Kaftans like this one were worn by Ottoman princes who died when they were children. They were preserved in imperial tombs where they were placed over the graves of the deceased.
This example, woven of silk and metal-wrapped thread, shows that the young Ottoman princes were dressed in the same lavish style as the sultan and his courtiers. The wide range of designs include a meandering vine set with tulips, which is also found in contemporary embroidery.
This kaftan may have come from one of the graves of the 19 younger sons of Sultan Murat III. They were all 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.