Talk:Şehzade Cihangir

No valid documentation cited for this entry

I would point out that the only reference source cited for this entry is the Turkish TV series "Magnificent Century." And though that series was produced with great dramatic flair and visual quality, it is not a valid source for Wikipedia.

According to Ottoman historian Leslie Peirce in "Empress of the East," Cihangir was struck suddenly by an undiagnosed illness and died a short time later. Medical sciences were not very advanced in that era and deaths like that happened from time to time. Professor Peirce also noted that Prince Cihangir arrived in Aleppo, where he fell sick, in a cheerful mood, waving at the welcoming crowds. The idea that he died of a broken heart over the death of his half-brother Prince Mustafa is quite dramatic and romantic, but has no historic confirmation beyond the aforementioned modern-day Turkish telenovella TV series. Same for his alleged hunger strike.

Finally, Prince Mustafa could not have been the "heir apparent." That's a European monarchical concept. The Ottomans of the era did not have heir apparents. All royal princes were eligible to ascend to the throne. The strongest and most able was supposed to emrege at the top of the heap, and the others executed. Sometimes a prince would be posted closer to Istanbul than his rival siblings, typically Manisa, by way of showing preference in that he should have a slight headstart claiming the throne in the capital. Prince Mustafa was not posted at Manisa at the time of his execution, and could not have been regarded as an heir apparent by any Ottoman metric. He was executed by his sultan father (Suleyman) because he was trying to gain advantage over his rival brothers with the Ottoman armny and with the diplomatic circuit in advance of his father's demise (which also might have enabled him to overthrow his aging father). None of that was permitted.

Bottom line: This entry should be properly sourced or removed altogether.

~Paul Maslak