2020-05-29 Fri

Mustafa IV was Ottoman sultan from 1807 to 1808 who participated in the reactionary conservative coalition that overthrew his reforming cousin, the sultan Selim III.

He was born on September 8, 1779, to Sultan Abdul Hamid and Sineperver Sultan. He was raised to the throne on 29th May 1807, by the reactionary Janissaries who had deposed Mustafa's cousin, Selim III, because they opposed his attempted reforms. When a Turkish army marched on the capital to restore Selim, Mustafa had him murdered, but the rebels killed Mustafa and placed his brother, Mahmud II, on the throne.

He himself was immediately deposed (July 28, 1808) and lived in confinement until he was strangled on orders from his brother, who succeeded him as Mahmud II. The above shown 8 Kharub was issued under his reign from Tunis (Tunisia) mint. The obverse of a coin depicts ‘Zarb Fi Tunus 1222’. The reverse illustrates inscription ‘Sultan Al Barin WA Khaqan Al Bahrain as Sultan Mustafa Khan Az Nasrah’.

Image Source: Heritage Auctions