2019-06-24 Mon

Mustafa I- also known as - ‘Veli Mustafa’ (Mustafa the Saint), was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. He ruled the empire from 1617 to 1618 and then 1622 to 1623 AD.

Mustafa was born today on 24th June 1591 AD in Manisa Palace to Mehmed III and Halime Sultan. A man of weak mental faculties, he was deposed from the throne in 1618 but was reinstalled in 1622 by the Janissaries (elite troops), who dethroned Osman II.

When he became emperor, it was the first time an Ottoman Sultan was succeeded by his brother instead of his son. His mother Halime Sultan became the Valide Sultan as well as a regent and wielded great power. Due to Mustafa's mental conditions, she acted as a regent and exercised power more directly.

He issued gold and silver coins in the denomination of Altin, Onluk, and Akce. These coins were issued from various mints such as Misr, Belgrad, Canca, Constantinople, Edrine, Erzerum, Sofia, Tokat, Busra, and amid.

The above shown silver Akce was issued during his second reign from Misr (Egypt) mint. The obverse of a coin depicts the name of the king while the reverse has mint name.

Image Source: Heritage Auctions