#to her - and their own kid-grandchildren?? - after he died indicates that his family may have been rather dysfunctional imo?

[wonder-worker]

"The newly widowed Elizabeth (Woodville) was exceptionally vulnerable. Several of the trustees responsible for her jointure refused to hand over the manors that were meant to sustain her in her widowhood. Moreover, her brother-in-law, Edward Grey, had seized estates that her son Thomas should have inherited from his paternal grandfather, while her mother-in-law’s new young husband, Sir John Bourchier, had prevailed on Lady Ferrers to settle her principal properties on them jointly for life, ensuring that Thomas would have to wait far longer for this inheritance too. Rivers and Scales were pardoned in July 1461 and swiftly moved into the Yorkist establishment, which perhaps explains the success of the chancery suits Elizabeth launched to regain her jointure. Her son’s inheritance proved harder to recover. By 1463, Rivers was often in (Edward IV's) company and on his council, but Elizabeth needed someone with much stronger influence over the King. She turned to a distant kinsman, William, Lord Hastings, the King’s chamberlain. Hastings drove a very hard bargain for his aid but it was probably amid these negotiations that the King’s desire for Elizabeth was kindled."

-J.L. Laynesmith, "Elizabeth Woodville: the Knight's Widow", Later Plantagenet and Wars of the Roses Consorts: Power, Influence, and Dynasty

[presidenthades]

Is Corlys proud of his granddaughters, I mean his canon Tv version seems to have had a soft spot for Luke and he wasnt his biological grandchild, I imagine even if they are girls he is really proud that they are Velaryons.

TLDR: Yes he is proud of them, but it’s complicated.

Show!Corlys has a soft spot for Luke, but we never see him meaningfully interacting with his other grandchildren. He seems to have some measure of respect for Jace. But to the viewers’ knowledge, his relationship with Joffrey and Rhaena may as well be nonexistent, and he only seems to pay attention to Baela during that one instance after Rhaenys’s death. So I think much of Corlys’s particular love for Luke is due to Luke being heir to Driftmark, not simply because that’s his grandchild, or else we would see more indicators of affection for his other grandkids.

Honestly, I think show!Corlys is biased toward his male progeny rather than female progeny, because “history remembers names, not blood.” He can be a loving father/grandfather to his daughter/granddaughters but still have patriarchal values.

In the Goldverse, all his grandkids are girls. He still favors Laenor’s kids over Laena’s, partly because Laenor is his heir, partly because it’s easier to be closer to your grandkids who are on the same continent as you. Corlys was hoping for a grandson before Laenor died, and he would’ve advocated for a grandson being the future Lord of Driftmark rather than Luce. But since that grandson was merely hypothetical, Corlys knew that Laenor’s daughters—specifically Luce—might inherit one day. That, plus Luce’s similarities to Laenor and Laena, predisposes Corlys to favor her the most.

I think that the girls being obvious Velaryons also helps Corlys embrace them more than if they were girls and not Laenor’s biological kids. He can accept one but not both conditions. And there’s always the option of Luce’s kids taking her name instead of their father’s, so Corlys can rest assured that the Velaryon name and his bloodline will continue.

Jace is probably the pride of most of the family; even Vaemond observes how capable she is. Corlys is definitely happy with her conduct and future as queen.

Luce is more of a wild child, but Corlys loves her because of that, not in spite of it. Considering his own adventurous youth, I imagine he values fiery spirit in people, and Luce has that in spades.

As for Joff, Corlys shares Viserys’s willful blindness to her true nature. 😂 Precious sweet grandbaby girl.

[baublecoded]

considering John's experiences and the fact that he eventually rebelled against his father along with his siblings, what was his relationship like with his kids?

I've always wondered this after learning that Henry III regarded his father's grave with affection...

well unfortunately john died when the majority of his children were pretty young, so we don’t really have much to compare him to his father with.

we can compare that to john’s own experiences with his father, as john was the youngest of henry’s children, and considerably younger than his brothers. he would have been too young to have substantially been involved in the family drama unfolding around him, and he was considerably removed from his family by way of proximity, regardless. in spite of that, john was probably henry’s favourite son… which some historians have speculated arose from his youth making him more malleable, and less of a threat in ways his older, landed brothers were. i think much of henry ii’s problems with his children stemmed from the impossible challenge of managing a successful succession plan (including arranging marriages) within a feudal system that couldn’t accommodate his empire (the irony and the tragedy is that john’s birth is what, in certain respects, created the challenge: “providing for his youngest son proved to be a constant headache for henry” (church)). indeed, like you say, john would ultimately go the same way as his brothers and would ultimately revolt against his father.

the issue of inheritance was not really a factor for john with his children. by contrast, his relationship with his children seems more stable. according to danna messer: “john is known for having been a loving father”. he certainly seems to have been close with his bastard daughter joan/siwan — who was possibly his eldest child: “it would have been somewhat out of character for him not to have met with his daughter at least once before her [marriage] to offer fatherly love and support, and to waylay her concerns and apprehensions pertaining to such a major life change. [john] may have personally escorted her to england” (messer). they had a very collaborative political relationship, even in spite of the actions of joan’s husband, llywelyn. i think it’s significant that joan was a female bastard child — one he facilitated an incredibly advantageous marriage for, which he arguably did not need to do, but nevertheless not an active threat in the way male, legitimate children would be. it does make their relationship interesting. the fact that we can identify visitations between king and daughter, and grandchildren, as well as giftgiving and rewards between them, can and has been used to construct an idea of john as an attentive and co-operative father to a child old enough to have had a tangible relationship with him, albeit joan’s feelings wrt his treatment of welsh hostages, the de braoses, or the burning of bangor are unknowable.

and, yes, his heir seems to have remembered him fondly: “the evidence shows that he looked upon his father’s resting place with great affection. he sank vast sums of money into worcester”. however, henry iii was nine when his father died, so it’s unlikely they had much of a relationship before john’s death. john would have been too itinerant, and the practicalities of day-to-day life for king and royal heir would not have facilitated a close relationship. i have always thought it interesting that isabella did not stay in england to act as regent to her son, which makes me speculate that there could not have been too intimately close a familial connection. on the other hand, would it be unreasonable to point to henry iii’s relationship with his half sister, joan/siwan of wales, as indicative of familial closeness linking the two together in the memory of their father?

[reallifesultanas]

Portrait of Şehzade Mustafa/Musztafa herceg portréja

Prince Mustafa is a prime example of the struggle for the Ottoman throne. His life and death show well that a sultan could not only be the father of his children but he saw his sons as a constant source of danger for his authority. The case of Mustafa is also a good indication of to where excessive popularity is leading. His death to this day is one of the most controversial events in the history of the Ottoman Empire. Was he a traitor or just a victim of the circumstances?

It’s not easy to write about Mustafa. Maybe I managed to write this portrait the slowest and hardest, because even if I find him innocent or rebellious, what happened to him is tragic. And writing about Mustafa’s life, one cannot go without saying a word about Mahidevran’s suffering. While I was writing this post, my heart didn't really hurt for Mustafa, but for Mahidevran...

Origin and upbringing

Prince Mustafa was born as the second son of Suleiman in 1515 in Manisa, his father's princely province. His mother was one of Suleiman's concubines, Mahidevran Hatun. At the time of his birth, he had at least one older brother, Mahmud, and perhaps at the same time as his birth, his half-sister, Raziye, was born also. His childhood in Manisa was certainly happy. His paternal grandmother, Ayşe Hafsa, paid attention to the smallest detail to give her grandchildren the best education. He also had the opportunity to see his father on a daytime basis, so they had a quite calm and nice life in Manisa.

This calmness was interrupted in the fall of 1520, by Sultan Selim I's death. Suleiman immediately went to the capital with his entourage to ascend the throne. With the departure of Suleiman, Ayşe Hafsa Sultan prepared the entire court and harem for their journey to Istanbul. The kids must have been curiously excited about the upheaval around them, the packaging, the bustling harem. Ayşe Hafsa had already left Manisa before the harem to be with her son as soon as possible. Prince Mustafa, with his brothers, sister and other members of the harem, probably reached Istanbul in early 1521 and moved into the Old Palace. Ayşe Hafsa has so far prepared the children’s apartements so they can arrive into a relatively peaceful place.

Mustafa shared his apartement with his mother. His father also tried to visit his harem as often as possible, but they could no longer see each other on a daily basis. This must have been a difficult and strange situation for little Mustafa and his siblings. They arrived into a whole new world, with hundreds of women and servants living in the Old Palace's harem, while the Manisa harem - the only home they knew until then - consisted of barely a few dozen people. The many new faces, the hustle and bustle, could have been exciting and scary for the kids at the same time.

Around their arrival one of Suleiman's new concubines, Hürrem, was already pregnant, but this probably did not particularly interest Mustafa, as Suleiman always had other women, never living in a romantic relationship with Mustafa's mother. However, the period after the birth of Hürrem's son certainly affected Mustafa and his mother deeply. In October 1521, the plague broke into the palace and Mustafa's brothers and sister died as the victims of plague, except the newborn Mehmed. Mustafa lost his brothers overnight, he had to experience death up close. He could not yet comprehend that, with the death of his brothers, his chances of ascending to the throne had greatly increased. As a newborn, Mehmed was not really a full-fledged heir yet, as infant mortality was high, so Mustafa and his mother could feel privileged for a while. Soon, however, that changed.

Trapped in the background

Suleiman soon asked Hürrem back into his bed, breaking the centuries-old tradition. It became clear that he was placing Hürrem in front of every other women, and at the same time, Hürrem’s children could expect more support from their father than Mustafa. Perhaps that is why Mahidevran took special care to her son. According to the traditions of the period, the heirs were primarily raised by the governesses, who often had a closer relationshipt with them than their mothers. However, Mahidevran never let it happen, Mustafa became “all her joy and happiness”. It was for this reason that the prince had a very close relationship with his mother, receiving from her the love and care which his brothers received together from their mother and father together. Suleiman, of course, tried not to neglect Mustafa either, but it could still be felt that his family with Hürrem enjoyed an advantage.

Mustafa was very clever as a child, and as the eldest boy he was already the favorite of the Janissaries. Although the right to the throne was not the right of the eldest prince, all the brothers had the same right to the throne, yet in the case of Mustafa, the Janissaries preferred him the most. The ambassador, Bragadin also mentioned that when Mustafa was only eleven, the people described the his talents, strong sense of self, and popularity among the Janissaries. Bragadin had commented, “they say that if he lives, he will bring great fame to the Ottoman House, and this also is said, that if it happens that the sultan lives long, it is inevitable that Mustafa will create much disorder”. The fact that both the people and the ambassadors noticed this as early as the second half of the 1520s clearly indicates that a sultan could never have been only the father of his children, but also a rival. In addition, this conjecture raises the possibility that the relationship between Suleiman and Mustafa may not have been perfect even back then.

As a child, Mustafa, who wanted more attention from his father, acted especially envious with those close to his father. Thus, for example, several cases are known when the prince acted against Ibrahim Pasha. The sultan sent İbrahim the gift of a beautiful saddle for his horse with jewels and all; and Mustafa, aware of this, sent word to İbrahim to have one like it made for him; İbrahim understood this and sent him the saddle, and said to him, ‘now listen, if the sultan learns of this, he will make you send it back.’

Mustafa was circumcised relatively late, in 1530. A similar circumcision ceremony has never been held in the capital. At the ceremony, his brothers Mehmed and Selim were circumcised with him also. The lavish ceremony lasted for more than two weeks, during which time the princes also took part in their father’s political deliberations, gaining admission into adult life. After his circumcision, it began to become timely when he would receive his own princely province. Like all princes, Mustafa was certainly looking forward to his appointment, to proving his ability and perseverance to his father and the people. However, he did not expect how much his departure from Istanbul would determine his later relationship with his father and his chances for the throne.

The young prince

Mustafa was sent out to his princely post to Manisa in 1533. Before leaving, Mustafa was received by his father in a formal audience within the palace that was attended by the vezirs and other leading officers of the inner and outer service. After kissing his father’s hand, Mustafa was escorted from the palace and publicly girded with a sword by the vezirs, one of whom held the stirrup of his horse and another his ceremonial robe. He was followed by his mother Mahidevran. Suleiman soon moved Hürrem and her children to Topkapi Palace. Thus, as soon as Mustafa left Istanbul, his brothers were able to move close to the Sultan, gaining an advantage that Mustafa was in no way able to reach: Mehmed, Mihrimah, Selim, Bayezid and Cihangir could live together with their father, tidy, normally and they had the opportunity to know exactly the ruler's personality. Mustafa never had the opportunity to get to know his father so deeply, which is why he later misjudged the outcome of his actions many times.

While his father lived a family life in Istanbul, Mustafa settled in Manisa. Everyone was happy with the well-prepared prince, he did a very good job in his province. According to the ambassadors, his mother never left the prince alone and helped him to rule. In addition, the ambassadors said it was thanks to Mahidevran that Mustafa had won the support of the people so successfully. They thought Mahidevran, who knew Manisa and the people well, had instructed her son well. Mustafa's court in Manisa, according to the Bassano's description was “a most wonderful and glorious court, no less than that of his father”. But in addition to the splendor, his stay in Manisa certainly hid sadness. For the prince learned here that his father had married his concubine, Hürrem, and even elevated her to the rank of sultan, creating a new title for her. This must have been affected the prince who was devoted to his mother. In addition, they clearly had to realize that Suleiman had chosen Hürrem and her children instead of them with this move. We do not know what Mahidevran felt about Hürrem’s blatant ascension or what Mustafa thought about it. Either way, they had to realize that they needed supporters right away if they didn’t want to lose the fight againts Hürrem.

Time - and perhaps the news of Suleiman's marriage - brought the support of the Grand Vizier for Mustafa. Although Mustafa did not have a perfect relationship with Ibrahim Pasha as a child, they had to get over it. Probably both of them realized they needed each other. Ibrahim had a particularly bad relationship with Suleiman's wife, Hürrem. Mustafa, on the other hand, could feel desperate because of Hürrem and her children's rise. So he needed strong supporters. So Mustafa and Ibrahim set aside the old grievances and began to build a respectful relationship. In 1534, Ibrahim referred to himself as a "sincere friend" of Prince Mustafa in his letter to the prince. It is difficult to say whether this alliance may have been politically active and Ibrahim sought to support Mustafa's future accession to the throne; or whether it was merely a respectful friendship between them. After all, it would have been logical for both parties to have a good relationship with the other, but to form a political alliance would have posed considerable dangers for both of them.

We don’t know much about Mustafa’s private life, but he seems to have followed the old traditions of family planning and did not produce countless descendants, such as his half-brother, Bayezid did. What is certain is that Mustafa's first child, Nergisşah, was born in Manisa in 1536 from a presumably circassian concubine. Even if another child was born in Manisa, they did not reached adulthood, for his other two known children, Şah, was born in 1545, and Mehmed in 1547, both in Amasya. His son, Ahmed is a questionmark, if he existed, was he really his son, when was he born? The only thing we may know about him, that he died by natural causes in 1552.

"Exile"

His move to Amasya in 1541 was by far one of the most crucial points of Mustafa's life. Suleiman appointed Mustafa to Amasya instead of Manisa, which at first may seem like exile, Mustafa may not have experienced this as a negative event. In general, Manisa was the starting position of every prince, as it was a simple province, had no special forces, was close to Istanbul, and did not pose much of a challenge. However, Amasya was a different place, close to the Iranian border, with a significantly larger military, requiring a distinctly high level of expertise and effort. In earlier times, the princes desired the province of Amasya precisely because of the difficulty of it. Overall, therefore, the appointment to Amasya was not necessarily as tragic and ominous as is thought today, mainly due to the series. Furthermore, Prince Mehmed was appointed more than a year after Mustafa's departure as head of Manisa, so we cannot speak unequivocally that Suleiman removed Mustafa from Manisa for Mehmed's sake.

Whatever he thought, Mustafa was forced to obey and travel to Amasya with his harem and court. They were barely settled when they learned that Suleiman had appointed Prince Mehmed to head Manisa, and soon the news of the prince's death came. What Mustafa may have felt about Mehmed's death remains an eternal secret. According to some sources, the two princes were close to each other, but most probably this is not true. The princes from different mothers were raised separately, and their education was separated also, so it is likely that there was no such close bond between Mehmed and Mustafa, which was the case between Mehmed and his full-brothers. Nevertheless, Mehmed was clearly Suleiman’s favorite son, popular, intelligent, and educated. His presence posed a huge threat to Mustafa. With his death, only his brothers, much younger than Mustafa, remained in competition for the throne. And because of their age, they posed no threat to Mustusta. Mustafa was 28 years old so far, a father, a prince who provedhis ability in two provinces, a favorite of the Janissaries, and with many other influential supporters. In contrast, Selim was not even 20 years old, he had just been appointed to his first province, Bayezid was only a teenage boy and Cihangir was a child.

In addition to the fact that none of his younger brothers posed a real threat to Mustafa, Suleiman himself believed that Mustafa would follow him on the throne. This is indicated by the dialogue between Suleiman and Prince Cihangir, recorded by an ambassador. When Cihangir ventured that his physical deformity would allow him to escape the princely fate of fratricide, Süleyman responded, “My son, Mustafa will become the sultan and will deprive you all of your lives.” This suggest that even the sultan expected Mustafa to succeed. This also suggests that, although Suleiman certainly loved his children born with Hürrem more than Mustafa, he no longer wished to have a say in the question of succession. He would no doubt have done it for Prince Mehmed, but with his loss the Sultan was shattered and showed no particular interest in inheritance.

The wait

Under such circumstances, it may seem that Mustafa had nothing to do but wait for Suleiman's death. And this did not seem so distant, as Suleiman's health began to decline gradually in the 1540s, and his gout became more and more prevalent. So the logical thing would have been that Mustafa would do nothing for a long time but wait and just rule in Amasya, produce children and thats all. Contemporary historians then wrote of Mustafa as “the envy of all the princes in his gloriousness, lofty titles, and learning, and in his liberality, justice and munificence; nearly all the soldiers were of one heart and mind in their love of him”.

In addition, the ambassadors regularly mentioned the role and actions of his mother. Navagero in a report described Mahidevran’s efforts to protect her son: “Mustafa has with him his mother, who exercises great diligence to guard him from poisoning and reminds him every day that he has nothing else but this to avoid, and it is said that he has boundless respect and reverence for her”. However, Mahidevran was not satisfied with the warnings, according to some sources, she herself cooked the prince's food, and if she did not prepare it, she followed every single step of the preparation and the cooking. This paranoia clearly suggests that Mahidevran — as mother and as woman — knew exactly that Hürrem — as mother and as woman — would never accept Mustafa’s victory, as it would mean the death of her own sons. Mustafa may have felt his mother's fear exaggerated, but no doubt Mahidevran was right, even if Hürrem did not want to get rid of Mustafa with poison.

The intrigues

Hürrem's son-in-law, Rüstem Pasha, the Grand Vizier, tried to make Prince Mustafa's life and work impossible by political methods. On the one hand, all the prince's faults were immediately revealed to the sultan, while in the case of Hürrem's sons they were concealed. In addition, Rüstem tried to make every movement of the prince impossible: Mustafa twice asked Rüstem Pasha for support when Georgians and then Persians invaded Amasya province and killed several governors and people, first in 1549 and then in 1550. Mustafa asked for an army, with what he could have crushed the invading neighbors, but Rüstem rejected Mustafa's request. It cannot be ruled out that he did so on the orders of Suleiman. Suleiman already knew then that his son was a favorite of the Janissaries, he was afraid that if he got an army, his popularity would continue to grow, and perhaps he could even start a rebellion as the head of the army. But why was Suleiman so paranoid about his son? Because, as a prince, he himself watched as his own father, Selim, do a rebellion and overthrew Sultan Bayezid II, then kill him. Suleiman experienced this rebellion up close, seeing how - thanks to the support of the Janissaries - his father was able to triumph, with almost no one but the Janissaries supporting him. This is why the fact that Mustafa was a favorite of the Janissaries was especially dangerous. The prince, if he had known his father well, should have known that he would have to be much more careful with the Janissaries.

The sons of Hürrem knew the sultan well, having lived together for years, but Mustafa was not in such a privileged position, so perhaps unsurprisingly, he did not realize the danger of seeking allies. That is why, instead of quietly waiting for his father's death, he tried to gather supporters around him. This, of course, was understandable, as he felt Hürrem was doing everything against him, so he wanted to get supporters at all costs. For example, an undated letter is known, which is part of his correspondence with Ayas Pasha. Ayas Pasha was a Grand Vizier between 1536 and 1539, so presumably the letter dates from this period. He disclosed his ambitions in a letter to Ayas Pasha expressing his desire for the throne—although he clearly stated that he would not overthrow his father and wished to be sultan only after Süleyman’s death. He requested the help of Ayas Pasha, who responded positively, assuring the prince that he was worthier of the throne than his brothers were, so of course all his support belonged to the prince. The letter presumably did not immediately was given to Suleiman, for although its content would have been unacceptable to Suleiman, but he still did not punish Mustafa during this period. It is more likely that the letter could have been given to the sultan later (if he had become aware of its existence at all). And perhaps Rüstem Pasha was the one who gave the letter to Suleiman. Rüstem became the second vizier in 1541, and Mustafa was sent to Amasya that year. Maybe Rüstem was theone who found the letter when he came across the letter in the archives? We'll probably never know the answer...

Rüstem Pasha, by the way, seems to have actually tried to undermine the prince's influence. This is revealed by another letter. According to this, someone wanted to complain to the Sultan that Rüstem was falsifying the seal of Prince Mustafa and fabricated a false letters as if Mustafa had conspired with the Persian shah. Eventually, however, the complaint fell into the hands of Rüstem, so the Sultan did not know what vile methods Rüstem was trying to use to eliminate his son, if the accusation was true at all. In the end, Rüstem did not dare to openly accuse Mustafa with the Persian alliance.

The last mistake

With such a background, Suleiman even in the 1540s, was particularly afraid of Mustafa, but apart from his mistakes, Suleiman did not believe that his son would rebel against him. However, in 1552, Mustafa made a mistake that could no longer be forgiven. Suleiman was not afraid of anything but the Janissaries. And in 1552, despite all the orders and prohibitions of their leader and Rüstem Pasha, the janissaries decided to visit Prince Mustafa, their future sultan, who lived not far from the place they were. This, of course, was not yet Mustafa's fault, but the prince welcomed the incoming Janissaries, distributing food and money among them. And this proved to be a fatal mistake. Rüstem Pasha immediately wrote a letter to Suleiman and told him what happened, but the sultan did not believe that Mustafa would receive the soldiers. Backing from the campaign, Rüstem, took witnesses to the Sultan and told him everything again, but Suleiman still did not believe him and rebuked Rüstem. According to the records, Suleiman said: "God forbid that my Mustafa Khan should dare such insolence and should commit such an unwise move during my lifetime! It is trouble-makers trying to obtain the rule for the prince they support who are responsible for such slander. Beware that you never again repeat such a thing and that you do not believe such maliciousness."

However, the suspicion certainly arose in the sultan as well, because he ordered an investigation of the case. The investigation also shed light on rumors that were spreading between the soldiers that they were dissatisfied with Suleiman sitting at home and they wanted a young, vivid sultan like Mustafa. And this, coupled with Mustafa's positive reception of the Janissaries, was enough for Suleiman to consider his own son as a potential source of danger. If Mustafa had rejected the Janissaries who came to him, he could have proved his unconditional allegiance to his father. However, the prince either did not know his father or really intended to rebel and therefore did not want to offend the Janissaries with a rejection.

Adding to the trouble, letters and news also came to light, proving that Mustafa had conspired with the Venetians. A letter was sent by Mustafa at the end of the summer of 1553 to the Venetian Senate and was received in Ocotber. Along with the letter, Mustafa also sent an ambassador who carried expensive gifts and, presenting them, asked for financial support from bailo on behalf of the prince so that Mustafa could obtain the throne for himself. The authenticity of the event itself is not in question; however, whether Mustafa was the one who sent the ambassador, or whether it was a trap, is questionable. Either way, it could not have been easy to obtain the seal of the prince and carry out such an intrigue without fail, so it is not at all clear that it was indeed an intrigue or that Mustafa was actually involved in it. There is a realistic chance that both the letter and the ambassador were sent by the prince. The Venetians were, by the way, ready to support Prince Mustafa, and they also wrote it in their reply, however, this letter could no longer reach the prince alive.

His encounter with destiny

In August 1553, Suleiman himself led his soldiers into a campaign near to the Iranian border. The seriousness of the situation is well illustrated by the fact that Rüstem Pasha and Sultan Suleiman left Istanbul by leaving it in the hands of two loyal and capable people. They left the more militant prince, Bayezid, in Edirne to protect the capital from there; and the most loyal pasha to Rüstem, his own brother, Sinan Pasa was appointed as the admiral of the fleet. This was necessary because if Mustafa had guessed the sultan’s plan and decided to march to Istanbul, the fleet would not have allowed him to enter the capital because a faithful pasha was the head of it. And  if the prince would succeed to cross the sea, with his aggressive nature, Prince Bayezid might have been more likely to stop Mustafa until the Sultan's army could returned.

After the news of the Venetian alliance, Suleiman decided that his son was rebellious and therefore had to be punished. It is not clear when Suleiman received the news of the Venetian alliance, it is not known whether he already knew it or got the news during his journes to Ereğli, or maybe only recieved the news after Mustafa's death. Anyhow Suleiman invited Mustafa to his camp to explain the charges against him. His mother, his supporters, and everyone close to him warned him, not to enter the sultan's camp. His supporters encouraged him to message the Janissaries and rebel against his father because he had no other option to survive. Mustafa, however, did not believed them and set out. This move suggests that he may not have been guilty of correspondence with the Venetians, for if he had, he should have been aware that it would cause his death. Maybe he thought the sultan didn't know about the incident? Maybe he thought that he only had to give an account for the Janissaries’ greetings last year? The Austrian ambassador gives the most accurate description of the prince's dilemma: "Mustafa hesitated between two choices: if he entered the presence of his father and found him angry and offended, he would certainly be at risk. But if he avoided him, he would publicly admit that he had contemplated an act of treason. The decision he took is the one that required more courage and risk. Leaving Amasya, the seat of his government, he headed to his father’s camp, which lay not far off, relying on his innocence; he was probably also confident that no harm could come to him in the presence of the army."

Either way, Mustafa arrived at Ereğli on October 5 but his father did not let him into his camp but made him built his camp 2 miles away. Legend has it that the evening someone from the Sultan’s camp fired a message into the prince’s camp with an arrow. In the message, the sender clearly described that the sultan would kill Mustafa if he enters to the camp. Mustafa, however, did not believe the letter, he guessed it was Rüstem Pasha's trick, so he ignored it. Mahidevran also sent an envoy to the prince and said that Suleiman had taken deaf-mute people with him to his camp, whose presence clearly indicated that the sultan wanted to execute his son. However, according to reports from the ambassadors, Mustafa did not believe to his mother either and on October 6 he set out for the Sultan's camp to go "where destiny cast him." It is not known whether the arrow and the envoy of Mahidevran actually happened, or only poetic exaggerations, but it is certain that many warned the prince not to go to the sultan's camp, but he still did.

Arriving to the camp, the prince entrusted his horse to his mirahûr (stable master) and his sword with the sultan’s guards. When he entered the fourth section of the imperial tent, he saw his father seated there with an arrow in his hand. He reverently saluted his father but received a shocking response: “Ah! Dog, do you still dare to salute me?”. The deaf-mutes then attacked the prince from several sides and seized him, then tried to wrap the silk cord around his neck. Mustafa, however, miraculously emerged from their grip and began to rush outward. He had almost reached the gate of the tent, from which, if he had escaped, the Janissaries would immediately kill the Sultan's guards and the Sultan himself, and history would be different. But at the door, he was eventually crushed, and legend has it that one of the sultan’s men, Zal Mahmud, was the one who finally successfully strangled the prince. As soon as the prince died, a signal was given and his mirahûr and one of his accompanying aghas were killed immediately in front of the tent. After this in the camp, hell broke loose, the Janissaries revolted against the Sultan, and long riots began. Suleiman soon ordered the strangling of Mustafa's only son, Mehmed. This was not under the pressure of Hürrem, as the malevolent rumors and the series showed, but it was the law. The sons of the rebellious princes were also branded as rebels, and their daughters did not deserve a marriage worthy of their rank.

News of Mustafa's death quickly reached Mahidevran and the prince's court. Mahidevran certainly knew that a similar fate awaited for her grandson, but she could do nothing. The prince's harem, along with his mother, followed his body to Bursa, where he was eventually buried. His mother spent all her wealth on building a tomb over Mustafa's grave, but Suleiman made it impossible, so in the end it was Mustafa's half-brother, Selim, who had sent money to Mahidevran to complete the tombe even during Suleiman's life. Mustafa’s mother and harem were the last harem concubines to retire to Bursa and not to the Old Palace.

Was Mustafa guilty?

This is one of the greatest questions in Ottoman history. His guilt has not yet been proven, nor has his innocence. In my opinion, Mustafa did not want to rebel then and there, but at the same time he was at fault for accepting the love and support of the Janissaries and never expressing his unconditional loyalty to his father towards the Janissaries. Besides, like any other prince, he longed for the throne, which in itself is not a mistake, but its expression is already is. Especially as we know, in Suleiman's eyes, this was the greatest betrayal possible. If, on the other hand, he had wanted to rebel against his father, I think he would not have gone to Ereğli and never entered the sultan's tent. He would not have risked his murder, but would rather have rebelled, as the Janissaries were present in Ereğli and would no doubt have sided with the prince.

The fact that contemporary poets, writers, pashas, ​​soldiers — so basically every essentially important person — but even the common people supported him and believed he was executed innocently by the Sultan does not mean it is the truth. These people hated Hürrem immeasurably, because Suleiman broke so many customs and traditions for her sake, so they blamed the woman for everything. And whom Hürrem did not like, they worshiped. Thus, the general belief that Mustafa was innocent does not really help in deciding the reality, as these individuals were very biased. Modern historians are very much divided on this subject, some say the prince was indeed guilty, others say not at all, and others say the truth is halfway. Zahit Atçıl wrote a great article on the subject, summarizing all the evidence that just exists, so for anyone who wants to know more about the circumstances of Mustafa’s execution, I would definitely recommend reading it.

Either way, Mustafa posed a real threat to his father for supporting by Janissaries. The Janissaries were able to arbitrarily dethrone sultans from the throne and lift princes up to it. If the Janissaries had decided definitively that they had had enough of the aging, sick Suleiman, they would have dethrone Suleiman and lift Mustafa even without the will of the prince. Thus, the death of Mustafa was mostly caused by the excessive love of the Janissaries.

Used sources: L. Peirce - The imperial harem; L. Peirce - Empress of the East; Z. Atçil - Why Did Süleyman the Magnificent Execute His Son Şehzade Mustafa in 1553; C. Imber - The Ottoman Empire 1300-1650; Y. Öztuna - Kanuni Sultan Süleyman

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Musztafa herceg a trónért folyó küzdelem mintapéldája. Élete és halála jól mutatja, hogy egy szultán nem tudott csak édesapja lenni gyermekeinek hanem állandó veszélyforrásként tekintett fiaira. Musztafa esete emellett jól mutatja, hogy hová vezet a túlzott népszerűség. Halála a mai napig az egyik legellentmondásosabb esemény az oszmán birodalom történetében. Áruló volt vagy csupán a körülmények áldozata?  Musztafáról nem könnyű írni, talán ezt a portrét sikerült a leglassabban és legnehezebben megírnom, mert akár ártatlannak tartom, akár lázadónak, az ami vele történt tragikus. És Musztafa életéről írva nem lehet elmenni szó nélkül Mahidevran szenvedése mellett sem. Amíg írtam ezt a posztot nem is igazán Musztafáért fájt a szívem, hanem Mahidevránért...

Eredete és neveltetése

Musztafa herceg Szulejmán második fiaként született 1515-ben Manisában, apja hercegi tartományában. Édesanyja Szulejmán egyik ágyasa, Mahidevran Hatun volt. Születésekor legalább egy idősebb testvére volt, Mahmud és talán vele egy időben jött világra féltestvére, Raziye. Gyermekkora Manisában minden bizonnyal boldog volt. Apai naganyja, Ayşe Hafsa a legapróbb részletekig odafigyelt arra, hogy unokái a legjobb neveltetésben részesülhessenek. Emellett pedig napiszinten volt lehetősége látni édesapját is.

Ez a nyugalom 1520 őszén szakadt meg, mikor meghalt I. Szelim szultán. Szulejmán azonnal a fővárosba vágtázott szűk kíséretével, hogy elfoglalhassa a trónt. Szulejmán távozásával Ayşe Hafsa szultána felkészítette az egész udvartartást is az Isztambulba utazásra. A gyerekek minden bizonnyal kíváncsi izgalommal tekintettek a körülöttük zajló felfordulásra, a csomagolásra, a nyüzsgő háremre. Ayşe Hafsa már a hárem előtt elhagyta Manisát, hogy mielőbb fiával lehessen. Musztafa herceg, testvéreivel és a hárem többi tagjával valószínűleg 1521 legelején érte el Isztambult és költözött be a Régi Palotába. Ayşe Hafsa eddigre előkészítette a gyermekek lakosztályait, így már viszonylagos nyugalomba érkezhettek meg.

Musztafa lakrészét édesanyjával osztotta meg. Édesapja is igyekezett minél gyakrabban meglátogatni háremét, azonban többé nem láthatták napi szinten egymást. Ez minden bizonnyal nehéz és furcsa helyzet lehetett a kis Musztafának és testvéreinek. Egy teljesen új világba érkeztek meg, a Régi Palota háremében több száz nő élt, míg a maniszai hárem - az egyetlen otthon amit addig ismertek - alig néhány tucat emberből állt. A sok új arc, a nyüzsgés egyszerre hathatott izgalmasan és ijesztően a gyerekekre.

Érkezésükkör Szulejmán egyik új ágyasa, Hürrem már várandós volt, ám ez valószínűleg nem különösebben érdekelte Musztafát, hiszen Szulejmánnak mindig voltak más asszonyai, sosem élt Musztafa édesanyjával romantikus kapcsolatban. A Hürrem fiának születése utáni időszak azonban minden bizonnyal mélyen érintette Musztafát és édesanyját is. 1521 októberében a pestis betört a palota falai közé és áldozatául estek Musztafa testvérei, kivéve az újszülött Mehmedet. Musztafa egyik napról a másikra veszítette el testvéreit, kellett megtapasztalnia testközelből a halált. Ő ekkor még nem foghatta fel, hogy bátyja halálával esélyei a majdani trónra jutásra jócskán megnövekedtek. Mehmed újszülöttként nem igazán számított még teljesjogú örökösnek, hiszen a csecsemőhalandóság nagy volt, így Musztafa és édesanyja egy ideig kiemelt státuszban érezhették magukat. Hamarosan azonban ez megváltozott.

Háttérbe szorulása

Szulejmán hamarosan újra ágyába kérette Hürremet, amivel megtörte az évszázados hagyományt. Egyértelművé vált, hogy Hürremet minden más asszony elé helyezi, ezzel együtt pedig Hürrem gyermekei is nagyobb támogatásra számíthattal édesapjuktól, mint Musztafa. Mahidevran talán épp ezért különös gondot fordított fia nevelésére. A kor szelleme szerint elsősorban a dajkák nevelték a szultáni sarjakat, gyakran közelebb állva hozzájuk mint édesanyjuk. Mahidevran azonban sosem engedte ki fia nevelését kezéből, Musztafa lett “minden öröme és boldogsága”. A herceg épp emiatt igen szoros kapcsolatban volt anyjával, tőle kapva meg azt a szeretetet és törődést, melyet testvérei anyjuktól és apjuktól együttesen kaptak. Szulejmán természetesen igyekezett nem elhanyagolni Musztafát sem, ám mégis érezhető lehetett, hogy Hürremmel közös családja előnyt élvez.

Musztafa igen okos volt már gyermekként is, emellett legidősebb fiúként a janicsárok kedvence volt már ekkor. Bár nem a legidősebb herceg joga volt a trón, az összes testvér ugyanakkora joggal rendelkezett a trónért, mégis Musztafa esetében, a janicsárok őt kedvelték legjobban. A követ, Bragadin egyik levelében hosszasan ecseteli, hogy Musztafa “11 éves korában már mindenki a tehetségéről, erejéről, alkalmasságáról beszélt, kiemelve, hogy még a janicsárok is nagyon kedvelik a herceget”. Bragadin emellett már ekkor megjegyezte, hogy “Isztambul népe szerint ha életben marad hatalmas dicsőséget fog hozni az oszmán házra, ám ha a szultán hosszú életű lesz, az gondot fog okozni Musztafa és ő közötte”. Az, hogy már az 1520-as évek második felében felfigyelt erre mind a nép, mint a követek egyértelműen utalnak arra, hogy egy szultán sosem lehetett csak apja gyermekeinek, hanem vetélytársa is. Emellett ez a sejtés felveti annak az eshetőségét is, hogy Szulejmán és Musztafa viszonya talán már ekkor sem volt felhőtlen.

Gyermekként Musztafa több figyelemre vágyott apjától ezért különösen irigyen tekintett az apjához közelálló személyekre. Így például több eset is ismert, amikor Ibrahim Pasával szemben lépett fel a herceg. Amikor a szultán egy díszes nyerget és kantárt küldött a pasának ajándékba, Musztafa azonnal levelet írt Ibrahimnak, melyben megparancsolta, hogy készíttessen számára is egy ugyanolyat. Ibrahim azonban meglehetősen intelligensen kezelte a helyzetet és az eredeti nyerget juttatta el a hercegnek ajándék gyanánt.

Musztafa körülmetélésére viszonylag későn, 1530-ben került sor. Ehhez fogható körülmetélési szertartás sosem volt még a fővárosban. A ceremónián vele együtt metélték körül öccseit Mehmedet és Szelimet. A pazar ünnepély több, mint két hétig tartott és a hercegek ezen idő alatt részt vettek apjuk politikai tanácskozásain is, ezzel pedig bebocsátást nyertek a felnőttek életébe. Körülmetélése után kezdett időszerűvé válni, hogy mikor kap saját hercegi tartományt. Mint minden herceg Musztafa is minden bizonnyal alig várta a kinevezést, alig várta, hogy bizonyíthassa alkalmasságát és rátermedtségét apja és a nép felé. Arra azonban nem számított, hogy Isztambulból való távozása mennyire meg fogja határozni kapcsolatát apjával és esélyeit a trónra.

A fiatal herceg

Szulejmán végül 1533-ban nevezte ki Musztafát Manisa tartomány élére. Távozása előtt Musztafa részt vett egy hivatalos szultáni audiencián, ahonnan a vezírek kísérték el őt a következő megállóhoz. Ott Musztafa megcsókolta apja kezét, a vezírek kardot kötöttek az oldalára majd lovára ülve elhagyta Isztambult. Őt pedig követte édesanyja Mahidevran is. Szulejmán hamarosan átköltöztette Hürremet és gyermekeit a Topkapi Palotába. Így tehát amint Musztafa elhagyta Isztambult, testvérei a szultán közelébe költözhettek, ezzel pedig olyan előnyre tettek szert a későbbiekben, amit Musztafa sehogyan sem volt képes behozni: Mehmed, Mihrimah, Szelim, Bayezid és Cihangir édesapjukkal együtt élhettek, rendezett, normális családi környezetben, ezzel pedig lehetőségük adódott pontosan kiismerni az uralkodót. Musztafának sosem volt lehetősége kiismerni apját, épp ezért mérte fel a későbbiekben sokszor rosszul egy egy cselekedete kimenetelét.

Amíg apja Isztambulban élt családi életet, Musztafa berendezkedett Maniszában. A jól felkészült herceggel mindenki elégedett volt, nagyon jó munkát végzett tartományában. A követek leírása szerint édesanyja sosem hagyta magára a herceget és segítette őt uralkodásában. Emellett a követek szerint Mahidevránnak volt köszönhető az, hogy Musztafa olyan sikeresen nyerte meg magának az emberek támogatását, szerintük ugyanis Mahidevran, aki jól ismerte Manisát és az embereket, remekül instruálta fiát. Musztafa maniszai udvartartása a követek szerint pompában nem maradt el a szultánétól sem. A pompa mellett azonban maniszai tartózkodása egészen biztosan rejtegetett szomorúságot is. A herceg ugyanis itt értesült arról, hogy édesapja feleségül vette ágyasát, Hürremet, sőt új rangot kreálva számára, szultána rangra emelte. Ez, az édesanyjáért elkötelezett herceget minden bizonnyal rosszul érintette. Emellett pedig egyértelműen rá kellett jöjjenek arra is, hogy Szulejmán ezzel a lépésével Hürremet és gyermekeit választotta őhelyettük. Nem tudjuk, hogy Mahidevran hogyan élte meg Hürrem kirívó felemelkedését és azt sem, hogy Musztafa mit gondolt róla. Akárhogyan is, fel kellett ismerniük, hogy azonnal támogatókra van szükségük ha nem akarják elveszíteni a harcot Hürremmel szemben.

Az idő - és talán Szulejmán házasságának híre - meghozta Musztafa számára a nagyvezír támogatását is. Ibrahim Pasával bár nem volt felhőtlen a viszonyuk, felnőve, ezen sikerrel léptek túl. Valószínűleg mind a ketten felismerték, hogy szükségük van egymásra. Ibrahim ugyanis kifejezetten rossz viszonyt ápolt Szulejmán eddigre feleséggé előlépő ágyasával, Hürremmel. Musztafa pedig kegyvesztetten érezhette magát, akinek szüksége volt erős támogatókra. Így tehát f��lre tették a régi sérelmeket és tiszteletteljes kapcsolatot kezdtek el kiépíteni. 1534-ben már Musztafa herceg "barátjaként" hivatkozik magára Ibrahim egy a hercegnek írt levelében. Azt nehéz megmondani, hogy politikailag is aktív lehetett e ez a szövetség és Ibrahim igyekezett támogatni Musztafa majdani trónralépését vagy csupán tiszteletteljes baráti viszony volt köztük. Hiszen mindkét fél számára logikus lett volna jó kapcsolatot ápolni a másikkal, ám politikailag szövetkezni meglehetősen nagy veszélyeket rejtett volna magában mindkettejük számára.

Musztafa magánéletéről nem tudunk sokat, ám úgy tűnik, hogy a régi szokásokat követte a családtervezés tekintetében és nem nemzett számtalan utódot, mint például féltestvére, Bayezid. Annyi bizonyos, hogy Musztafa első gyermeke Nergisşah, Manisában született 1536-ban egy feltehetőleg cserkesz ágyastól. Ha született is Maniszában másik gyermeke, azok nem érték meg a felnőttkort, ugyanis másik két ismert gyermeke Şah 1545-ben, Mehmed pedig 1547-ben születtek már Amasyában. Fia, Ahmed pedig egy nagy kérdőjel. Nem tudjuk, hogy egyáltalán létezett e, Muszafa fia volt e. Az egyetlen amit talán tudunk vele kapcsolatban az az, hogy 1552-ben hunyt el, természetes okokból. 

"Száműzetése"

Az 1541-ben bekövetkező Amasyába költözés Musztafa életének mindenképpen egyik legsarkalatosabb pontja volt. Szulejmán Manisza helyett Amasyába nevezte ki Musztafát, ami elsőre bár száműzetésnek tűnhet, nem biztos, hogy Musztafa negatív eseményként élte ezt meg. Általában Manisza volt minden herceg kezdő posztja, hiszen egyszerű tartomány volt, nem volt különösebb hadereje, közel volt Isztambulhoz, nagy kihívást nem jelentett. Amasya azonban más terep volt, közel az Iráni határhoz, lényegesen nagyobb katonasággal rendelkezett, kifejezetten nagy szakértelmet és rátermedtséget igényelt irányítása. A korábbi időkben a hercegek Amasya tartományt tartották a vágyott tartománynak épp nehézsége miatt. Összességében tehát az Amasyába való kinevezés nem feltétlen volt olyan tragikus és vészjósló, mint ahogy azt napjainkban - főleg a sorozatnak köszönhetően - gondolják. Továbbá Mehmed herceget csak több, mint egy évvel Musztafa távozása után nevezte ki Manisza élére Szulejmán, így nem beszélhetünk egyértelműen arról, hogy Szulejmán Mehmed kedvéért távolította el Musztafát Maniszából.

Akármit gondolt is, Musztafa kénytelen volt engedelmeskedni és háremével, udvartartásával együtt Amasyába utazni. Alig rendezkedtek még be, mikor megtudták, Szulejmán Mehmed herceget nevezte ki Manisza élére, majd hamarosan már a herceg haláláról érkeztek a hírek. Az, hogy Musztafa mit érezhetett Mehmed halálával kapcsolatban örök titok marad. Egyes források szerint a két herceg közel állt egymáshoz, ám ez nem igazán valószínű. A különböző anyától származó hercegeket elszeparálva nevelték, oktatásuk is külön zajlott, így valószínűleg Mehmed és Musztafa között nem alakult ki olyan szoros kötelék, ami Mehmed és vérszerinti öccsei között viszont igen. Mindemellett Mehmed egyértelműen Szulejmán kedvenc fia volt, népszerű, intelligens és rátermedt. Jelenléte hatalmas veszélyt jelentett Musztafára. Halálával csupán a Musztafánál jóval fiatalabb testvérei maradtak versenyben a trónért folyó harcban. Ők pedig korukból adódóan nem jelnetettek semmiféle fenyegetést Musztafára. Musztafa eddigre 28 éves volt, édesapa, két tartományban is bizonyított herceg, a janicsárok kedvence és sok más befolyásos támogatóval is rendelkezett. Ezzel szemben Szelim 20 éves sem volt, éppen csak kinevezték első tartományába, Bayezid kamasz fiú volt csupán, Cihangir pedig gyermek.

Amellett, hogy egyik öccse sem jelenthetett reális veszélyt Musztafára, maga Szulejmán is úgy gondolta, hogy Musztafa fogja őt követni a trónon. Erre utal legalábbis egy követ által feljegyzett párbeszéd Szulejmán és Cihangir herceg között. Amikor a trónöröklésről beszélgettek Cihangir naivan azt mondta a szultánnak, hogy bárki kerül is trónra őt bizonyára megkíméli majd fizikai állapota miatt. Szulejmán erre pedig azt felelte, hogy "Fiam, ne legyenek kétségeid, azon a napon, amikor Musztafa lesz a szultán, mindannyiótokat kivégezteti". Ez arra is utal, hogy Szulejmán bár minden bizonnyal jobban szerette Hürremtől született gyermekeit, mint MUsztafát, nem kívánt többé beleszólni az utódlás kérdésébe. Mehmed hercegért kétségtelenül megtette volna, ám elvesztésével a szultán összetört és nem mutatott különösebb érdeklődést az öröklést illetően.

A várakozás

Ilyen körülmények között úgy tűnhet, hogy Musztafának nem volt más dolga, mint várakozni Szulejmán halálára. Ez pedig nem is tűnt olyan távolinak, hiszen Szulejmán egészsége az 1540-es években fokozatosan hanyatlani kezdett, köszvénye egyre jobban elhatalmasodott rajta. Így tehát a logikus az lett volna, hogy Musztafa jóideig nem csinál mást, mint várakozik és intézi Amasya ügyes-bajos dolgait, gyermekeket nemz. Kortárs történészek ekkor úgy írtak Musztafáról, mint "a herceg, akinek helyében szeretne lenni mindenki, akire méltán lehetnek irigyek tudása, eszessége, nagysága, szabadsága, igazsága és nagylelkűsége miatt az emberek; a herceg, aki minden katona támogatását élvezi mind szívben, mind fejben".

Emellett a követek rendszeresen megemlékeztek édesanyja szerepéről és cselekedeteiről is leveleikben. Navagero szerint Mahidevran sosem hagyta magára fiát, minden nap emlékeztette a herceget arra, hogy a mérgezéstől kell legjobban tartania. Musztafa pedig a végletekig hálás volt édesanyja erőfeszítéseiért. Mahidevran azonban nem elégedett meg a figyelmeztetésekkel, egyes források szerint ő maga főzte a herceg ételeit, ha pedig nem ő készítette el, akkor minden egyes lépését végigkövette az étel készítésének. Ez a paranoia egyértelműen utal arra, hogy Mahidevran - mint anya és mint nő - pontosan tudta, hogy Hürrem - mint anya és mint nő - nem fog beletörődni Musztafa győzelmébe, hiszen ez saját fiai halálát jelentené. Musztafa talán túlzónak érezhette anyja féltését, ám kétségkívül Mahidevrannak volt igaza, még akkor is, ha Hürrem nem méreggel készült szembe szállni Musztafával.

Az intrikák

Hürrem vejével, Rüsztem Pasával, a nagyvezírrel politikai módszerekkel igyekeztek ellehetetleníteni Musztafa herceget. Egyrészről a herceg minden hibáját, ballépését azonnal a szultán elé tárták, míg Hürrem fiai esetében ezeket eltitkolták. Emellett pedig Rüsztem igyekezett a herceg minden megmozdulását ellehetetleníteni. Musztafa kétszer is kérte Rüsztem Pasa támogatását, amikor Amasya tartományba betörtek először a grúzok majd a perzsák és meggyilkoltak több helytartót és embert, először 1549-ben, majd 1550-ben. Musztafa sereget kért, ami élén leverhette volna a betörő szmszédokat, Rüsztem azonban elutasította Musztafa kérését. Nem lehet kizárni, hogy Szulejmán parancsára járt el így. Szulejmán ugyanis már ekkor jól tudta, hogy fia a janicsárok kedvence, félő volt, hogyha sereget kap, népszerűsége tovább fog növekedni, sőt talán lázadást is indíthat a sereg élén. Na de miért volt Szulejmán ilyen paranoiás fiával szemben? Mert hercegként ő maga végignézte, ahogy saját édesapja, Szelim lázadást szítva letaszítja trónról II. Bayezid szultánt, majd megöli őt. Szulejmán testközelből élte át ezt a lázadást, látta, ahogy a janicsárok támogatásának köszönhetően apja képes volt győzedelmeskedni, úgy, hogy a janicsárokon kívül szinte senki sem őt támogatta. Épp ezért volt különösen veszélyes az a tény, hogy Musztafa a janicsárok kedvence volt. A herceg, ha ismerte volna édesapját, tudnia kellett volna, hogy sokkal óvatosabban kellene viselkednie a janicsárokkal.

Hürrem fiai jól ismerték a szultánt, hiszen évekig éltek együtt, Musztafa azonban nem volt ilyen kiváltságos helyzetben, így talán nem meglepő, hogy nem mérte fel, mekkora veszélyt jelent szövetségeseket keresni. Épp ezért, ahelyett, hogy csendben várta volna apja halálát, igyekezett maga köré támogatókat gyűjteni. Ez természetesen érthető volt, hiszen úgy érezte, Hürrem mindent elkövet ellene, így mindenáron támogatókat akart maga mellett tudni. Ismert például egy nem dátumozott levél, mely Ayas Pasával való levelezésének részlete. Ayas Pasha 1536 és 1539 között volt nagyvezír, így feltehetőleg ebből az időszakból származik a levél. Ebben Musztafa egyértelműen leírja mennyire vágyakozik a trón iránt, természetesen hozzátéve, hogy mindez csupán szeretett apja a szultán halála után válhat valósággá, nem áll szándékában édesapja életében a trónért harcolni, csak a szultán halála után. Ebben pedig Ayas Pasa segítségét kérte, aki meglehetősen pozitívan reagált a herceg kérésére, megírva, hogy őt tartja a trónra a legalkalmasabbnak testvérei közül, így természetesen minden támogatása a hercegé. A levél feltehetőleg nem került azonnal Szulejmán kezébe, hiszen bár tartalma Szulejmán számára elfogadhatatlan lett volna, nem büntette semmivel ezen időszakban Musztafát. Valószínűbb, hogy később kerülhetett a szultán kezébe a levél (ha egyáltalán tudomást szerzett létezéséről). Ebben pedig talán Rüsztem Pasa is segítségére volt. Rüsztem 1541-ben második vezír lett, Musztafa pedig ezen évben lett Amasyába küldve. Talán Rüsztem ekkor bukkant rá a levélre a levéltárban? A választ valószínűleg sosem fogjuk megtudni...

Rüsztem Pasa egyébként úgy tűnik, ténylegesen igyekezett aláásni a herceg befolyását. Erről árulkodik egy másik levél. Eszerint valaki be akarta panaszolni Rüsztemet a szultánnál, amiért az meghamisította Musztafa herceg pecsétjét és hamis leveleket fabrikált, mintha Musztafa a perzsa şahhal szövetkezne. Végül azonban a panasz Rüsztem kezébe került, így a szultán nem tudta meg, hogy Rüsztem milyen aljas módszerekkel igyekszik befeketíteni fiát, már ha a vád igaz volt egyáltalán. Végül Rüsztem sem merte megvádolni nyíltan Musztafát a perzsa szövetséggel, félve a lebukástól.

Az utolsó hiba

Szulejmán ilyen háttérrel az 1540-es években bár különösen tartott Musztafától, ám hibáitól eltekintve nem hitte, hogy fia lázadna ellene. Azonban 1552-ben Musztafa olyan hibát vétett, amit már nem lehetett megbocsátani. Szulejmán nem félt mástól, csak a janicsároktól. Ezek a janicsárok pedig 1552-ben egy hadjárat során vezetőjük, Rüsztem Pasa minden parancsa és tiltása ellenére önkényesen úgy döntöttek, hogy a hadjárat kitervelt menetrendje helyett ők meglátogatják Musztafa herceget, leendő szultánjukat, aki a menettől nem messze élt. Ez természetesen még nem Musztafa hibája volt, azonban a herceg az érkező janicsárokat szeretettel fogadta, ételt és pénzt osztott szét közöttük. Ez pedig végzetes hibának bizonyult. Rüsztem Pasa azonnal megírta Szulejmánnak az eseményeket, a szultán azonban nem hitte el, hogy Musztafa képes volt fogadni a katonákat. A hadjáratról hazatérő Rüsztem tanúkkal alátámasztva újra elmondta a szultánnak az eseményeket, aki továbbra sem hitt neki és megdorgálta Rüsztemet. A feljegyzések szerint Szulejmán azt mondta "Isten óvjon attól, hogy Musztafa ilyen szégyenteljes cselekedetet követett volna el míg én élek! Ez csak bajkeverők mesterkedése lehet, akik be akarják sározni a hercegemet. Légy óvatos és máskor ne merészelj ilyen aljas rágalmakkal elém járulni!".

Azonban a gyanú minden bizonnyal felépbredt a szultánban is, mert az eset kivizsgálását rendelte el. Ezek során fény derült a katonák közt szárnyrakelő pletykákra is, miszerint azok elégedetlenek az otthon ülő Szulejmánnal és fiatal, élettelteli szultánt akarnak maguknak, mint amilyen Musztafa. Ez pedig azzal párosítva, hogy Musztafa pozitívan fogadta a janicsárok üdvözlését elég volt ahhoz, hogy Szulejmán potenciális veszélyforrásként tekintsen saját fiára. Ha Musztafa ugyanis elutasította volna a hozzá érkező janicsárokat, azzal bizonyíthatta volna apja előtt feltétlen hűségét. A herceg azonban vagy nem ismerte apját, vagy valóban szándékában állt lázadni és ezért nem akarta megsérteni a janicsárokat.

Tetézve a bajt előkerültek levelek és hírek is, melyek bizonyítékul szolgáltak arra, hogy Musztafa a velenceiekkel szövetkezett. Az egyik levelet 1553 nyarának végén küldte Musztafa, majd ősszel kapta meg a velencei szenátus. A levéllel együtt Musztafa egy követet is küldött, aki drága ajándékokat vitt, és ezeket prezentálva, anyagi támogatást kért a herceg nevében a bailo-tól, hogy Musztafa megszerezhesse magának a trónt. Maga az esemény valódisága nem kérdéses, azonban az, hogy valóban Musztafa küldte e a követet, vagy pedig egy csapda volt, kérdéses. Akárhogyan is, nem lehetett egyszerű a herceg pecsétjét megszerezni és lebonyolítani egy ilyen cselszövést lebukás nélkül, így egyáltalán nem egyértemű, hogy valóban cselszövésről lett volna szó vagy Musztafa ténylegesen részt vett ebben. Reális esély van arra, hogy a levelet és a követet is a herceg küldte. A velenceiek egyébként készek voltak támogatni Musztafa herceget, melyet válaszlevelükben meg is írtak. Ez a levél azonban már nem kerülhetett a herceg kezébe.

Találkozás a végzettel

1553 augusztusában Szulejmán maga vezette katonáit hadjáratra az iráni határ közelébe. Jól mutatja, a helyzet kiélezettségét, hogy Rüsztem Pasa és Szulejmán szultán úgy hagyta hátra Isztambult, hogy a harciasabb herceget, Bayezidet hagyták Edirnében, hogy onnan védje a fővárost; valamint a Rüsztemhez leghűségesebb pasát, saját testvérét - az egyébként etéren tapasztalatlan - Sinan Pasát nevezték ki a flotta élére. Erre azért volt szükség, mert ha Musztafa megsejtette volna a szultán tervét és úgy döntött volna, hogy Isztambulba masírozik, a flotta ne engedje őt bejutni a fővárosba. Bayezid herceg pedig agresszív természetével talán nagyobb eséllyel tartóztathatta volna fel, amíg visszaér a szultáni sereg, ha mégis átkel a tengeren.

A velencei szövetség híre után Szulejmán eldöntötte, fia lázadó és ezért felelnie kell. Nem tiszta, hogy Szulejmán mikor kapott hírt a velencei szövetségről, nem tudni, hogy már indulás előtt tudta vagy útközben jutott el hozzá a hír. Akárhogyan is, Ereğli-hez érve táborába hívatta Musztafát, hogy magyarázza meg az ellene felhozott vádakat. Édesanyja, támogatói és mindenki aki közel állt hozzá, óva intette őt, hogy belépjen a szultán táborába. Bíztatták, hogy üzenjen a janicsároknak és lázadjon fel apja ellen, mert nincs más lehetősége az életben maradásra. Musztafa azonban nem hitt nekik és útra kelt. Ez a lépés arra utal, hogy a velenceiekkel való levelezésben talán mégsem volt bűnös, hiszen ha az lett volna, tisztában kellett volna lennie vele, hogy ezért halál jár. Talán azt hitte, a szultán nem tud az esetről? Talán azt hitte, csupán a janicsárok előző évi üdvözléséért kell számot adnia? Az osztrák követ adja a legpontosabb leírást a herceg dilemmájáról: "Musztafa két lehetőség között vacillált: ha apjához megy és dühösen találja, kockáztatja életét, ám ha nem megy nyíltan felvállalja, hogy lázadást szít a szultán ellen. Végül a bátrabb, de kockázatosabb utat választotta. Így elhagyta Amasyát, hogy apja nem túl távoli táborába menjen. Vagy ártatlanságában vagy a hadsereg támogatásában bízott, úgy hitte a hadsereg jelenlétében nem történhet vele semmi rossz."

Akárhogy is, Musztafa október 5-én megérkezett Ereğli-hez de apja nem engedte a táborába, hanem 2 mérfölddel távolabb táboroztatta le fiát. A legendák szerint aznap este valaki a szultáni táborból egy üzenetet lőtt át a herceg táborába egy nyíllal. Az üzenetben egyértelműen leírta a küldő, hogy a szultán meg fogja őt ölni ha belép a táborába. Musztafa azonban nem hitt a levélnek, úgy sejtette Rüsztem Pasa trükkje csupán, ezért ignorálta. Mahidevran is küldött egy követet a herceghez és megüzente, hogy a Szulejmán süket-némákat vitetett magával a táborába, akiknek jelenléte egyértelműen utal arra, hogy a szultán ki akarja végeztetni fiát. A követek beszámolói szerint azonban Musztafa nem hitt anyjának sem és október 6-án úgy indult el a szultáni táborba, hogy "muszáj azt az utat járnia, amelyre a sors hívja". Nem tudni, hogy a nyíl és Mahidevran követe valóban megtörtént dolgok e, vagy csak utólagos költői túlzások, az azonban biztos, hogy sokan óva intették a herceget attól, hogy a szultán táborába menjen, ő viszont ment.

A herceg a táborba érve lovát a lovászára bízta, a kardját a szultán testőreinek adta át, majd belépett apja sátrába. Amikor apja elé ért, Szulejmán egy nyíllal a kezében ült és dühösen nézte fiát. Musztafa üdvözölni akarta a szultánt, aki ráförmedt: "Ah kutya! Még van képed üdvözölni engem?". Ezekután a süket-némák több oldalról rárontottak a hercegre és lefogták majd igyekeztek nyaka köré tekerni a selyemzsinórt. Musztafa azonban a csodával határos módon kikerült szorításukból és elkezdett kifelé rohanni. Már majdnem elérte a sátor kapuját, ahonnan ha kijutott volna, a janicsárok azon nyomban meggyilkolják a szultán őrségét és magát a szultánt is, a történelem pedig másképp alakul. Az ajtó előtt azonban végül legyűrték, a legenda szerint a szultán egyik embere, Zal Mahmud volt az, aki végül sikeresen megfojtotta a herceget. Amint a herceg meghalt, jelt adtak és lovászát és egyik kísérő agáját is azonnal meggyilkolták a sátor előtt. A táborban pedig elszabadult a pokol, a janicsárok fellázadtak a szultán ellen és hosszas zavargások kezdődtek. Szulejmán valamivel később parancsot adott Musztafa egyetlen fiának, Mehmednek a megfojtására is. Ez nem Hürrem nyomására történt, ahogy azt a rosszinudlatú pletykák és a sorozat mutatták, hanem ez volt a törvény. A lázadó hercegek fiai is lázadónak bélyegződtek meg, lányaik pedig nem érdemeltek rangjukhoz méltó házasságot.

Musztafa halálának híre gyorsan elérte Mahidevrant és a herceg háremét. Mahidevran minden bizonnyal tudta, hogy unokájára is hasonló sors vár, ám nem tehetett semmit. A herceg háreme, édesanyjával együtt követte élettelen testét Bursába, ahol végül örök nyugalomra helyezték. Édesanyja minden vagyonát arra költötte, hogy türbét húzhasson fel Musztafa sírja fölé, ám Szulejmán elehetetlenítette ebben, így végül Musztafa féltestvére, Szelim volt az, aki már Szulejmán életében pénzt küldött Mahidevrannak a türbe befejezésére. Musztafa édesanyja és háreme voltak az utolsó háremhölgyek, akik Bursába vonultak vissza és nem a Régi Palotába élték le hátralévő életüket.

Bűnös volt vajon Musztafa?

Az oszmán történelem egyik legnagyobb kérdése ez. Bűnösségét azóta sem sikerült bizonyítani, ugyanakkor ártatlanságát sem. Véleményem szerint Musztafa nem akart akkor és ott lázadni, ugyanakkor hibás volt, amiért a janicsárok szeretetét és támogatását mindig elfogadta és sosem fejezte ki apja iránti feltétlen hűségét a janicsárok irányába. Emellett pedig mint bármelyik másik herceg, vágyott a trónra, ami önmagában nem hiba, ám ennek kifejezése már az. Különösen úgy, hogy tudjuk, Szulejmán szemében ez volt a lehető legnagyobb árulás. Ha viszont lázadni akart volna apja ellen, véleményem szerint nem ment volna el Ereğli-be és sosem lépett volna be a szultán sátrába. Nem kockáztatta volna meggyilkolását, hanem inkább lázadt volna, hiszen a janicsárok jelen voltak Ereğli-ben és kétségkívül a herceg mellé álltak volna.

Az, hogy a korabeli költők, írók, pasák, katonák - tehát lényegében minden fontos személy -, de még a köznép is őt támogatta és úgy vélte ártatlanul végeztette ki őt a szultán, nem jelent sokat a valóság szempontjából. Ezek a személyek ugyanis mérhetetlenül gyűlölték Hürremet, amiért Szulejmán oly sok szokást és hagyományt tört meg a kedvéért, így mindenért a nőt okolták. Akit pedig Hürrem nem kedvelt, azt ők imádták. Így tehát az általános vélekedés, hogy Musztafa ártatlan volt, nem igazán segíti a valóság eldöntését, hiszen ezek a személyek igen elfogultak voltak. A modern történészeket pedig nagyon megosztja ez a téma, vannak akik szerint a herceg igenis bűnös volt, mások szerint egyáltalán nem, megint mások szerint pedig az igazság félúton van. A témában Zahit Atçıl írt egy nagyszerű cikket összefoglalva minden bizonyítékot, ami csak létezik, így annak, aki szeretne többet tudni Musztafa kivégzésének körülményeiről mindenképpen javaslom elolvasását.

Akárhogyan is, Musztafa valódi veszélyt jelentett apjára a janicsárok támogatása miatt. A janicsárok képesek voltak önkényesen letaszítani a trónról szultánokat és felemelni hercegeket. Ha a janicsárok eldöntötték volna végérvényesen, hogy elegük van az öregedő, beteges Szulejmánból, akár Musztafa akarata nélkül is letaszították volna Szulejmánt és felemelték volna Musztafát. Így tehát Musztafa vesztét leginkább a janicsárok túlzó szeretete okozta.

Felhasznált források: L. Peirce - The imperial harem; L. Peirce - Empress of the East; Z. Atçıl - Why Did Süleyman the Magnificent Execute His Son Şehzade Mustafa in 1553; C. Imber - The Ottoman Empire 1300-1650; Y. Öztuna - Kanuni Sultan Süleyman

[goldandbluesmiles]

Joker’s Killer

Chapter 2: A Father’s Rage and it’s aftermath

Summary: In the end, it’s not Batman that kills the Joker. It’s Bruce Wayne.

May 29, 1:19: Bruce Wayne walked into Arkham undetected by any security cameras or guards

May 29, 1:25: Bruce Wayne entered Joker's cell.

May 29, 1:35: A guard realized that the hysterical laughter and gurgling from the clown's cell weren't just for show.

May 29, 1:37: Bruce Wayne was found standing over Joker's body with a steel bar in his hand, Joker's head bashed in.

XXX

Note: This is an A/B/O fic though the only tropes that are focused on are the protective omega parent and bonding.

TW: Non-consensual bonding (It’s an a/b/o fic)

Ao3

Chapter 1

XXX

Joker bit Jason.

Joker bit his boy, his pup.

That monster hurt his son. Again.

Red Rage rose up inside of him.

The monster will never hurt his baby again. The Omega would make sure of it.

His baby would be safe from now on.

The drive took twenty-one minutes and forty-three seconds.

The omega knew how to get around the cameras and guards. Enter from the supply chute, count the seconds between the camera rotations, walk when the guards turn the corner.

The cell was easy enough to get into, he knew the code after all. Make sure the alarms didn't go off. Make sure they click back into place.

The monster greeted him with a smile and a laugh, the pale face twisting in unnatural ways.

The Omega took out the steel bar he had in his sleeve. The joker look at it and laughed mockingly. The omega picked it up and broke the monster's hands first and then his legs. He then moved on to the jaw. The monster was still laughing, the sound coming out in gurgles and gasps.

The monster's head was bashed in next, the blood and bone flying all over the place, the sound of laughing finally started to die down as the door of the cell opened. There were arms holding the Omega back and keeping him down, but he didn't care.

The Red Rage subsided and was replaced with an empty calm.

The monster was gone.

His baby was would be safe now.

XXX

May 29, 1:19: Bruce Wayne walked into Arkham undetected by any security cameras or guards

May 29, 1:25: Bruce Wayne entered Joker's cell.

May 29, 1:35: A guard realized that the hysterical laughter and gurgling from the clown's cell weren't just for show.

May 29, 1:37: Bruce Wayne was found standing over Joker's body with a steel bar in his hand, Joker's head bashed in.

XXX

Detective J. Morales and E. Rosario were the ones to go down and get the report on Bruce Wayne's bloodwork.

"So what's the verdict doc?" asked Julia, "What drove our dear billionaire bonkers?"

"Please, Julia," sighed Estella, older and a little more polite than her younger partner

"What? I'm just saying," said Julia

The ME, Ethan, turned to them with a grim smile.

"There were no drugs," said Ethan, "His hormones spiked first and then stayed that way for a while but then they came down when-"

"And this is where we remind you that not all of us went to med school," said Julia

Ethan smiled, "Right. Uh...it's a little unprecedented. You know the two defences of when omegas take the defence of themselves or their pack?"

"Sure," said Estela, "The first one is where they go 'up' and they go into a rage protecting their pups and sometimes packs, constitutes as temporary insanity,"

"I mean it would make sense," said Julia, "We all know what happened with the Joker and Jason the first time,"

At that, the mood in the room dimmed even more. Jason Todd's disappearance and return might not be the hot topic of the headlines anymore but any person with a half a mind knew that the consequences of it would stay with the family. And with the realization that Joker had hurt Jason again, bitten him, well...who could blame a parent?

"The other one is when they 'retreat' into themselves," said Ethan, "Don't really realize what they're doing and go on autopilot, It's less common but it happens,"

"I've seen it before," said Estella, "Woman got a year's probation and mandatory therapy for running over a guy while driving away from an abusive partner. She was taking the fastest route on autopilot to her mom's house. Poor thing just wanted the baby in the backseat safe,"

"So which one is it here?" asked Julia

"That's where it gets weird," said Ethan, "His hormones are very low now, dangerously low, indicating that he's not all there-"

"So the second one," said Julia

"That's the thing," said Ethan, "We have other indicators that show if someone was recently in a charged state and they're all there,"

"So...?" said Estella

"As we know, the Joker but Jason and Bruce didn't find out until about half-an-hour before he killed the Joker. My assumption is that he got charged, did the deed, once he realized that his pup was 'safe', he retreated into himself,"

"Why?" wondered Julia

"I can't be sure but there are so many things different from the usual cases. For one Jason is an adult but on the other hand, we know what kind of life that kid had so it's pretty understandable that his parent jumped into defence mode. As for the 'retreat', Bruce is a public figure, this might be his mind's way of protecting his pack from the vultures but again that's just speculation,"

"There's no point in assuming things," said Estella, "What do you have to say that we can relay?"

"Officially, this man does not have the capacity to stand trial from a biological standpoint, you should ask a psychologist but I believe they will say the same thing. This man also needs medical care,"

"You said officially," said Julia, "What about unofficially?"

Ethan took a deep breath, "It would be a little early for me to say it and might interfere with the case but this man might need long-term care. Gotham might have to say goodbye to her oldest hero,"

A dark stillness settled in the room. While Gotham's public might speculate, among the police force, the justice system and everybody in between, the identities of Gotham's vigilante family were an open secret.

"May they rest," murmured Julia. She didn't say who, nobody ever said it out loud but the idea, the thought, was there.

May they rest, Gotham's original legend.

XXX

The press conference was held at 10:00 AM the second day after Joker's death.

The day before had been spent by the Wayne siblings, along with Jason's pack, huddled in their nest, barely leaving, eating, sleeping and cuddling under the mountain of blankets. Their pack, the ones less affected, and their friends had taken up their mantles for two nights. Superman had been called in, a few of the arrows, the birds of prey had taken the night and Bluebird had also stayed out, giving Bruce's kids the time they needed. Barbara made sure to coordinate them efficiently. Martha Kent and Diana watched over the family, making sure Alfred spent time with his grandchildren, and not working himself to the bone in the kitchen.

Early on the day of the press conference, Alfred took his second grandchild aside and quietly spoken with him.

"You don't have to do this, my boy," he told Jason, "No one will blame you for waiting to do this or not doing it at all. Someone else can handle it. We could even do a private interview with friends in the profession if you are really intent on telling your story,"

"No," whispered Jason, "They will still speculate. I want this to be done as open as possible and then put a cork in it. This way they can't come up with their own ideas,"

"If you're sure," said Alfred

Jason nodded and Alfred gently hugged him close, wishing with everything inside of him that his own son was here to comfort his child. Instead, he was lying in a hospital bed under guard, waiting for the courts to decide his fate.

The press conference was held in a room on the WE building to be able to keep some control over the event and to keep Jason at ease. The commissioner was also present to carry on the conference once the siblings were done.

Dick was the one who went up first, introducing them as his five siblings, Kate, Selina and Alfred stood behind him.

"We are here today, not to talk about the incident but to give you context as to what lead to the incident happening. We want to clear any misconceptions and make sure the public knows that the Wayne family is handling this situation with the utmost decorum,"

"That said, most of this story will be told by my brother Jason, and it will be a difficult experience. If you could please listen first and keep your questions until the end,"

Dick backed away and gave Jason's shoulder a squeeze as the other man stepped up.

"Good Morning Gotham," said Jason, "As you know, due to previous stories, that I was kept from my family for some time during my teen years and that the fault was with the Joker. That story had been told many times, and I will not repeat it. I would instead like to talk about what happened three weeks ago, the last time Joker escaped,"

"The Joker captured me along with 16 other hostages that were in that store with me when he came in. We do not know if he had found me by chance or if e was looking to trap me somewhere and plays some more. About ten minutes into the situation, he took me to the backroom and-

Jason stuttered there, a lump forming in his throat. Still, he swallowed and continued.

"He-um- he took me to- to the back room and told me he was going to...that he was going to-to bite me."

There was a murmur around the room but died again as Jason continued.

"After giving me the bite, he insisted that I," deep breath, "that I bite him too,"

This time when Jason stopped the silence was deafening, no one had the heart or the presence of mind to say anything.

"A you can imagine, my first reaction was to refuse but he threatened the other hostages and to prove a point, went out and shot one of the women in the leg. He also kept physically assaulting me as he told me what he would do to the rest of the hostages if I refused. I finally agreed to the bite and Batman came around five minutes later. I was able to go home to a private doctor and due to confidentiality was able to keep the bite from my family. On the day of the Joker's death, I was having lunch with my father when he spotted it. One thing led to another, and I ended up telling him where it came from. He got quiet and left me at the table. Not understanding what had happened, I let him go and went back to my place where one of my friends was also keeping me company. I didn't know about Joker's death until I saw the news that evening,"

Jason took a small breath after that.

"And now we are here," said Jason, "Are there any questions? Yes?"

"Why did you not tell your family immediately?"

"As you can imagine I was in shock and felt violated and since they could not do anything about it, I didn't think it necessary to let them know. Next? Yes?"

"Why not follow your father after he left you at lunch? Did you not think his behaviour was a little odd?"

"It is not odd for my father to walk away from a conversation, when upset, to calm down. I really didn't think anything so drastic would happen. I just wanted to get home,"

"Can you comment on anything pertaining to the investigation? About the mental state of the accused?"

Commissioner Gordon could see Jason's composure slipping and stepped up.

"Due to the time available, I think it is time that I took over. I can answer any questions you have on the investigation this far,"

No longer finding any reason to hold back due to the fragile mental state of one of Gotham's prominent omegas, the crowd of reporters burst forth with questions.

Jason didn't pay them any mind. Instead, he let Dick and Alfred lead him out of there as his siblings followed. Through the back of the room, Roy and Kori were waiting and they instantly took him in their arms.

"You okay, Jaybird?" murmured Roy

Jason just pressed his face into his shoulder and whimpered.

"Let's get you home," said Dick, laying a hand on his back

Yes. Home. That sounded nice.

He nodded and they carefully started to move away to the exit.

Behind them, Gordon was still talking to the press, explaining to them what he could. In the coming days, there would be more of these as Gordon gave more to the waiting public but Jason wasn't going to have anything to do with those.

Slowly, his family would help him heal from these scars too. And they would heal from the aftermath of them.

[chillmall3]

will writing 43

Martin Lewis' Wills Suggestions

Content

If You Don'T Wish To Make Use Of A Solicitor

Sign Your Will In Front Of Witnesses.

To Determine That Will Take Care Of Your Minor Kid

Key Files To Have Along With Your Last Will As Well As Testimony.

When Should You Obtain Legal Suggestions To Draft Your Will?

Utilizing A Lawyer To Write Your Will

What To Get Out Of Your Lawyer

Nor did we decide to make use of the online legal solutions (like LegalZoom.com). We have a close friend that is a legal representative right here in Texas and also we chose to utilize his services.

If You Don'T Intend To Make Use Of A Solicitor

Are DIY will kits legal UK?

As long as it was properly signed and witnessed by two adult independent witnesses who are present at the time you sign your will, it should be legally binding. But that doesn't mean it's a good idea. You can get a will template or will pack from stationery shops and online services – they usually cost £10 to £30.

Having a will additionally let you call an executor, which is also called a "personal representative" in lots of states. You can additionally waive the requirement for your administrator to need to post a surety bond by providing it in your will. A last will gets on the estate planning checklist since it likewise lets you determine who your children's guardians will desire you die. A power of attorney is a large amount of power and ought to just be designated to a trusted person. For instance, your rep that has your power of attorney has the authority to become part of contracts in your name, obtain money, as well as make significant economic choices for you.

If you have any type of lawful concerns, they encourage users to work directly with an attorney. If you're not a property owner, as well as you do not have any kind of particular wishes to shield in a trust fund, FreeWill is an outstanding selection. Nevertheless, when in doubt, review your situation with a lawyer. An individual who gets cash or other home from an estate. A Personal Directive is a lawful document that allows you to designate someone to make decisions for you if, due to disease or injury, you no longer have the ability to make personal decisions.

I have a question regarding the will document created by a single person. Dear Sir, I have two last names and also the residential or commercial property in the city is by one last name as well as property at village is by various other surname.

Who regulates writers?

These companies are not regulated. But some are voluntary members of organisations like the Institute of Professional Will Writers - it isn't a regulator, but its members agree to follow a code of practice that says they must have insurance and the right expertise.

She has actually signed a will written composed by her grand little girl duly authorized by two witness. Hi there Sreekanth, We have home jointly had by my partner and also me. Do we require to make 2 different wills or can we make a joint will? Are there any kind of draft or sample wills readily available that we can prepare our self as we live outside India?

Now we have actually come to know to about will which gets on plain paper as well as signed by my dad as well as 2 witness as well.in which he has transferred the residential property fully to my mommy. DirectWillsTrusts.co.uk: had a residence in their joint names, which was offered by my daddy in 2013, after the death of mommy very same year.

A good idea to let his children likewise sign the Deed as witnesses. It is suggested to mention the details assets details which you believe are of high worth as well as you can just point out that all properties in your name will be passed on to the so and also so individual. For the registration of WILL, your mother's trademark is called for. In instance, your banker or if it is called for, you may after that probate the will. Conversely please recommendations ought to the Will be signed up now to make it a legal paper.

Indication Your Will In Front Of Witnesses.

To Establish That Will Care For Your Minor Children

I think WILL is a crucial file and these services are typically offered at a really nominal price. I desire this property to be moved in my name based on my granny dream, she has checked in empty paper how to transfer the home? , i have all the evidence of identity which has this address pointed out eg. He as a result wishes to give everything to his kid and his family in his will (with two witnesses' and also the physician's signatures).

To assist your health care representative stay clear of any confusion, you might intend to state in your living will that you recognize the demand for this temporary treatment. Iam an old male having little assets only, but I got best better half & this is my wonderful property ever! and also off training course 2 women, one great kid that is operating in BSF.

Secret Documents To Have Alongside Your Last Will And Also Testament.

Will banks release money without probate?

The strict approach hasn't necessarily been the fault of the banks. Current laws only permit some financial institutions to release up to £5,000 without a Grant. HMRC guidance also states that the maximum amount transferable without a Grant should not exceed £5,000.

If you have a great deal of possessions, run a service, and have more than one youngster or grandchildren, you require to take some time to make mindful decisions regarding what takes place after you die. Most people listen to words will as well as believe it's a rather simple procedure. The idea the majority of people have is that it calls for a few mins to mark the receivers of all your worldly personal belongings. In fact, there are lots of important aspects to the file you need to take into consideration-- right to just how you word it.

When Should You Obtain Lawful Suggestions To Compose Your Will?

particularly Kerala having serious effect is that, after fatality of best husband there is a held up to their simple innocent spouse, mother runs hard to live due to non protectct of day to day activities by the child also by daughters. 1) Can we state the names of 2 beneficiaries as executors of the will, the 2nd administrator will act only in case the very first one is unable to act because of whatever reasons like death, ill health, and so on . Though it is always recommended to provide out each product of the assets, in my instance, however, I do not have the full list of all the stocks & Mutual Fund investments that I have made over the past 40 years or two. In some cases, the initial paper is not useful as well as, I may familiarize its presence when a reward warrant or some communication from that firm is obtained. Advisable to take assistance of a professional on-line WILL writing service.

Your executor is the individual that you depend read your Will as well as make sure that your final dreams are accomplished. In a free Will type, this ought to be located somewhere in the standard terminology as well as should consist of a space for you to write in the name of your executor.

Any type of two individuals are entitled to make a joint will nonetheless a joint will is valid just if it is made by 2 persons who are related per other or have joint possession or are joint recipients of any kind of count on. Yet in instance you are planning to obtain Present Action as well as also Draft WILL, a good idea to get in touch with a trusted civil attorney. Yes, as a lawful beneficiary you have the right to assert the building. Additional 3 years back my mom has moved her share in the house to her more youthful kid without recognizing anything around will.

Numerous Americans can claim kinship with these famous performers in that they most likely don't have a will, either. Almost 60 percent of Americans have no will, according to a study this year by Caring.com. Which portion is greater for individuals that have reliant youngsters and are most seeking an overview to parcel out their assets need to they pass away while their children are young. When you receive a LegalZoom will, you must make certain that, in addition to your very own trademark, the proper variety of witnesses sign and also day it. For instance, while many states only need two witnesses, Vermont needs 3.

The next item on your estate preparing list must be a living will. No person thinks they will need their enjoyed ones to make the hard choices at the hospital, such as how much time to remain on a respirator. Below is an essential estate planning list of the fundamental 4 devices you need to guarantee your dreams are performed as well as your family's benefits are safeguarded if you die or come to be disabled. An executor is a person appointed to look after the affairs of the dead person.

Using A Lawyer To Create Your Will

That suggests the administrator pays final bills, terminates bank card, informs banks and also various other establishments, and files the deceased's last income tax return. Having a notary indicator the will can be a significant help in case you believe that there will be some conflict with respect to your final dreams. Bear in mind that your witnesses can not be named as recipients in the Will, so pick your witnesses thoroughly. This must be made with two witnesses present as they will require to authorize the Will as well.

Can a husband change his will without his wife knowing?

However, the change cannot be done in secret. The spouse changing the will must provide adequate notice to the other spouse so he or she has a chance to change his or her will too. After the first spouse dies, however, the surviving spouse cannot change the will.

Establishing a will is just one of one of the most important parts of preparing for your death. Talk to family members and various other crucial individuals in your life concerning your breakthrough instructions and your healthcare desires.

What Is Probate?

By having these conversations now, you aid ensure that your family members plainly understand your dreams. Having a clear understanding of your choices can aid your family members prevent problem as well as feelings of guilt. Also if you currently have a living will that includes your preferences concerning resuscitation and intubation, it is still a great concept to develop DNR or DNI orders each time you are confessed to a brand-new hospital or healthcare facility. Organ and tissue donations for transplantation can be defined in your living will. If your body organs are eliminated for donation, you will be continued vital therapy temporarily until the procedure is full.

This is definitely the situation with personal finance, life insurance, and also estate preparation. By knowing that people are considering leaving it money, a not-for-profit company can cultivate relationships with them, and guarantee that the prospective benefactors are positive their legacy would most likely to a worthwhile reason. Brian Peterson, the supervisor of heritage and also gift planning at Human Rights Watch, said study in the location of intended offering showed that many people put charitable presents into their final will, which they make in their late 70s or very early 80s.

It is common for estate planning costs to face the tens of hundreds of dollars. And also he said that saving a couple of thousand dollars may confirm a lot more expensive in the end if properties are not dispersed appropriately or if they wind up creating damage to individuals who receive them. While he had a will, he did not have a trust fund, which would have maintained personal the components of his estate. https://lincolnshire.directwillstrusts.co.uk/explanation-of-terms/ passed away last month without a will, leaving her reported $80 million estate to go through probate.

Upon acceptance, we scheduled a meeting to sign the records in front of witnesses and a notary. The finalizing took much less than a hr, as well as many thanks to an additional friend providing her babysitting skills, we had the ability to go to the meeting without the youngsters. I shared a blog post in 2015 on how some individuals pick to do their Last Will and also Testament for free.

If you have your executor or a beneficiary maintain your will, that person will have the ability to review the will.

Keeping your will in your house produces the risk of others having accessibility to it, as well as the opportunity of it being destroyed by fire or various other natural calamity.

A type of "poor man's secure" used by some is putting the will in a waterproof bag in the fridge freezer; nonetheless, this is not recommended as there is no assurance of either security or confidentiality.

However, this would certainly create even more of a trouble if you make a decision to alter your will, and also it will not be valuable if you move to one more area or state.

Your executor would need to understand where you maintain it, as well as have access to your house.

A risk-free deposit box is not recommended as a storage location for a will.

The very best option to defend against loss of the will is to keep it in a big, heavy fireproof/waterproof secure firmly tied right into the framework of the residence.

Also if your executor knows it is there, as well as is authorized to have access to package, when the financial institution knows your fatality it may protect the box and also need a court order to open it.

This is frequently described as no longer having ability to choose. more detail to complete the estate planning documents detailed over with our lawyer was around $550. If we were to complete the exact same services via LegalZoom.com it would cost around $350. Next off, our legal representative finished the real papers and also forwarded them to us for review.

You won't have to get a notary to authorize it unless you want to have this person as a witness. In your free choice kind, you will have the opportunity to note the specific building and also who will obtain these things when you hand down. It is very important that if you have specific long for specific personal items that you provide them below because if you do not, those items might go to the incorrect individuals.

[mysteryshelf]

MERRY MYSTERY WEEK: BLOG TOUR - The Body in the Casket

Welcome to

THE PULP AND MYSTERY SHELF Merry Mystery Week Special!

DISCLAIMER: This content has been provided to THE PULP AND MYSTERY SHELF by Partners in Crime Book Tours. No compensation was received. This information required by the Federal Trade Commission.

The Body in the Casket

by Katherine Hall Page

on Tour December 4, 2017 – January 12, 2018

Synopsis:

The inimitable Faith Fairchild returns in a chilling New England whodunit, inspired by the best Agatha Christie mysteries and with hints of the timeless board game Clue.

For most of her adult life, resourceful caterer Faith Fairchild has called the sleepy Massachusetts village of Aleford home. While the native New Yorker has come to know the region well, she isn’t familiar with Havencrest, a privileged enclave, until the owner of Rowan House, a secluded sprawling Arts and Crafts mansion, calls her about catering a weekend house party.

Producer/director of a string of hit musicals, Max Dane—a Broadway legend—is throwing a lavish party to celebrate his seventieth birthday. At the house as they discuss the event, Faith’s client makes a startling confession. “I didn’t hire you for your cooking skills, fine as they may be, but for your sleuthing ability. You see, one of the guests wants to kill me.”

Faith’s only clue is an ominous birthday gift the man received the week before—an empty casket sent anonymously containing a twenty-year-old Playbill from Max’s last, and only failed, production—Heaven or Hell. Consequently, Max has drawn his guest list for the party from the cast and crew. As the guests begin to arrive one by one, and an ice storm brews overhead, Faith must keep one eye on the menu and the other on her host to prevent his birthday bash from becoming his final curtain call.

Full of delectable recipes, brooding atmosphere, and Faith’s signature biting wit, The Body in the Casket is a delightful thriller that echoes the beloved mysteries of Agatha Christie and classic films such as Murder by Death and Deathtrap.

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery Published by: William Morrow Publication Date: December 5th 2017 Number of Pages: 238 ISBN: 0062439561 (ISBN13: 9780062439567) Series: Faith Fairchild, 24 Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

Read an excerpt:

Chapter One

“Have Faith in Your Kitchen,” Faith Fairchild said, answering the phone at her catering firm. She’d been busy piping choux pastry for éclairs onto a baking sheet.

“Mrs. Fairchild?”

“Yes? This is Faith Fairchild. How may I help you?”

“Please hold for Max Dane.” The voice had a plummy, slightly British tone, reminiscent of Jeeves, or Downton Abbey’s Carson. The only Max Dane Faith had heard of had been a famous Broadway musical producer, but she was pretty sure he’d died years ago. This must be another Max Dane.

She was put through quickly and a new voice said, “Hi. I know this is short notice, but I am very much hoping you are available to handle a house party I’m throwing for about a dozen guests at the end of the month. A Friday to Sunday. Not just dinner, but all the meals.”

Faith had never catered anything like this. A Friday to Sunday sounded like something out of a British pre-World War II country house novel—kippers for breakfast, Fortnum & Mason type hampers for the shoot, tea and scones, drinks and nibbles, then saddle of lamb or some other large haunch of meat for dinner with vintage clarets followed by port and Stilton—for the men only. She was intrigued.

“The first thing I need to know is where you live, Mr. Dane. Also, is this a firm date? We’ve had a mild winter so far, but January may still deliver a wallop like last year.”

A Manhattan native, Faith’s marriage more than 20 years ago to the Reverend Thomas Fairchild meant a radical change of address— from the Big Apple to the orchards of Aleford, a small suburb west of Boston. Faith had never become used to boiled dinners, First Parish’s rock hard pews and most of all, New England weather. By the end of the previous February there had been 75 inches of snow on the ground and you couldn’t see through the historic parsonage’s ground floor windows or open the front door. Teenage son Ben struggled valiantly to keep the back door clear, daily hewing a path to the garage. The resulting tunnel resembled a clip from Nanook of the North.

“I’m afraid the date is firm. The thirtieth is my birthday. A milestone one, my seventieth.” Unlike his butler or whoever had called Faith to the phone, Max Dane’s voice indicated he’d started life in one of the five boroughs. Faith was guessing the Bronx. He sounded a bit sheepish when he said “ my birthday,” as if throwing a party for himself was out of character. “And I live in Havencrest. It’s not far from Aleford, but I’d want you to be available at the house the whole time. Live in.”

Leaving her family for three days was not something Faith did often, especially since Sunday was a workday for Tom and all too occasionally Saturday was as he “polished” his sermon. (His term, which she had noticed over the years, could mean writing the whole thing.)

Ben and Amy, two years younger, seemed old enough to be on their own, but Faith had found that contrary to expectations, kids needed parents around more in adolescence than when they were toddlers. Every day brought the equivalent of scraped knees and they weren’t the kind of hurts that could be soothed by Pat The Bunny and a chocolate chip cookie. She needed more time to think about taking the job. “I’m not sure I can leave my family…” was interrupted. “I quite understand that this would be difficult,” Dane said and then he named a figure so far above anything she had ever been offered that she actually covered her mouth to keep from gasping out loud.

“Look,” he continued. “Why don’t you come by and we’ll talk in person? You can see the place and decide then. I don’t use it myself, but the kitchen is well equipped—the rest of the house too. I’ll email directions and you can shoot me some times that work. This week if possible. I want to send out the invites right away.”

Well, it wouldn’t hurt to talk, Faith thought. And she did like seeing other people’s houses. She agreed, but before she hung up curiosity won out and she asked, “Are you related to the Max Dane who produced all those wonderful Broadway musicals?”

“Very closely. As in one and the same. See you soon.”

Faith put the phone down and turned to Pix Miller, her closest friend and part-time Have Faith employee.

“That was someone wanting Have Faith to cater a weekend long birthday celebration—for an astonishing amount of money.” She named the figure in a breathless whisper. “His name is Max Dane. Have you ever heard of him?”

“Even I know who Max Dane is. Sam took me to New York the December after we were married and we saw one of his shows. It was magical—the whole weekend was. No kids yet. We were kids ourselves. We skated at Rockefeller Center by the tree and…”

Her friend didn’t go in for sentimental journeys and tempted as she was to note Pix and Sam skated on Aleford Pond then and now, Faith didn’t want to stop the flow of memories. “Where did you stay? A suite at the Plaza?” Sam was a very successful lawyer.

Pix came down to earth. “We barely had money for the show and pre-theater dinner at Twenty-One. That was the big splurge. I honestly can’t remember where we stayed and I should, because that’s where—” She stopped abruptly and blushed, also unusual Pix behavior.

“Say no more. Nine months later along came Mark?”

“Something like that,” Pix mumbled and then in her usual more assertive voice, added “You have to do this. Not because of the money, although the man must be loaded! Think of who might be there. And the house must be amazing. We don’t have anything booked for then and I can keep an eye on the kids.”

The Millers lived next door to the parsonage and their three now grown children had been the Fairchilds’ babysitters. Pix played a more essential role: Faith’s tutor in the unforeseen intricacies of childrearing as well as Aleford’s often arcane mores. Faith’s first social faux pas as a new bride—inviting guests for dinner at eight o’clock— had happily been avoided when her first invite, Pix, gently told Faith the town’s inhabitants would be thinking bed soon at that hour, not a main course.

Faith had started her catering business in the city that never slept before she was married and was busy all year long. Here January was always a slow month for business. The holidays were over and things didn’t start to pick up until Valentine’s Day—and even then scheduling events was risky. It all came down to weather.

Pix was at the computer. Years ago she’d agreed to work at Have Faith keeping the books, the calendar, inventory—anything that did not involve any actual food preparation.

“We have a couple of receptions at the Ganley Museum and the MLK breakfast the standing clergy host.”

The first time Faith heard the term, “standing clergy”, which was the town’s men and women of any cloth, she pictured an upright somberly garbed group in rows like ninepins. And she hadn’t been far off.

“That’s pretty much it,” Pix added, “except for a few luncheons and Amelia’s baby shower—I think she baby sat for you a couple of times when she was in high school.”

“I remember she was very reliable,” Faith said.

“Hard to believe she’s the same age as Samantha and having her second!” Pix sounded wistful. She was the type of woman born to wear a “I Spoil My Grandchildren” tee shirt. Faith wouldn’t be surprised if there were a drawer somewhere in the Miller’s house filled with tiny sweaters and booties knit by Pix, “just to be ready.” Mark Miller, the oldest, was married, but he and his wife did not seem to be in a rush to start a family.

Samantha, the middle Miller, had a long-term beau, Caleb. They were living together in trendy Park Slope, Brooklyn and Sam, an old-fashioned pater familias, had to be restrained from asking Caleb his intentions each time the young couple came to Aleford. Pix was leaning that way herself, she’d told Faith recently, noting that young couples these days were so intent on careers they didn’t hear the clock ticking.

Faith had forgotten that Amelia—who apparently had paid attention to time— was Samantha’s age and quickly changed the subject to what was uppermost in her mind—the Dane job. “Where is Havencrest?” she asked. “I thought I knew all the neighboring towns.”

“It’s not really a town so much as an enclave between Weston and Dover. I don’t think it even has a zip code. I’ve never been there, but Mother has. You can ask her about it. The houses all date to the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. I believe there’s a gatehouse at the entrance. It’s an early equivalent of the mid century modern planned communities like Moon Hill in Lexington. Havencrest wasn’t a bunch of architects like that one though. Just very rich Boston Brahmin families who wanted privacy and plenty of space. I wonder how Max Dane ended up there? From what Mother has said, the houses don’t change hands, just generations.”

“I think I’ll check my email and see if there’s anything from him yet,” Faith said. “And maybe drop by to see Ursula on my way home.” Stopping to visit with Ursula Lyman Rowe, Pix’s mother, was no chore. The octogenarian was one of Faith’s favorite people. She turned back to the éclairs, which were part of a special order, and added a few more to bring to her friend.

“I know you’ll take the job,” Pix said. “I’m predicting the weekend of a lifetime!”

***

Excerpt from The Body in the Casket by Katherine Hall Page. Copyright © 2017 by William Morrow. Reproduced with permission from William Morrow. All rights reserved.

Author Bio:

Katherine Hall Page is the author of twenty-three previous Faith Fairchild mysteries, the first of which received the Agatha Award for best first mystery. The Body in the Snowdrift was honored with the Agatha Award for best novel of 2006. Page also won an Agatha for her short story “The Would-Be Widower.” The recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at Malice Domestic, she has been nominated for the Edgar Award, the Mary Higgins Clark Award, and the Macavity Award. She lives in Massachusetts, and Maine, with her husband.

Catch Up With Our Author On: Website 🔗, Goodreads 🔗, & Facebook 🔗!

  Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaways!

  Giveaway:

This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Katherine Hall Page and Witness Impulse. There will be 3 winners of one (1) physical copy of Katherine Hall Page’s The Body in the Casket. The giveaway begins on December 4, 2017 and runs through January 14, 2018. This giveaway is open to US addressess only.

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MERRY MYSTERY WEEK: BLOG TOUR – The Body in the Casket was originally published on the Wordpress version of The Pulp and Mystery Shelf with Shannon Muir

[ongames]

This Creative Family Photo Tells A Story Of Love, Loss And Hope

A creative family photo is giving people all the feels. 

Louisiana mom and blogger Chrissy Roussel shared a photo of her children with her siblings’ kids on Facebook. The photo shows the full set of 17 cousins wearing special T-shirts; each shirt has a number to indicate birth order and a color to designate which children are siblings. 

“The kids are growing so fast that we try to capture them all together whenever we can,” Roussel told HuffPost. “Since they’re all so close in age, we thought it would be fun to line them all up by birth order.”

The mom said her sister Maryellen suggested the kids wear numbered shirts. “We each picked our own T-shirt colors and she ironed on the numbers,” Roussel said. 

The family photo is in many ways a tribute to Roussel’s late father, who passed away three years ago. Shortly after he died, she learned she was expecting spontaneous triplets, and two of her brothers’ wives became pregnant as well.

Her family calls those kids the “Frederick Five” in memory of her dad, Frederick Michael Fox Jr.

“They’ve brought so much happiness and joy to our family when we needed it most. It is so bittersweet that he never got to meet them,” Roussel said. “The photo reflects so clearly my parents’ love for each other, in that all 17 kids are such funny, thoughtful little people. We consider this ― these kids ― to be his greatest legacy. I think that’s the sort of legacy that everyone hopes to leave, too.”

The 17 grandchildren range in age from 2 to 14 years old. Roussel’s sister-in-law Katie Fox, of Annabelle Rose Photography, took the photo, and the kids had a blast posing for it. 

“Each one proudly marched to their spots when their numbers were called!” said Roussel. “It was a lot of fun for them.”

The photo appeared on the Facebook page Love What Matters, where it received over 30,000 likes. 

In the caption, Roussel shared a sweet tribute to her father. “When I look at this picture of my parents’ 17 grandkids, I notice in particular those five rainbow babies who brought so much joy in the months and years after my Dad passed away,” she wrote. “We miss him so much, but we feel his presence every day through the love and joy of all these kids.”

Roussel and her family did not expect the overwhelming reaction to their photo. “It really took on a life of its own and just started popping up everywhere! My kids think it’s super fun,” she said.

“Also, my sister-in-law snapped away for about five or six minutes before declaring she ‘got it,’ so the entire process was very fast,” she added. “We took it with such little effort or fanfare that it’s crazy to think it’d go viral!”

People have shared their own similar family photos, both in the Love What Matters comments section and on Pinterest. 

“I think so many people can relate to the joy that comes from being with extended family and having all your little ones together,” Roussel told HuffPost. “It just puts a smile on your face to see 17 little cousins lined up together on the beach. In addition, while the image itself is beautiful, I think people are touched by the bittersweet story behind the photo as well.”

The mom said she hopes the photo brightens people’s days. She added, “I also hope it encourages people to meet up with family and snap a few pictures!”

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

This Creative Family Photo Tells A Story Of Love, Loss And Hope published first on http://ift.tt/2lnpciY

[yes-dal456]

This Creative Family Photo Tells A Story Of Love, Loss And Hope

A creative family photo is giving people all the feels. 

Louisiana mom and blogger Chrissy Roussel shared a photo of her children with her siblings’ kids on Facebook. The photo shows the full set of 17 cousins wearing special T-shirts; each shirt has a number to indicate birth order and a color to designate which children are siblings. 

“The kids are growing so fast that we try to capture them all together whenever we can,” Roussel told HuffPost. “Since they’re all so close in age, we thought it would be fun to line them all up by birth order.”

The mom said her sister Maryellen suggested the kids wear numbered shirts. “We each picked our own T-shirt colors and she ironed on the numbers,” Roussel said. 

The family photo is in many ways a tribute to Roussel’s late father, who passed away three years ago. Shortly after he died, she learned she was expecting spontaneous triplets, and two of her brothers’ wives became pregnant as well.

Her family calls those kids the “Frederick Five” in memory of her dad, Frederick Michael Fox Jr.

“They’ve brought so much happiness and joy to our family when we needed it most. It is so bittersweet that he never got to meet them,” Roussel said. “The photo reflects so clearly my parents’ love for each other, in that all 17 kids are such funny, thoughtful little people. We consider this ― these kids ― to be his greatest legacy. I think that’s the sort of legacy that everyone hopes to leave, too.”

The 17 grandchildren range in age from 2 to 14 years old. Roussel’s sister-in-law Katie Fox, of Annabelle Rose Photography, took the photo, and the kids had a blast posing for it. 

“Each one proudly marched to their spots when their numbers were called!” said Roussel. “It was a lot of fun for them.”

The photo appeared on the Facebook page Love What Matters, where it received over 30,000 likes. 

In the caption, Roussel shared a sweet tribute to her father. “When I look at this picture of my parents’ 17 grandkids, I notice in particular those five rainbow babies who brought so much joy in the months and years after my Dad passed away,” she wrote. “We miss him so much, but we feel his presence every day through the love and joy of all these kids.”

Roussel and her family did not expect the overwhelming reaction to their photo. “It really took on a life of its own and just started popping up everywhere! My kids think it’s super fun,” she said.

“Also, my sister-in-law snapped away for about five or six minutes before declaring she ‘got it,’ so the entire process was very fast,” she added. “We took it with such little effort or fanfare that it’s crazy to think it’d go viral!”

People have shared their own similar family photos, both in the Love What Matters comments section and on Pinterest. 

“I think so many people can relate to the joy that comes from being with extended family and having all your little ones together,” Roussel told HuffPost. “It just puts a smile on your face to see 17 little cousins lined up together on the beach. In addition, while the image itself is beautiful, I think people are touched by the bittersweet story behind the photo as well.”

The mom said she hopes the photo brightens people’s days. She added, “I also hope it encourages people to meet up with family and snap a few pictures!”

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

from http://ift.tt/2rTFvaZ from Blogger http://ift.tt/2sebLVH

[imreviewblog]

This Creative Family Photo Tells A Story Of Love, Loss And Hope

A creative family photo is giving people all the feels. 

Louisiana mom and blogger Chrissy Roussel shared a photo of her children with her siblings’ kids on Facebook. The photo shows the full set of 17 cousins wearing special T-shirts; each shirt has a number to indicate birth order and a color to designate which children are siblings. 

“The kids are growing so fast that we try to capture them all together whenever we can,” Roussel told HuffPost. “Since they’re all so close in age, we thought it would be fun to line them all up by birth order.”

The mom said her sister Maryellen suggested the kids wear numbered shirts. “We each picked our own T-shirt colors and she ironed on the numbers,” Roussel said. 

The family photo is in many ways a tribute to Roussel’s late father, who passed away three years ago. Shortly after he died, she learned she was expecting spontaneous triplets, and two of her brothers’ wives became pregnant as well.

Her family calls those kids the “Frederick Five” in memory of her dad, Frederick Michael Fox Jr.

“They’ve brought so much happiness and joy to our family when we needed it most. It is so bittersweet that he never got to meet them,” Roussel said. “The photo reflects so clearly my parents’ love for each other, in that all 17 kids are such funny, thoughtful little people. We consider this ― these kids ― to be his greatest legacy. I think that’s the sort of legacy that everyone hopes to leave, too.”

The 17 grandchildren range in age from 2 to 14 years old. Roussel’s sister-in-law Katie Fox, of Annabelle Rose Photography, took the photo, and the kids had a blast posing for it. 

“Each one proudly marched to their spots when their numbers were called!” said Roussel. “It was a lot of fun for them.”

The photo appeared on the Facebook page Love What Matters, where it received over 30,000 likes. 

In the caption, Roussel shared a sweet tribute to her father. “When I look at this picture of my parents’ 17 grandkids, I notice in particular those five rainbow babies who brought so much joy in the months and years after my Dad passed away,” she wrote. “We miss him so much, but we feel his presence every day through the love and joy of all these kids.”

Roussel and her family did not expect the overwhelming reaction to their photo. “It really took on a life of its own and just started popping up everywhere! My kids think it’s super fun,” she said.

“Also, my sister-in-law snapped away for about five or six minutes before declaring she ‘got it,’ so the entire process was very fast,” she added. “We took it with such little effort or fanfare that it’s crazy to think it’d go viral!”

People have shared their own similar family photos, both in the Love What Matters comments section and on Pinterest. 

“I think so many people can relate to the joy that comes from being with extended family and having all your little ones together,” Roussel told HuffPost. “It just puts a smile on your face to see 17 little cousins lined up together on the beach. In addition, while the image itself is beautiful, I think people are touched by the bittersweet story behind the photo as well.”

The mom said she hopes the photo brightens people’s days. She added, “I also hope it encourages people to meet up with family and snap a few pictures!”

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

from Healthy Living - The Huffington Post http://bit.ly/2sezogG

[elizabethcariasa]

Tax-efficient wealth building helped by 2020 inflation bumps for investment, estate and other taxes

Welcome to Part 6 of the ol' blog's 2020 series on tax inflation adjustments.  We started on Nov. 6 with a look at next year's income tax brackets and rates. Today we look at how the annual changes help investors their families and eventual heirs. Note: The 2020 figures in this post apply to 2020 returns to be filed in 2021. For comparison purposes, you'll also find 2019 amounts to be used in filing 2019 returns due April 15, 2020.

OK, maybe the rich don't literally burn money. But as the saying goes, the very wealthy really are different from the rest of us, including how they make money and how that income is taxed … or not.

One of the truisms of personal finance is that you're better off when your money works for you instead of you working for your money.

That's usually accomplished by investing. And that old saw recognizes that not only do sound investments grow over the years, from a tax perspective that growth tends to cost you less.

This passive earnings situation got even better with the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), which increased the amount of investment profits that are taxed at lower capital gains rates.

And when that money finally meets the inevitability of death, the tax reform law dramatically increases the amount of assets that will be outside Uncle Sam's reach under the federal estate tax.

Lesser tax bite for capital gains: The hubby still has a stock that his grandmother gave him when he was in elementary school.

His sweet grandma was a conservative investor, so as you would expect, she gave her favorite grandson (OK, her only grandson) and his female siblings and cousins a pretty staid investment.

But he's held it so long that it's grown nicely. And when he does sell it, the shares definitely will qualify for the lowest long-term capital gains tax rate.

Long-term capital gains are one of two options. The other is, you guessed it, short-term capital gains.

Short-term gains are taken when you sell an asset owning it for a year or less. In these cases, the tax on the sale profit is the same as your ordinary income tax rate, which could be as high as 37 percent.

If, however, you hang onto the asset for more than a year before selling, your investment patience is rewarded with a generally lower long-term tax rate on any profits.

There are three long-term capital gains tax rates: 0 percent, 15 percent and 20 percent. Which one applies depends on your overall income and filing status.

The TCJA kept the three long-term capital gains tax rates. But changes to the ordinary tax rates, both the tax rates and income brackets to which they apply, disrupted the way capital gains were calculated under the prior tax law. So TCJA authors created specific long-term capital gains tax rates, which now also are adjusted for inflation.

The table below shows the income brackets to which the 2020 long-term capital gains taxes apply:

 Tax Year  2020

Capital Gains Taxable Income Brackets by Filing Status

 Long-Term   Capital Gains  Tax Rate

 Single

 Head of   Household

 Married  Filing Jointly  or Surviving  Spouse

 Married Filing  Separately

 0%

 $0 to $40,000

 $0 to $53,600

 $0 to $80,000

 $0 to $40,000

 15%

 $40,001 to  $441,450

 $53,601 to  $469,050

 $80,001 to  $496,600

 $40,001 to   $248,300

 20%

 $441,451  & more

 $469,051   & more

 $496,601  & more

 $248,301  & more

For comparison, below are the 2019 tax year long-term capital gains rates and income brackets:

 Tax Year  2019

Capital Gains Taxable Income Brackets by Filing Status

 Long-Term   Capital Gains  Tax Rate

 Single

 Head of   Household

 Married  Filing Jointly  Surviving  Spouse

 Married Filing  Separately

 0%

 $0 to $39,375

 $0 to $52,750

 $0 to $78,750

 $0 to $39,375

 15%

 $39,376 to  $434,550

 $52,751 to  $461,700

 $78,751 to  $488,850

 $39,376 to   $244,425

 20%

 $434,451  & more

 $461,701   & more

 $488,851  & more

 $244,426   & more

In addition to capital gains tax rates listed in the tables, higher-income taxpayers may also have to pay an additional 3.8% net investment income tax.

And yes, there are other capital gains tax rates for other holdings, like collectibles, but they are affected by inflation.

Uncle Sam also collects capital gains taxes on estates and trusts. For 2020, the maximum zero rate applies to estates or trusts worth up to $2,650. The top earnings level for an estate or trust to be taxed at 15 percent is $13,150. The 20 percent rate applies to these entities worth $13,151 or more.

For estates and trusts in 2019, the maximum capital gains earnings are $2,650 for the zero rate; $12,950 for the 15 percent rate; and $12,951 or more is taxed at the top 20 percent capital gains tax rate.

Estate tax exclusion increase: Now about that estate tax. Uncle Sam has been collecting tax on what we leave behind for decades.

Yes, the estate tax died for the 2010 tax year. But Congress resurrected it the very next tax year.

And while anti-estate tax groups would have you think it applies to everything left by a decedent, there's also typically been a base exemption, also called an exclusion amount, that's untaxed at the federal level.

The federal estate tax exclusion amounts have over the years been adjusted for inflation. That's still true under the TCJA, which also dramatically upped that base amount in 2018. The annual inflation adjustments keep increasing the amount that we can leave when we leave this mortal coil and not have it face any federal estate tax.

For 2020, inflation bumps up the estate tax exclusion amount even more. A rich individual can leave heirs a tax-free estate of up to $11.58 million. The 2019 exemption was $11.4 million per person.

And note that per person phrase. That translates to an estate tax exemption amount of $23.16 million for a married couple next year, up from the $22.8 million joint exclusion for a wedded duo in 2019.

When an estate exceeds those tax year amounts, then and only then is the federal estate tax, which can go as high as 40 percent, assessed on the overage.

These multimillion-dollar exclusion amounts mean that the hubby and I and our families and our friends will likely never have to worry about the federal estate tax, unless we win the lottery or we get new, richer friends!

Note, though, that you might have to worry about the state tax collector. More than two dozen states and the District of Columbia do have either an have an estate or inheritance tax — our old Maryland stomping grounds has both — and their exclusion levels are much, much lower than the federal level.

Tax-free gifting, too: If, however, you have or expect to have much more money that could push your estate into Uncle Sam's hands once you're gone, you'll want to take some steps to lower that eventual tax bill.

One of the most common estate-planning tools is giving away some of your wealth while you're still around to get the thanks.

The annual exclusion for gifts is $15,000 per person for calendar year 2020, the same as it is for 2019.

Like the estate tax exemption, the $15,000 limit this and next year (and whatever amount it might be further down the line) is, as you probably noticed in the previous sentence, per person. That means if you're married, you and your spouse each can give $15,000 to the same person.

Pulling out my handy calculator, that also means that a married couple with three kids and five grandchildren can each give $30,000 in 2019 and again in 2020 to those eight family members for a combined gift total of $240,000 each year without facing gift tax consequences.

And despite my example, you (and your spouse) also can give these $15K gifts to folks beyond your immediate family. So if you have some spare cash and really enjoy the ol' blog, just let me know.

Also, the gifts are not limited to dollars. You can give assets valued up to the limit, such as gifts of real property and family heirlooms.

By bestowing your cash and property beforehand, you can reduce the amount of your assets left to be distributed after you're gone. This is a good way to dole out your estate the way you want and keep its value under the amount that will trigger the federal estate tax.

Even better, those gifts are not taxable to the recipient.

Best of all, as long as you follow the rules, the gifts you won't face any gift tax.

Adding up all those gifts: The major tax-related gifting rule is, of course, that you can't just give away all your riches to escape the tax collector. That's why the lifetime gift exemption, aka the unified credit against the estate tax, was created.

As the name indicates, the lifetime gift exemption is the total amount of gifts that can be given away tax-free by a person over his or her lifetime to any number of people.

It's easy to keep track of because it's the same as the annual estate tax exemption amount.

Again, that's $11.4 million per person ($22.8 million per jointly filing couple) in 2019 and, thanks to inflation, $11.58 million ($23.16 million for a married couple) next year.

This unified limit is necessary because without it, rich folks might be tempted to simply give away the bulk of their money or property while living to avoid estate taxes after death.

If you do go over the lifetime gift exclusion, you will owe a 40 percent tax on those excessive gifts.

Counting the kiddie tax: We all know how much it costs to have and raise a family. But the youngsters often play a role in family wealth building and preservation beyond the potential annual estate-planning gifts.

Children often receive monetary gifts from wealthy parents and grandparents. Such family financial gifts often are invested by the young recipient person, which is a good way to teach the child about making money work for them rather than just working for money.

Photo by Carissa Rogers via Flickr CC

However, all these family members need to be aware of potential tax costs here. Specifically, the young investors and their parents need to keep an eye on the annual amount of their unearned income.

When young people — up to age 23 if a full-time student or 18 if not going to college — have unearned income that exceed certain limits, the kiddie tax comes into play on those successful investments.

The kiddie tax first appeared in 1986 as a legislative way to close a tax loophole for the wealthy. After a certain earnings level, a child's investment income was taxed at the same rate as that of their parents. By effectively raising the potential tax on the youngsters' passive income, the idea was that well-to-do adults wouldn't be so inclined to shift their wealth by putting it in their lower-taxed children's names.

The TCJA changed that a bit. Now instead of the parents' tax rate, the kiddie tax requires the excess unearned income to be taxed the rates that apply to trusts and estates.

That's not a welcome change, since the estate and trust rates are effectively higher than individual rates, meaning that the children's unearned income will be taxed at higher rates than their parents' income. More on estate and trusts taxes in the next section.

So what's the earnings amount that triggers the kiddie tax?

For 2020, a young investor's first $1,100 of unearned income is not taxable. That's the same as the 2019 limit. Then the next $1,100 in unearned income for both 2019 and 2020 is taxed at the child's tax rate, typically the lowest 10 percent rate.

Only when a child's investment earnings top the combined limit — in 2019 and 2020 that's $2,200 (the untaxed $1,100 and the next $1,100 taxed at the child's rate) — is the young financier's excess unearned income taxed at the rates that apply to trusts and estates.

Or parents can opt to include a child's gross income in the adults' gross income and calculate the kiddie tax there. One of the requirements for this parental election is that a child's gross income for 2019 and 2020 must be more than $1,100 but less than $11,000.

Estate and trust tax rates: Wait. There's an estate tax and estate and trust taxes, too?

Yes. Earnings from trusts and estates have their own tax rate schedule for income that trustees choose to retain rather than distribute to beneficiaries.

Under this system, higher rates kick in at lower income levels than the tax rates and income brackets for individual taxpayers. The design intentional to keep trusts from being used as tax shelters.

However, the TCJA lowered tax rates for trusts and estates, just like it did for individuals, at least through 2025. It also reduced the number of trust and estate tax brackets from five to four.

The estate and trust tax rates for 2019 and 2020 are shown in the table below.

Trusts and Estates Tax Rates & Income Brackets

 Rates

 2019

 2020

 10%

 $0 to $2,600

 $0 to $2,600

 24%

 $2,601 to $9,300

 $2,601 to $9,450

 35%

 $9,301 to $12,750

 $9,451 to $12,950

 37%

 $12,751 and more

 $12,951 and more

Get tax help, more inflation updates: Obviously, when you're talking inter-generational income and how to make, preserve, distribute and pay taxes on it, things, like families, can get very complicated very quickly.

I guess being wealthy is not as easy as it looks. But I'd certainly be willing to give it a try.

If you are at a higher income level and need to consider any of these family wealth and investment issues, remember that this post and inflation amounts are just informational. Before you go trying to set up a tax-wise estate plan, your best first move is to hire a good financial and tax adviser.

However, you can still come back here tomorrow as the ol' blog's 10-part 2020 inflation series continues. You can check out the five inflation items before this and get a preview of what's to come the rest of this week at the end of Part 1.

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