Kaftans like this one were worn by Ottoman princes who died when they were children. Woven of silk and metal-wrapped thread, it shows that even in childhood Ottoman princes were dressed in the same lavish style as the sultan and his courtiers. The design of a meandering vine set with tulips was also found in contemporary embroidery.
These luxurious kaftans were preserved in imperial tombs where, in accordance with Ottoman custom, they were placed over the graves of the deceased. This one may have come from one of the graves of the 19 younger sons of Sultan Murat III. They were executed at the succession of their half-brother, Mehmet III, in 1595. This gory practice, designed to avoid a struggle for the succession, was never repeated.