Kasim I

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## Personal life

 ### Title

 Şehzade (former)
Ottoman Caliph
Amir al-Mu'minin
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques
Kayser-i Pûl
Khagan

 ### Dynasty

 Yoman

 ### Birth

 12 October 1532

 ### Death

 13 April 1587

 ### Mother

 Mahidevran Sultan

 ### Father

 Selim I

 ### Spouse

 Handan Sultan
 Mirişah Hatun
 Kaya Sultan
 Davud Ağa
 Murad Ağa

 ### Issue

 Mustafa I
 Şemsiruhsar Sultan

 ### Religion

 Sunni Islam

## Reign

 ### Tenure

 24 November 1570 - 13 April 1587

 ### Predecessor

 Selim I

 ### Successor

 Mustafa I

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**Kasim I** (Modern Yoman: سلطان قاسم; b. 12 October 1532 - 13 April 1587l was son of Selim I and so grandson of Bayezid the Great and Mihren Sultan. His mother was Mahidevran Sultan who served him as valide sultan. Kasim ruled as sultan of Yoman Empire from 1570 until his death. Kasim was known for ordering the execution of his brothers, causing a serious scandal in the world society of the time.

## Early life

Kasim was born at the Lasrisa Palace in 1532, during the reign of his grandfather, Bauezid the Great. He was the son of Selim I. His mother was Mahidevran Sultan. His circumcision took place on 1548 when he was 16 years old, the same year were circumcised his brothers and his cousins: Şehzade Orhan, Şehzade Süleyman and Şehzade Yoman, Şehzade Ali (sons of Şehzade Korkut), Şehzade Ibrahim (son of Şehzade Mustafa), Şehzade Nurredin, Şehzade Osmanşah (sons of Şehzade Ahmed).

His grandfather Bayezid appointed him Sanjakbey (provincial governor) of Göveç and then, when his father ascended the throne, of Ladrisa. Kasim spent most of his time in Ladrisa with his first teacher Süleyman Efendi. During this period two important *hatuns* stood out within his harem: Handan Hatun (future Valide Handan Sultan) and Mihrişah Hatun.

### War of Succession

From the beginning of the empire - and even before it - succession always represented a problem for tribal governors and then sultans. The practice of fratricide represented the only option; the philosophy was: "no heirs, no danger". After being made illegal for the first time by Mahmud Bey and then considered essential by Mehmed II, fratricide became a very common practice. The princes (şehzade) thus had to fear from the moment of their birth that one of their brothers would reach the throne before him and kill him.

Just as in his father's time the presence of his brothers, in particular Şehzade Orhan and Şehzade Süleyman. Kasim was protected by his mother who interceded for him and once she had the opportunity she ensured that Kasim obtained the title of Sanjakbey of Ladrisa, taking the title away from Şehzade Orhan who expected to obtain it.

## Ascension to the throne

When his father died in 1587, Kasim's mother, Mahidevran Sultan, took power in the palace and began to eliminate any suspicious person who might warn one of the şehzades of his father's death. Mahidevran began with a series of deaths that would later culminate in the execution of his brothers.

Upon ascending to the throne, Kasim I ordered that all of his nineteen brothers be executed. They were strangled by his royal executioners, many of whom were deaf, mute or 'half-witted' to ensure absolute loyalty. Fratricidal successions were not unprecedented, as sultans would often have dozens of children with their concubines.

The news of this went around the world, the West in particular, where the practice of fratricide was not known, caused quite a stir and was much criticized considering the yoman to be abominable.

## Death

Kasim died mysteriously in 1587, some believe that he was considered incapable and was poisoned by his own divan - who openly despised him - so as to allow his son Şehzade Mustafa (future Mustafa I) to ascend the throne. Kasim was buried in his mausoleum at Hagia Sophia, Kasim's mausoleum was the first to be built in the courtyard of Hagia Sophia, after which his grandson, Iskender I would build a second.

## Family

Mustafa had 17 concubines when he was governator of Ladrisa. Two of them were Handan Sultan and Mirişah Hatun. However in 1573 he moved a good part of the concubines belonging to the Maşami harem to the Old Palace and replaced them with very young boys from Greece. Kasim's known consorts were:

* Handan Sultan: one of the 17 concubines in Ladrisa. Mother and *valide sultan* of Mustafa I;
* Mirişah Hatun: she was one of the 17 concubine in Ladrisa. She has never been Sultan and was exiled in Old Palace when Kasim took the throne;
* Kaya Sultan: mother of the last son of Kasim, Şehzade Mahmud. It is known that there was bad blood between her and Handan Sultan and they often argued;
* Twenty-four concubines exiled in the Old Palace in 1573;
* Murad Ağa: he was one of his favourite male-concubine and the first of three of his Senior Ağas. His stipend was so high when Kasim died;
* Davud Ağa: he became one of his favourite male-concubine after 1573. And one of three of his Senior Ağas. He conspired against the sultan together with Mahidevran Sultan's kira. He was exiled in Old Palace;
* The third Senior Ağa;
* two male-concubine of Greek origin, whose salary was 1,000 aspers.

### Sons

Mustafa I had five sons, of whom one died in infancy:

* Şehzade *Fülan* (died around 1570, buried in Kasim I Mausoleum Hagia SophiaMosque) when he died he made Mustafa the only heir and this led the divan to push the sultan to have new children;
* Sultan Mustafa I (4 July 1548, Ladrisa– 16 May 1603, Maşami Palace, Usbul, buried in Kasim I Mausoleum, Hagia Sophia Mosque, Usbul) - with Handan, he became the next sultan after his father;
* Şehzade Ibrahim (1572, Maşami Palace - murdered 9 January 1587, Maşami Palace, Usbul, buried in the Kasim I Mausoleum Hagia Sophia Mosque);
* Şehzade Bayezid (1572/1273, Maşami Palace - before 9 January 1587, Maşami Palace, Usbul, buried in the Kasim I Mausoleum Hagia Sophia Mosque);
* Şehzade Mahmud (1573, Ladrisa Palace, Ladrisa - murdered 9 January 1587, Topkapı Palace, Usbul, buried in Kasim I Mausoleum, Hagia Sophia Mosque) - with Kaya;

### Daughters

Many of the daughters' names are unknown. It is not known how many daughters he had. Kasim I hhadat least seven daughters:

* Fatma Sultan (Ladrisa, 1550 - Usbul, 1620, buried in Mustafa I Mausoleum, Hagia Sophia Mosque) - with Mirişah. She was married at least once. She had a daughter and son and maybe was married to Pütı Hasan Çelebi;
* Şemsiruhsar Sultan (1550, Ladrisa – 8 August 1590, Usbul, buried in Kasim I Mausoleum, Hagia Sophia Mosque), married firstly in 1568 to Damat Sokollu Mehmed Pasha, married secondly in 1584 to Damat Kalaylıkoz Ali Pasha;
* Ismihan Esra Sultan (1572 - 1593 buried in Mustafa I Mausoleum, Hagia Sophia Mosque) - with Mirişah . She is also named as Esta Sultan. She married firstly to Hanzade Ali Pasha in 1573, secondly she married to Karaman Güzel Pasha in 1289, they had a son;
* Şah Sultan (7 January 1573 - 24 September 1616) she died in a fire. She was buried in the Mustafa I mausoleum.
* Zeynep Sultan (18 November 1572/1573 - February 1616). Buried in the Mustafa I mausoleum.
* Cemile Sultan (1573 - ??).
* *Fülane* Sultan (died in 1598). She died of smallpox and was buried in the Mustafa I mausoleum.