There Are None Merciful Among the Sultans, 18 Days of the Poet Sultan

Six years after the conquest of Constantinople (1459) in the Palace of Edirne Çiçek Hatun one of the wives of Mehmed the Conqueror (Fatih Sultan Mehmet) gave birth to a son and called him Cem. He spent part of his childhood in Kastamonu province with his tutor.

When Mehmed II went east on a campaign aganist Uzun Hasan in 1473 Cem was 14 years old. Soon the rumours of a defeat of his father began to spread and Cem came to Istanbul to claim the throne but later the situation turned out not to be the case. Conqueror pardoned Cem but punished the ones around him.

Cem Sultan and Fatih Sultan Mehmet (Mehmet the Conqueror)
Source: devletialiyyei.com

When Prince (Şehzade) Mustafa who fought along side Fatih died in the vicinity of Niğde, his body was brought to Bursa. He was buried near Şehzade Aleaddin in the mausoleum (türbe) of Sultan Murad II. Upon this in 1474 Sultan Cem moved from Istanbul to Karaman to the opened position. He made use of the six years spent here in literature, geography, astronomy and physical training.

On one may (May 3, 1481) when Fatih Sultan Mehmed passed away at Hünkar Çayırı, prayers of salvation were spoken throughout the churches of Christandom. Fatih was encroaching the Roman sphere of influence when he landed his forcesin Otranto, Apulia. When the danger passed with his death, the coming news would cause a lot of joy in the west.

News were sent to both Princes Sultan Cem and Bayezid alike, but the messenger to Cem was caught half way. During this time Bayezid rapidly came to Istanbul and declared his sultanate. This was not so welcome for the other player's court. Grand Vizier Mehmed Paşa from Karaman had been supporting the governor of Karaman, Cem whom was also known to be preferred by Fatih Mehmed because of his courage and resourcefulness. It was evident now that the two would settle accounts with the power groups behind them. Cem moved from Konya to Bursa. It would be where the match would take place. That year Sultan Bayezid was 34 and Cem 22 years old.

Bayezid was a bit taller than average but had an imposing constitution. He had a gritty personality and was devoted to science and arts. He had black hair and an aquiline nose and a dreary expression that was derived from toughness. According to the Venetian delegate Andrea Gritti he didn't drink wine, ate little and distributed alms to the needy. He had a quiet nature and a womanizer.

Cem had a sensitive personality, he was interested in literature especially poetry which he also wrote. His entourage as well as himself were into translating poetry. He was interested in geography and astronomy when he was in Karaman. Perhaps he was too bright to be a ruler.

A detail from Pinturicchio's fresco in Vatican, Cem Sultan

When people had heard that Sultan Bayezid came to Istanbul, many abandoned Sultan Cem to move Bayezid's side. By that time Sultan Cem took the city of İnegöl with 4000 troops in May 27, 1481. Bayezid reacted by sending Ayas Pasha from Mudanya to defend Bursa but Cem had arrived earlier and settled his military camp in the courtyard across the Poorhouse of Yıldırım Bayezid Han. The commander of Cem, Gedik Nasuh, didn't let Ayas Pasha into the city and skirmishes followed on the plain of Bursa.

The inhabitants of the city received the news of the deeds the Janissaries had done in Istanbul and they didn't want to fall into the same "calamities" and gave their support to Cem. Coming off victorius from the early conflicts Sultan Cem declared himself the Sultan of Anatolia. He confiscated the dresses and money in the palace, had a sermon (khutbah) given in his name and minted his own coin, collected tax. He not only declared his sultanate in words but openly in his actions also. For 18 days he carried on being the Sultan of Anatolia and ruler of Bursa gathering strength.

Though he lost the first conflict Bayezid was intriguing to raise support. He knew the tutor (lala) of Cem, Yakup Bey from of old and tried to convert him to his cause.

In his letter, if Sultan Cem went to the plain of Yenişehir for a war against the victorious soldiers, a courtesy of the Sultan or you woudl emerge, granting you the Governorship of Anatolia and assigning villages of hundred thousand akçes worth of harvest, he said in an assuring fashion.* (1)

Now i'll let A. Altınay commenting on the events spiralling in his 1924 book on Sultan Cem.

Ahmet Refik Altınay

Sultan Cem received the news of his brother crossing to Üsküdar (to Asian side, meaning he is on his way to Bursa). At that time small signs of worrying began to emerge in his heart. Probably he was anxious about the victory, but most of all he was afraid of the responsibility of war. He opened up the issue to his elder aunt and sent her to Bayezid accompanied by Mevlana Ayas and Ahmed Çelebi, the son of Şükrullah. He aimed to make an agreement with his brother by Anatolia given to himself and Rumeli staying under Bayezid.

Bayezid listened to Selçuk Sultan and gave this short reply:

"La erhame beyne'l müluk" 

"There are none merciful among the sultans" 

Portrait of Bayezid II by Levni

This was the beginning of the end for Sultan Cem.

Plain of Yenişehir where final battle took place

In the month of June Cem and Bayezid met on the plains of Yenişehir close to Bursa. Bayezid stepped up his force by persuading Gedik Ahmet, the hero of Ortanto landing. The battle was a close call up to the point when one wing of the forces of Cem started to fall apart. Upon this the fatal move was administered by the bribed tutor of Cem, Yakup Bey changing sides when it seemed he was charging Bayezid's forces. Cem at the brink of exhaustion found the only was out was to run away to Karaman. Thus started his life of exile in Egypt and Italy where it would also end. He would always be on the bargain table between European powers and Ottoman Empire until his death. His sorrowful body was claimed by Bayezid to be brought back to Bursa to be buried there in 1490.

Shrine of Cem Sultan in Bursa
Source: bursadazamandergisi.com

Interior of the Shrine of Sultan Cem
"The spirit of Cem is fuming in clow flowers on the tiles of his shrine. Behçet Kemal Çağlar"
Source: bursadazamandergisi.com 

Sources

1. Sultan Cem, 1924, 2014, Tarih Vakfı Yurt, Ahmet Refik Altınay, s.3-16

* "Cem Sultan Yenişehir ovasına asker-i mansura karşı cenk için gittiği takdirce hakkınızda iltifat-ı padişahi zuhur bulup Anadolu beylerbeyiliği tevcih buyurmak ve yüz bin akçe mahsullü karyeler temlik olunmak şartını namelerinde itikad verecek surette" anlattı." (A. Altınay, 1924; Solakzade s.174)