Overview
Mustafa I was the first Ottoman sultan to come to the throne as the eldest male of the dynasty rather than as the son of the last sultan. His accession began the rule of seniority that the Ottomans followed for the rest of their history, but he himself was unable to govern.
Rise to Power
His brother Ahmed I had spared his life, breaking with the custom of killing the new sultan's brothers. On Ahmed's death in 1617 the court raised Mustafa instead of Ahmed's young son Osman.
Rule and Achievements
- Was deposed after three months in 1618 in favour of his nephew Osman II
- Was restored by the Janissaries in 1622, after they had killed Osman, and deposed again in 1623
Legacy
He lived on in confinement in the palace until his death in 1639. His nephew Murad IV succeeded him in 1623.