WI: Mehmed I dead in 1416

[GeneralInTheShell]

Only three years after reunifying the Ottoman Empire and ending the Ottoman Interregnum, Mehmed was faced with Sheikh Bedreddin's religious revolt. Despite some initial victories, the revolts of 1416 that were inspired by Sheikh Bedreddin's religious and economic philosophies ultimately failed and were crushed by Mehmed, but what if someone close to the Sultan had been a follower of Sheikh Bedreddin and assassinated him in the early stages of the rebellion? His son Murad II is only 12 years old at this time and Mehmed's brother Mustafa is still alive as a guest of the Byzantine Empire in Thessaloniki, his other Yusuf now goes by the name of Demetrios and is a Christian, and Kasım is a hostage in Constantinople making a war of succession very probable.

If another succession war breaks out, how will this effect the quasi-communistic religious reformation/ revolt? Can the Byzantine's put a friendly Ottoman Sultan on the throne? Could Sheikh Bedreddin's followers establish religiously tolerant and diverse communal states and would a more successful revolt lead to the spread of his teachings throughout the Islamic world?

 

[dcharles]

Only three years after reunifying the Ottoman Empire and ending the Ottoman Interregnum, Mehmed was faced with Sheikh Bedreddin's religious revolt. Despite some initial victories, the revolts of 1416 that were inspired by Sheikh Bedreddin's religious and economic philosophies ultimately failed and were crushed by Mehmed, but what if someone close to the Sultan had been a follower of Sheikh Bedreddin and assassinated him in the early stages of the rebellion? His son Murad II is only 12 years old at this time and Mehmed's brother Mustafa is still alive as a guest of the Byzantine Empire in Thessaloniki, his other Yusuf now goes by the name of Demetrios and is a Christian, and Kasım is a hostage in Constantinople making a war of succession very probable.

If another succession war breaks out, how will this effect the quasi-communistic religious reformation/ revolt? Can the Byzantine's put a friendly Ottoman Sultan on the throne? Could Sheikh Bedreddin's followers establish religiously tolerant and diverse communal states and would a more successful revolt lead to the spread of his teachings throughout the Islamic world?

Interesting. Several months ago, I posited a WI where a unique Islamic/Christian syncretic religion was adopted by the Ottomans. See it here: https://www.alternatehistory.com/fo...non-ecumenical-ottomans.415818/#post-14736645

This is in a similar vein, but I'm pretty unfamiliar with Bedreddin or his revolt. Are there any god online sources to look at?

 

[Koprulu Mustafa Pasha]

Only three years after reunifying the Ottoman Empire and ending the Ottoman Interregnum, Mehmed was faced with Sheikh Bedreddin's religious revolt. Despite some initial victories, the revolts of 1416 that were inspired by Sheikh Bedreddin's religious and economic philosophies ultimately failed and were crushed by Mehmed, but what if someone close to the Sultan had been a follower of Sheikh Bedreddin and assassinated him in the early stages of the rebellion? His son Murad II is only 12 years old at this time and Mehmed's brother Mustafa is still alive as a guest of the Byzantine Empire in Thessaloniki, his other Yusuf now goes by the name of Demetrios and is a Christian, and Kasım is a hostage in Constantinople making a war of succession very probable.

If another succession war breaks out, how will this effect the quasi-communistic religious reformation/ revolt? Can the Byzantine's put a friendly Ottoman Sultan on the throne? Could Sheikh Bedreddin's followers establish religiously tolerant and diverse communal states and would a more successful revolt lead to the spread of his teachings throughout the Islamic world?

Bedreddins rebellion will be crushed sooner or later. But the problem is the pretenders. They are a problem. Especially for Murad II.

 

[GeneralInTheShell]

Interesting. Several months ago, I posited a WI where a unique Islamic/Christian syncretic religion was adopted by the Ottomans. See it here: https://www.alternatehistory.com/fo...non-ecumenical-ottomans.415818/#post-14736645

This is in a similar vein, but I'm pretty unfamiliar with Bedreddin or his revolt. Are there any god online sources to look at?

unfortunately I've been able to find very little online. I only recently heard of him in my History of the Balkan's class.

Bedreddins rebellion will be crushed sooner or later. But the problem is the pretenders. They are a problem. Especially for Murad II.

Börklüce Mustafa's revolt gathered between 6 and 10 thousand followers, if the Ottoman's are in the midst of a succession war, and having to deal with different warring princes is defeat really a certainty? Bayezid is unlikely to be able to deal with the revolt if he's fighting against Murad's uncles, giving it more time to snowball and grow.

 

[TyranicusMaximus]

The Byzantines can't do anything.

 

[ar-pharazon]

The Byzantines could use this as a chance to consolidate and deal with whatever immediate issues they were facing while the ottomans continued to bleed.

 

[GeneralInTheShell]

The Byzantines can't do anything.

Seeing a friendly Sultan put on the Ottoman Throne isn't exactly nothing. IOTL they supported Mustafa against Murad in 1422 who was reasonably successful in Anatolia before the rebellion was defeated. The situation is far worse for Murad in 1416 as he's just 12 years old, and part of his empire is already in revolt. The Byzantines aren't going to be taking vast swaths of territory or anything like that, but if Mustafa wins they won't be losing Thessaloniki and they won't be paying 300,000 silver coins of annual tribute to a hostile Sultan.

Also, the Hussite Wars have yet to start so Emperor Manuel II might be more successful in getting King Sigismund of Hungary to intervene in the Ottoman Balkans.