The Lost Prince Yahya Iskender is one of the most intriguing subjects in Ottoman history. Although not widely known, Prince Iskender rebelled against the Ottoman Empire, claiming that he was the rightful heir to the throne.
Prince Iskender Yahya (1585-1649), is said to be the son of Sultan Murad III and his mother Safiye Sultan, although there is debate about his true parentage. When Sultan Murad III passed away, his son Mehmed III ascended to the throne. Mehmed III, as it is known, ordered the execution of his 19 brothers upon taking power. In order to spare her son from the same fate, Prince Iskender's mother took him and sought refuge in a monastery in Macedonia. There, he was baptized and raised according to Christian customs. After his brother Mehmed III's death, and his nephew Ahmed I took the throne, Prince Iskender returned to Ottoman territories, claiming that the throne rightfully belonged to him.
Rebelling against his nephew, Sultan Ahmed I, Prince Yahya Iskender garnered support from the Serbian Orthodox Church and initiated resistance and uprising movements in the Nobirda Mountains in 1614 and 1617.
Prince Iskender traveled through several European cities (Paris, Krakow, Rome) asserting in royal courts that he was the true heir to the throne, aiming to gather allies and support for his claim to the Ottoman throne.
The Lost Prince Yahya Iskender prepared for a campaign
Prince Yahya Iskender received support from the Kazakhs and established a fleet. With this fleet, he launched an unsuccessful campaign against Istanbul and suffered a defeat. Later, Prince Yahya embarked on another tour of Europe.
The Lost Prince Yahya Iskender, who rebelled against the Ottoman Empire, returned to the Serbian mountains in 1643. He fell ill in the midst of conflicts and passed away in Montenegro in 1649.
Iskender wandered in Ottoman territories in the guise of a Sipahi (a type of Ottoman cavalryman) in order to conceal his identity.
There are rumors and claims that suggest if Prince Iskender had ascended to the Ottoman throne, he might have converted the Ottoman Empire to Christianity.
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