Mehmed II

Mehmed II conqueror of Constantinople is pretty famous. However what's less well known is the arther ignominious story of what happened to his body afater he died-

Mehmed died in May of 1421, aged just forty. It’s not clear how he died, but it wasn’t foul play. Perhaps, after the previous nineteen years of capture, war, and rebellion, he was just worn out. However, after the long period of volatility and all the hard work to rebuild the empire, it was understandable that his court officials felt uneasy about the passing of power to the new sultan, Mehmed’s son, who would be Murad II.

Even in death Mehmed had one last vital duty to carry out. Since time was needed to ensure the smooth transition of power to Murad, Mehmed’s death was not initially reported. However, the lack of sightings of the sultan led to suspicions by the Janissaries so, to stop the gossip, an important Islamic law was broken. Mehmed was not buried immediately.

Instead, Mehmed’s close circle of advisors came up with a macabre plan and had the body of the dead sultan placed in a litter. An official would hide underneath the sultan and (presumably using wires) would manipulate his arms so that it appeared Mehmed was stroking his beard. Unbelievably, this worked and bought the time the courtiers so badly needed to have Murad ready to be installed on the throne and to avoid another period of uncertainty.  (That was to come anyway, but you have to admire the effort.)

The reader will be pleased to hear that after this brief period of ignominious behaviour by the court, Mehmed was eventually buried in the imperial mausoleum in Bursa.