic was this: Sultan Suleiman had an eldest son born to another concubine. Therefore, it was he who had the most high chances take the father's throne. In this case, the new sultan could use the law of Fatih and kill his brothers, the sons of Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska.

Therefore, Hürrem Sultan allegedly sought to get Suleiman to repeal this law. When the Sultan did not want to repeal the law even for the sake of his beloved wife, she redirected her activities. Not being able to abolish the law as a threat to her sons, she decided to abolish the root cause - and began to intrigue against her eldest son Suleiman in order to discredit him in the eyes of his father, and, if possible, destroy him. This activity led to the strengthening of the influence of Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska, which thus became the ancestor of the tradition that is known in the history of the Ottoman Empire as the "Women's Sultanate".

The version as a whole is interesting and not devoid of logic, however, it is just an artistic version. Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska is not an activist of the "Women's Sultanate", this phenomenon, characterized by the great influence of harem women on the political situation in the country and even on the supreme power, arose half a century after her death.

In addition, it is again worth remembering that the Fatih law did not provide for the inevitable reprisal of the Sultan over the brothers. It is characteristic that in some cases the law was circumvented: for example, in 1640, before his death, Sultan Murad IV ordered the death of his brother. However, the order was not carried out, since if it was carried out, there would be no direct heirs in the male line. True, the next sultan went down in history as Ibrahim I the Crazy, so the big question is whether the order was not followed correctly - but that's another story ...

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Fatih law

Fatih law

Name of the law

founder of the law

Fatih law- one of the sacred traditions of the Ottoman Empire, used by the sultans when they ascended the throne. The Fatih law called on the sultans who received the throne to kill all their brothers and their male descendants in order to prevent internecine wars further.

Cases of the murder of close relatives during the struggle for power in the Ottoman dynasty occurred from the very first days. The execution of a rival in the struggle for the throne, often executed all his sons, regardless of age. Before Murad II, in all cases, only guilty princes were executed: rebels and conspirators, opponents in armed struggle. Murad II was the first to impose punishment on underage innocent brothers, ordering them to be blinded absolutely without their fault. His son, Mehmed II, immediately after ascending the throne, executed his newly born brother. Later, the Sultan issued a collection of laws, one of the provisions of which recognized the killing of innocent shehzade for the sake of maintaining order as legal.

The Ottomans inherited the idea that shedding the blood of members of the dynasty is unacceptable, so the relatives of the sultans were executed by strangling them with a bowstring. The sons of the Sultan killed in this way were buried with honor, usually next to the deceased father. Bayazid II and Selim I did not apply the Fatih law during the accession, since relations with the brothers were sorted out with weapons in their hands, only one son survived Suleiman I, therefore, in its pure form, the Fatih law was applied from the accession of Murad III in 1574 until the death of Murad IV in 1640:

Murad III, the eldest son of Selim II, during his accession in 1574, used his right to execute innocent minor brothers according to the Fatih law. The number of those executed is estimated at five or nine. Mehmed III, the eldest son of Murad III, upon accession to the throne, also ordered the execution of his young brothers. He had 19 of them. Fearing a conspiracy on the part of his own sons, Mehmed introduced a pernicious custom not to send shehzade to sanjaks, but to keep them with him on the territory of the Sultan's palace. Ahmed I, the eldest of the sons of Mehmed III, who survived him, twice ordered the execution of Mustafa, but both times there were troubles that forced the superstitious Sultan to cancel the order. Ahmed's son, Osman, ordered the execution of his brother, Mehmed. Osman himself was soon deposed and killed. Murad IV ordered the execution of at least two of his underage brothers. Despite the fact that he never had sons who survived infancy, Murad ordered the execution of his last brother and only heir, Ibrahim, but his mother saved him, and Ibrahim succeeded Murad on the throne. Ibrahim was killed later, after the rebellion of the Janissaries and the overthrow.

In the future, the Fatih law was no longer applied. It is estimated that 60 shehzade were executed throughout the history of the Ottoman Empire. Of these, 16 were executed for mutinies and 7 for attempted mutiny. All others - 37 - for reasons of common good.

Magnificent century

Mustafa swears he will never execute Mehmed

For the first time, the law ordering the death of their brothers upon accession to the throne is mentioned in the third season. On the hunt, Suleiman tells his son Mehmed about this, and he, having met with Mustafa, asks him if his brother will be able to execute his brother. Shehzade swear to each other that whoever of them ascends the throne, he will never execute the other.

Execution of Bayezid and his sons

In the fourth season, the Fatih law is mentioned in almost every episode. There are three contenders for the throne - shekhzade Mustafa, Selim and Bayazid. The mother of Selim and Bayazid Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska is ready to do anything so that the throne goes to one of her children, and for this purpose she begins to weave intrigues around Mustafa. Bayazid and Mustafa swear to each other that if one of them ascends the throne, he will not kill the other, but the mothers of shehzade actively oppose this. After the execution of Mustafa, only two rivals remain - Selim and Bayezid, and each of them knows that either the throne or death awaits him. Behind Selim is his father, behind Bayezid is his mother. More than one battle takes place between the shehzade, and as a result, their youngest shehzade finds himself in Persian captivity, from where Selim ransoms him and executes him along with all his sons in order to ensure a peaceful rule for himself.

Empire of Kösem

Little Mustafa I before execution in a dungeon

The Law of Fatih is mentioned in the very first episode. Ahmed talks about his childhood, marred by the death of his brothers and the cruelty of his father, who died due to illness and thus allowed Ahmed to ascend the throne. In front of Shehzade, his older brother, Mahmud, was killed, and Dervish Pasha later recalls that if he had not poisoned Mehmed III, Ahmed himself would have been executed. Following the law, the new sultan must take the life of his younger brother Mustafa, but he cannot do this despite pressure from both his mother and Safiye Sultan. He makes several attempts to kill the boy, but each time something stops him. As a result, Ahmed never commits atrocities, which deserves universal recognition. However, because of his mercy, Mustafa has to spend his whole life in a cafe, because of which the latter goes crazy.

Execution of sehzade by order of Halime Sultan

After the death of Ahmed, Fatih's law becomes almost the main character of the series: in order to protect both his children and all the shehzade who will still be born in the Empire, Kösem Sultan abolishes fratricide. She accepts on behalf of her husband new law about "the oldest and wisest", according to which the eldest of the Ottoman clan becomes the sultan. But this does not help stop the bloodshed: on the orders of Valide Halime Sultan, who does not take into account the new order, all the nephews of the new padishah are almost executed, and twice. Osman II, having finally ascended the throne, cancels the law adopted by his stepmother and returns fratricide. Thus, the execution of his brother, sehzade Mehmed, becomes possible. Also, even during the life of Ahmed, Iskender, the “lost shehzade”, is executed, but later he turns out to be alive, and Kösem, in order to ensure a peaceful reign for his son in the future and deprive Safiye Sultan of his heir, does everything to deal with him. During the second reign of the insane Mustafa, in order to preserve the order of the children, Kösem is almost executed again, and Osman is killed by the Janissaries. His son, Mustafa, is also executed.

Execution of Shehzade Bayezid

In the second season, the Law of Fatih reigns from the first episode to the last: as soon as Sultan Murad takes power into his own hands, his brothers begin to fear for their freedom, and then for their lives. Gulbahar Sultan, having barely arrived at the palace, immediately begins to tell his son that one day the Sultan will execute him in any way, and therefore it is necessary to overthrow the current padishah before this happens. As soon as shekhzade Kasym commits a misdemeanor, he is put in a cafe, and a few years later, due to the intrigues of his mother, he is completely executed. Despite all the attempts of Valide Kösem Sultan to save the life of all shehzade, Bayazid is the first to die at the hands of the executioners, getting involved in the game of his mother, Kasym is killed the second, and Ibragim, who also spent several years in the cafe, Kösem literally protects with his body. Later, the padishah executes the elderly Mustafa I, who is still sitting in the cafe.

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Süleyman ve Roksolana / Suleiman and Roksolana

Fatih Law
Why is he needed? And who invented it?!

Well, for starters, I remind you, for those who have forgotten or simply did not know what this law is called. The Fatih law is the very law that allows you to kill all your brothers and completely interrupt their lineage (that is, kill all their descendants, in the male line), if (you are still lucky) and you took the throne, that is, you became the Sultan.

For starters, not much about the creator of this very law. Sultan Mehmed II, popularly called Fatih, which means the Conqueror, was the Ottoman sultan from 1444 to 1446 and from 1451 to 1481. (Great-grandfather of Sultan Suleiman Kanuni).

Mehmed II was born on March 29, 1432 in Edirne. He was the fourth son of Murad II by his concubine Hyuma Hatun (it is assumed that she was of Greek origin).

When Mehmet was six years old, he was sent to the sanjak-sarukhan of Manisa, where he stayed until August 1444 (up to 12 years), that is, until he took the throne.

At the time of accession to the throne, Mehmed II ordered to drown his half-brother Ahmed-Kucuk. After that, in fact, Mehmed II legitimized this custom with his decree, which read: "One of my sons who takes the throne, has the RIGHT to kill his brothers so that there is order on earth." Most experts in the judiciary approved this law. THIS IS THE LAW OF FATIHA.

In fact, this Sultan became famous not only for his famous laws, he led numerous conquests during Balkan Wars conquered Serbia, Herzegovina, Albania. In 1467, Mehmed II approached the possessions of the Mamluk rulers of the Karamanids - Ak-Koyunlu - Memluk. In 1479, the Sultan undertook a campaign against the Venetians, who held the vast territory of Albania under control. Mehmed II besieged the fortresses of Shkodra (Ishkodra) and Kruya (Akchahisar). His most important conquest, for which he actually received the nickname "Fatih" was the conquest of Constantinople in May 1453 (at that time he was 21 years old).

Wives and concubines:

From the beginning of the reign of Sultan Mehmet II (since 1444), the main element of the Ottoman family policy was living with concubines, not officially marrying them, as well as the main principle (which I think a lot of people have heard of) “one concubine one son ( Shehzade)”, as well as the policy of limiting the birth of wives from noble families, was carried out through sexual abstinence. Inside the Sultan's harem, a peculiar policy was probably applied to prevent those concubines who had already given birth to sons into the bed of the Sultan. One of the reasons for the policy of "one concubine one son" was that the mothers of the Sultan's children, when sending their sons to govern the sanjaks, accompanied them and headed their house in the provinces.

1. Emine Gulbahar Khatun: mother of Cevher Khatun and adoptive mother of Bayazid II (As the adoptive mother of Bayazid and the widow of Mehmed, she received a title equal to the title of valid Sultan that appeared later. She died in 1492 in Istanbul. She was buried in the Fatih Mosque. In memory of her adoptive mother Bayazid II, after her death, built the Khatuniya mosque in Tokat).

2. Sitti Myukrime Hatun: was the LEGAL wife of Mehmet, the daughter of the sixth ruler of Dulkadiridy, Suleiman Bey, and the biological mother of Bayezid II. (Her son ascended the throne 14 years later, after the death of Myukrime. Another wife of Mehmed, Emine Gulbahar Hatun, received the then equivalent of the title of Valide Sultan, as his adoptive mother).

3. Gulshah Khatun: mother of the beloved son of Sultan Mehmed II - shehzade Mustafa (1450-1474). (Shehzade died of an illness in June 1474, at the age of 24. Grand Vizier Mahmud Pasha, who had a bad relationship with Mustafa, was blamed for his death. He was strangled, but buried in his mausoleum, which he built and bears his name. And most importantly, on the day of his funeral, the Sultan declared mourning, which was a sign of his changeable character).

4. Chichek khatun: mother of shekhzade Cem
5. Helena Khatun
6. Anna Khatun
7. Alexis Khatun

Sons: Sultan Bayezid II, Shehzade Mustafa, Shehzade Cem and Shehzade Korkut.

Daughters: Dzhevger khatun, Seljuk khatun, Khatije khatun, Iladi khatun, Aishe khatun, Hindi khatun, Ainishah khatun, Fatma khatun, Shah khatun, Huma sultan and Ikmar sultan. (I think many people wonder why the first daughters were called khatun, and the last 2 sultans, I explain, until the reign of Bazid II, the daughters of the sultan were called Khatun, and after his ascension to the throne, the daughters of sultans were called Sultans).

Mehmed II died when he moved from Istanbul to Gebze for the final formation of the army (for the next campaign). While in the military camp, Mehmed II fell ill and died suddenly, as was assumed from food poisoning or due to his chronic illness. There was also a version of poisoning. The body of the lord was brought by Karamani Ahmet Pasha to Istanbul and was put up for parting for twenty days. On the second day after the ascension of Bayezid II to the throne, the body was interred in the mausoleum of the Fatih Mosque. The funeral took place on May 21, 1481.

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The Ottoman Empire, officially called the Great Ottoman State, lasted 623 years.

It was a multinational state, the rulers of which observed their traditions, but did not deny others. It was for this advantageous reason that many neighboring countries allied with them.

In Russian-language sources, the state was called Turkish or Tourist, and in Europe it was called Porta.

History of the Ottoman Empire

The great Ottoman state arose in 1299 and lasted until 1922. The first sultan of the state was Osman, after whom the empire was named.

The Ottoman army was regularly replenished with Kurds, Arabs, Turkmens and other nations. Everyone could come and become a member of the Ottoman army, only by saying the Islamic formula.

The lands obtained as a result of the seizure were allocated for agriculture. On such plots there was a small house and a garden. The owner of this site, which was called "timar", was obliged to appear to the Sultan at the first call and fulfill his requirements. He had to come to him on his own horse and fully armed.

The horsemen did not pay any taxes, as they paid with "their blood".

In connection with the active expansion of the borders, they needed not only the cavalry, but also the infantry, which is why they created one. Osman's son Orhan also continued to expand the territory. Thanks to him, the Ottomans ended up in Europe.

There they took little boys around the age of 7 for training from Christian peoples, who were taught, and they converted to Islam. Such citizens, who grew up from childhood in such conditions, were excellent warriors and their spirit was invincible.

Gradually, they formed their own fleet, which included warriors of different nationalities, they even took pirates there, who willingly converted to Islam and fought active battles.

What was the name of the capital of the Ottoman Empire?

Emperor Mehmed II, having captured Constantinople, made it his capital and named Istanbul.

However, not all battles went smoothly. At the end of the 17th century there was a series of failures. For example, Russian empire took Crimea from the Ottomans, as well as the Black Sea coast, after which the state began to suffer more and more defeats.

In the 19th century, the country began to weaken rapidly, the treasury began to empty, Agriculture was poorly managed and inactive. With the defeat during the First World War, a truce was signed, Sultan Mehmed V was abolished and left for Malta, and subsequently to Italy, where he lived until 1926. The empire collapsed.

The territory of the empire and its capital

The territory expanded very actively, especially during the reign of Osman and Orhan, his son. Osman began to expand the borders after he came to Byzantium.

Territory of the Ottoman Empire (click to enlarge)

Initially, it was located on the territory of modern Turkey. Further, the Ottomans reached Europe, where they expanded their borders and captured Constantinople, which was later named Istanbul and became the capital of their state.

Serbia was also annexed to the territories, as well as many other countries. The Ottomans annexed Greece, some islands, as well as Albania and Herzegovina. This State was one of the mighty for many years.

Rise of the Ottoman Empire

The heyday is considered the era of the reign of Sultan Suleiman I. During this period, many campaigns were made against the Western countries, thanks to which the borders of the Empire were significantly expanded.

In connection with the active positive period of his reign, the Sultan was nicknamed Suleiman the Magnificent. He actively expanded the borders not only in Muslim countries, but also by annexing the countries of Europe. He had his own viziers, who were obliged to inform the Sultan about what was happening.

Suleiman I ruled for a long time. His idea for all the years of his reign was the idea of ​​uniting the lands, just like his father Selim. He also planned to unite the peoples of East and West. That is why he led his position quite directly and did not turn off the goal.

Although the active expansion of borders took place in the 18th century, when most battles were won, however, the most positive period is still considered reign of Suleiman I - 1520-1566

Rulers of the Ottoman Empire in chronological order

Rulers of the Ottoman Empire (click to enlarge)

The Ottoman dynasty ruled for a long time. Among the list of rulers, the most prominent were Osman, who formed the Empire, his son Orhan, as well as Suleiman the Magnificent, although each sultan left his mark on the history of the Ottoman State.

Initially, the Ottoman Turks, fleeing the Mongols, partially migrated towards the West, where they were in the service of Jalal ud-Din.

Further, part of the remaining Turks was sent to the possession of the padishah Sultan Kay-Kubad I. Sultan Bayazid I, during the battle near Ankara, was captured, after which he died. Timur divided the Empire into parts. After that, Murad II took up its restoration.

During the reign of Mehmed Fatih, the Fatih law was adopted, which meant the murder of all those who interfere with the rule, even brothers. The law did not last too long and was not supported by everyone.

Sultan Abduh Habib II was overthrown in 1909, after which the Ottoman Empire ceased to be a monarchical state. When Abdullah Habib II Mehmed V began to rule, under his rule the Empire began to actively fall apart.

Mehmed VI, who ruled briefly until 1922, until the end of the Empire, left the state, which finally collapsed in the 20th century, but the prerequisites for this were still in the 19th century.

The last sultan of the Ottoman Empire

The last sultan was Mehmed VI, who was 36th on the throne. Before his reign, the state was in a significant crisis, so it was extremely difficult to restore the Empire.

Ottoman Sultan Mehmed VI Vahideddin (1861-1926)

He became ruler at the age of 57. After the beginning of his reign, Mehmed VI dissolved parliament, but the First World War greatly undermined the activities of the Empire and the Sultan had to leave the country.

Sultans of the Ottoman Empire - their role in government

Women in the Ottoman Empire did not have the right to rule the state. This rule existed in all Islamic states. However, there is a period in the history of the state when women actively participated in the government.

It is believed that the female sultanate appeared as a result of the end of the period of campaigns. Also, in many respects, the formation of the female sultanate is connected with the abolition of the law "On Succession to the Throne".

The first representative was Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska Sultan. She was the wife of Suleiman I. Her title was Haseki Sultan, which means "Most Beloved Wife". She was very educated, knew how to lead business negotiations and respond to various messages.

She was her husband's advisor. And since he spent most of his time in battles, she took on the main responsibilities of the board.

Fall of the Ottoman Empire

As a result of numerous failed battles during the reign of Abdullah Habib II Mehmed V, the Ottoman state began to actively collapse. Why the state collapsed is a difficult question.

However, we can say that the main moment in its collapse was precisely the First World War, which put an end to the Great Ottoman State.

Descendants of the Ottoman Empire in our time

In modern times, the state is represented only by its descendants, defined on family tree. One of them is Ertogrul Osman, who was born in 1912. He could have become the next sultan of his empire if it had not collapsed.

Ertogrul Osman became the last grandson of Abdul Hamid II. He is fluent in several languages ​​and has a good education.

His family moved to live in Vienna when he was about 12 years old. There he received his education. Ertogul is married for the second time. The first wife died without giving him children. His second wife was Zaynep Tarzi, who is the niece of Ammanullah, former king Afghanistan.

The Ottoman state was one of the great ones. Among its rulers, several of the most prominent can be distinguished, thanks to which its borders expanded significantly in a fairly short period of time.

However, the First World War, as well as many lost defeats, caused serious damage to this empire, as a result of which it collapsed.

Currently, the history of the state can be seen in the film "The Secret Organization of the Ottoman Empire", where in summary, but many moments from history are described in sufficient detail.

The executioner knows no rest!..
But still, damn it
Work in the air
Work with people.

Vladimir Vishnevsky

It is impossible not to note the fact that in recent periods there has been a marked increase in interest in history, and in the history of the East in particular. The Ottoman Empire, whose power made the whole world shudder for six centuries, occupies a special niche in this direction. But even in the history of this once strong and majestic state, there are pages shrouded in mystery and still little studied by modern historians. Executioners in any society were deprived of popular love, even in one that for six centuries was distinguished by its tolerance, they were unpopular among the people. Maybe that's why today, studying the issue of executioners in the Ottoman Empire, we have more questions than answers.

Initially, when selecting candidates for the position of executioners, the Ottomans preferred the deaf-mutes, so that they would not hear the cries and pleas for mercy of those sentenced to death, thus they could quickly and efficiently do their job. In the 15th century, the executioners were recruited either from among the newly converted Croats, or from among the gypsies. In the 16th century, as part of the personal guard of the Sultan, a part of the executioners was formed, which consisted of 5 people. However, over the years their number grew, and a head was appointed to manage them, directly reporting to the commander of the Sultan's personal guard.

The head of the executioners "specialized" exclusively in the executions of high-ranking officials and military leaders. A recruit who fell into the part of the executioners had to undergo training near an experienced executioner, having gained solid experience and proving his skills, he could already independently execute sentences in execution. It would seem that the simplest profession still required special skills. The executioner had to thoroughly know the anatomy and characteristics of the human body, and in this regard they could compete with any doctor. But representatives of this occupation in the Ottoman Empire did not enjoy the love of the people. They had no families and offspring, and after death their bodies were interred in a specially designated place.

Ottomans betrayed great importance social status a person, and therefore the type of execution of the condemned depended on the position he previously occupied in this society. For example, the sultan's associates and viziers accepted death mainly through strangulation, and the Janissaries were executed with special cleavers, which today can be seen in the Topkapi Museum in Istanbul. Royal persons and, in particular, the children of the sultans were killed by strangulation with a bowstring, because the bloodshed of members of the ruling family was considered unacceptable. For ordinary citizens, the most common type of execution was beheading. However, for especially dangerous robbers, pirates and murderers, impalement, crucifixion, hanging on a hook and other more painful types of death were used, the mere mention of which already sowed fear and horror.

It took about three days to consider the cases of high-ranking criminals. After that, to the prisoner, who was awaiting his fate in Yedikul prison, the commander of the Sultan's guard brought sherbet. If the sweet drink was white, then this meant the mercy of the ruler and the replacement of the death penalty with exile, the red color of the sherbet symbolized imminent death at the hands of the executioners. The sentence was carried out as soon as the prisoner drank the sorbet brought to him, and his body was thrown into the well. If the official was not executed in the capital, then as evidence of the execution of the sentence and the will of the ruler, the head or other part of the body of the executed was sent to the sultan. A striking example of this is Mezifonlu Kara Pasha, who paid with his life for the failure of the storming of Vienna.

But it should be noted that, unlike the medieval old lady of Europe, torture was not widespread in the Ottoman Empire, and was used extremely rarely. The authority of the authorities in the eyes of the people who lived according to the laws of Islam and imbued with the spirit of this religion was ensured not by intimidation and torture, but by justice and punishment for those who crossed the line of permissibility, where the executioners just played an important role, even if not so popular among the people.

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