Cem Sultan

Timeline

1. 1459–1474Edirne · ThraceCem Sultan was born in Edirne on December 23, 1459, the youngest son of Sultan Mehmed II. He received a palace education from childhood, studying poetry and classics, and showed literary talent, later becoming known for poetry in Ottoman and Persian. His childhood fell during the zenith of Ottoman conquest and expansion.
2. 1474–1481Konya · Central AnatoliaFrom about 1474 Cem was appointed governor of the Karaman province (seat Konya) to gain administrative and military experience. During his tenure he befriended local factions, showed some political ambition, and wrote prolifically, his poetry well regarded among court literati. While his father Mehmed II lived, his standing always remained below that of his elder brother Bayezid.
3. 1481–1482Bursa · Northwest AnatoliaAfter Mehmed II's death in 1481, Cem quickly raised forces, seized Bursa and proclaimed himself sultan, contending with Bayezid II. The two sides at one point negotiated peace, planning to divide Anatolia and parts of Europe, but talks broke down and Cem was defeated in battle. In 1482 he was forced to flee by sea to Mamluk-controlled Egypt, beginning years of long exile.
4. 1482–1495Rhodes and France · Mediterranean regionIn 1482 Cem made his way to Rhodes, becoming a 'ward' of the Knights of St. John, in reality a hostage. Over the following decade he was first transferred to France, then placed in the Vatican under Pope Alexander VI; Bayezid II paid the Knights 40,000 ducats annually to ensure he was not released. Various European Catholic powers viewed Cem as a potential instrument against the Ottoman Empire, but never put this into effect. On February 25, 1495, Cem Sultan died in Naples at only thirty-five, never having returned to his homeland.