Suleiman I went down in history not only as the greatest sultan of the Ottoman Empire, but also as a cruel ruler who mercilessly executed close friends, concubines and his own sons.
Shehzade Bayazid was born in 1525 and became the fourth son of Sultan Suleiman I from his legal wife Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska.
Like all the Sultan's heirs, he received an excellent education, knew several foreign languages, and was fond of the exact sciences and the humanities. Also, from childhood, he studied military affairs and at the age of 16, together with his father, participated in a campaign against Hungary.
In 1546, shekhzade Bayazid, at the age of 21, was appointed governor in Konya, where he moved with his harem.
For a long time he enjoyed the trust of his father, often visited him on military campaigns, and even during the Persian military campaign in 1553 he was the governor of the Sultan in Edirne.
In 1554, Sultan Suleiman appointed Shehzade Bayazid as governor of Kutahya.
The traveler Hans Dershwam described Bayezid as a man of short stature, with pale yellowish skin and a light mustache. He noted that the prince was very similar in temperament to his father: melancholic, with a poetic character, smart, brave and brave.
In 1553, Sultan Suleiman, under the pretext of high treason, executed his eldest son Mustafa, whom everyone considered the main contender for the throne.
Sehzade Bayazid becomes second in line for the Sultan's throne after Shehzade Selim. A bitter rivalry began between the brothers.
While Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska was alive, the situation could be kept under control. However, after the death of their mother in 1558, relations between the brothers became very aggravated, and nothing could hold them back from open confrontation.
Sultan Suleiman, who feared a coup d'état, sent both sons to govern the provinces of the empire remote from Istanbul. Sehzade Selim was transferred from Manisa to Konya, and Shehzade Bayezid was sent to Amasya.
Shehzade Bayazid was well aware that while his older brother Selim was alive, he would not see the throne.
Bayezid began to raise an army. He was a favorite of the Janissaries, by whom he resembled his father, and from whom, in their opinion, he inherited the best qualities of nature. Also, former supporters of the executed Mustafa joined Bayezid's army. He easily recruited 30 thousand soldiers and advanced to Konya against his brother Selim.
Upon learning of this, Sultan Suleiman regarded this as a rebellion against himself personally. He declared Shehzade Bayezid a rebel, requested a fatfa for his execution and sent troops to help Shehzade Selim.
The troops of the brothers met near Konya. Selim's army, thanks to his father's support, was outnumbered. Yes, and they were much better armed. This is what decided the outcome of the battle between the brothers.
Bayazid with huge losses retreated to Amasya.
Bayezid has no choice but to flee abroad.
He and his four sons take refuge with the Safivid Shah Tahmasp.
In the beginning, everything went well. Shah Tahmasp gave Bayezid a luxurious reception with a wide scope and expensive gifts. But soon Bayazid learns that the Shah is in correspondence with Sultan Suleiman about a ransom for him and his sons. Bayezid begins to prepare an escape, but does not have time. Shah Tahmasp kills Bayazid's people, and takes him and his sons into custody.
For a whole year, Shah Tahmasp and Sultan Suleiman bargained. The Shah wanted land and money, but the Sultan only agreed to money. As a result, the shah relented and agreed to 1,200,000 ducats, but in the end received only 500,000 ducats, since he was not paid the rest after the deal. Sultan Suleiman simply deceived him.
But the deal went through, and Bayezid and the children were handed over to the envoys of the Sultan. Bayazid appeared before the envoys in an exhausted state, in dirty old clothes and a torn headdress.
On September 25, 1561, by order of Sultan Suleiman, Bayezid and 4 of his sons were strangled. Bayazid was 36 years old, and his eldest son was 16. A little later, Bayazid's fifth son, who was only 3 years old, was also executed in Bursa.
Shehzade Bayazid and his sons were buried in the city of Sivas in a small tomb.
For the Ottoman Empire, the result of Bayazid's rebellion, in addition to a bloody civil war, was a change in the principles of succession to the throne: from now on, the title of ruler was transferred not to the shehzade whom the sultan considered the most worthy, but only to the eldest of the heirs.
Now no one can say what kind of person Bayezid really was. But the very fact that the people supported him speaks volumes.