 Multiple princes were now eligible for the Sultanate, and all of them lived in Topkapı Palace.A court faction headed by the Şeyhülislam Esad Efendi and Sofu Mehmed Pasha (who represented the Grand Vizier when he was away from Constantinople) decided to enthrone Mustafa instead of Ahmed's son Osman.Sofu Mehmed argued that Osman was too young to be enthroned without causing adverse comment among the populace.