top of page
Search
Writer's picturesulla80
May 116 min read

Mustafa II - Ottoman Empire


Sultan Mustafa II sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1695 to 1703, dressed in full armor, early 18th century Unknown author. Image public domain courtesy of wikimedia commons.


This coin is far out of my normal range, issued in 1695, but the beautiful caligraphy pulled me in. It wasn't labelled so it took me a bit of digging to decipher and attribute.


The scale of this coin was also a big draw: 16.2g. 39.2mm.


The mint was the easiest part to decipher: قسطنطینية Qustantiniya. The metal appears to be debased silver copper alloy (425/1000 Silver & 575/1000 Copper) deeply tarnished.


The denomination: 1 Zolota

The denomination is the first Ottoman thaler-like coinage, which was introduced in 1101 AH/1690 AD, appears in older literature as Kurush. Sahillioglu had already documented in 1965 that it was the Zolota and not the Kurush.  Sahillioglu writes in 1999:

This was more broadly recognized with the publication of Pamuk's Monetary History, Cambridge 2000, p. 160. 

"The first large silver coins were minted in 1690 after the Polish coin isolette or zolota which was imported in large quantities by Dutch merchants during the seventeenth century. These coins were about one third smaller than the Dutch thalers. Their weight was fixed in standard dirhams and they contained 60 percent silver and 40 percent copper.' The largest of these weighed six dirhams, or approximately 19.2 grams."

A document from the year 1102 AH (Ender, 1996 p. 29 no. 320), speaks of Sulaymanian Zolota and 1/3 Kurush. If the Zolota is 2/3 Kurush, then a third Kurush is half a Zolota.


The legend confused me as I was looking for a kalima when I started. The floral embellishments also misled me - eventually getting to the right attribution.


Obverse:

سلطان البـرين Sultan of the two lands

وخاقان البحــرين and khaqan of the two sea

السلطان بن the sultan, son of

السلطان the sultan


Reverse:

السلطان Sultan

مصطفى بن احمد خان Mustafa son of Ahmed Khan (Mehmet IV)

ابو الفتح Father of Conquest

ضرب في Struck in

قسطنطينية Qustintiniyah (Constantinople or today Istanbul)

١١٠٦ AH1106 - CE 1695

Mustafa II's reign was a period of transition and challenge for the Ottoman Empire, with military setbacks in Europe and internal dissent, which set the stage for the 18th century Ottoman politics.


Mustafa II attempted a bold scheme to ban foreign coins in 1697. The Ottoman economy depended on foreign currency. Foreign coins were brought to Ottoman mints and melted down or simply overstruck. Sir Paul Rycaut, a contemporary English merchant, described this policy:

"What other Sultans have not done, [Sultan Mustafa II] hath had the Ambition to perform; that is, under his own Name all the Pieces of Gold and Silver should pass, within his Empire . . . I cannot say that all the Gold and Silver within the Turkish Dominions was brought into the Mint to be new Coined, but it is certainly reported, that a great part thereof was."

The Great Turkish War (1683-1699)

Mustafa II was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1695 to 1703. He ascended to the throne late in the The Great Turkish War (1683-1699).  The war ended with the Treaty of Karlowitz in 1699, which forced the Ottoman Empire to give up significant territory in Central Europe to the Habsburg Monarchy, Poland, and Venice including Hungary and parts of the Balkans.  This loss shifted the power dynamics between Europe and the Ottoman Empire and marks the beginning of the decline of the Ottoman Empire.


Early Life & Family

Mehmet IV (reigned August 1648 – 8 November 1687), the father of Mustafa II was the second longest reigning sultan in Ottoman history after Suleiman I "the Magnificent". 1685-1687 were years in which inflation, food shortages, plague, and famine resulted in the deaths of thousands, while Mehmet seemed oblivious and enjoyed hunting and the pleasures of his harem. He and his son were retired by the military and the second son of Sultan Ibrahim, Suleiman II (reigned 1687-1691), was brought to the throne, as one who could easily be controlled by the nobles who had deposed Mehmet IV.

Ottoman Empire, Sultan Suleiman II (1687-1691), 1099 AH (AD 1688), 1 Copper Manghir, 19 mm, mint Constantinople

Obv: Tughra

Rev: mint, date, and in Persian script his name and titles, within a circle, surrounded by border

Ref: KM# 87.2 (dots left of date)


The Tughra of Suleiman II is on the obverse of this coin of the Ottoman Empire. It reads: "Shah Süleyman, son of Ibrahim Han, the Victorious". He was born 15th April 1642 at Constantinople and was Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1687 to 1691.

When Suleiman II died in June 22, 1691, of edema, he was replaced by his brother Ahmet II, the third son of Ibrahim, who was largely a figurehead who took little interest in ruling. He reigned CE 1691-1695. Ahmet II died in Feb 6, 1695, and was replaced this time by Mustafa II.


For an interesting medical interpretation and overview of the causes of death of Ottoman sultans see: Disease of the Sultans: metabolic syndrome in Ottoman dynasty (2010).

"We suggest firstly here that sedentary palace lifestyle exacerbated metabolic syndrome in-possibly genetically predisposed-Ottoman dynasty especially in elderly members, thereafter complicated by cardiovascular events, even in pre-modern era."

Mustafa, son of Mehmet IV, was eldest member of the Ottoman ruling family when he became sultan in 1695.


Mustafa II had at least eight sons and 10 consorts.


Culture & Arts

Although Mustafa II would have continued support of the arts and architecture, he had to deal withe the financial challenges of prolonged war and the loss of territory.  The empire’s focus was on recovering from military engagements and stabilizing the region, which diverted resources and attention away from the patronage of the arts and new architectural projects.


End of His Reign

Mustafa II tried to modernize and strengthen the army by incorporating more contemporary European military techniques and strategies. The Janissaries were dissatisfied with the Sultan’s handling of military affairs and his drift from traditional Ottoman ruling practices. The Empire's financial situation was declining.

"The long war an the series of imperial accessions had drained the treasury, so that arrears now mounted to three or four years and the payments that were made in debased were in new debased coins.  Inflation continued.  The regular system of assigning and collecting taxes almost broke down completely."
-Stanford J. Shaw, History of the Ottoman Empire and modern Turkey. Volume I.

The Janissaries were the elite force of soldiers that were the personal protective force of the sultan.  July 18, 1703, the "Edirne Event", started as four companies of Jannisaries refused to go to Georgia unless they were paid. They complained that the Sultan was enjoying himself in Edirne while the country suffered. As they marched in protest they were joined by thousands of others who were angry and discontented. The rebels took the Capital and the empire came close to civil war. On 22 August 1703, Mustafa II was forced to abdicate in favor of his brother Ahmed III. Mustafa spent the rest of his life in seclusion in the palace. 


Two of Mustafa II's son's were sultan after Ahmed III. Mahmud I reigned 1 October 1730 – 13 December 1754 and Osman III was sultan from 13 December 1754 – 30 October 1757. He was succeeded by Ahmed III's son Mustafa III in 30 October 1757 and ruled until 21 January 1774.

Here's a 2 Zolota coin of Mustapha III from 1764 CE (١١٧٨ which can be seen on the bottom of the reverse - AH 1178).


References:

2,398 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments

bottom of page