Shahzade deaths in the Ottoman Empire as a social and political case

The Shahzades (Princes) who were the heirs of the throne in the Ottoman Empire lost their lives due to various diseases or accidents. However, a significant part of the Shahzades was massacred for the sake of the political competition due to the Ottoman succession system or of the order (nizam-ı âlem). This study focuses on the death of Shahzades in consequences of both illnesses and political struggles without discrimination. In this study, which covers the 14th - 16th century period, firstly the Ottoman administration system, state philosophy and princehood were examined and discussions about the succession issue and fratricide were discussed. The deaths of the Shahzades were divided into two separate headings as self-killed and murdered Shahzades. It is discussed under these headings, how the Shahzades died as well as how the death of the Shahzades were reflected in both the dynasty and Ottoman society. In the study, it was observed that the death of Shahzades who had died without any struggle and that had died at a young age or not sufficiently recognized by the public, did not much influence. On the other hand, the deaths of the Shahzades who are political actors, by rebelling or by entering into the struggle of the throne is more extensively explained. In the literature, while the deaths of Shahzades are generally discussed in the context of the fights of the throne and political competition, in this study, in addition to the political context, the effects of deaths on the emotion world of the society were emphasized. The effects of Shahzades deaths on the Ottoman history as a political and social problem have been tried to be traced. The main sources of the research are history books and literary works written in the Ottoman period.