u/Nanakurokonekochan

I didn’t want this comment of mine about Mehmed, the “peerless amongst princes”, remain in the comments section 😇

Here’s a letter from Mehmed addressed to his father Suleyman:

“My mother (Hurrem) is well, but she weeps day and night because of your separation. Conditions in the city are favorable for now. …Hayreddin Pasha defeated the enemy, captured 180 galleys, and sank the rest at sea. My sultan, I am reading the second chapter of the Manevi”

About the book Manevi Mehmed was reading: Mevlânâ Jalâl al-Dîn al-Rûmî’s most famous work, the Mesnevi-yi Manevi, is a six-volume collection. According to general consensus, the work was begun between 1258 and 1261 and completed between 1260 and 1267.

⭐️Mehmed mentioned Hayreddin Pasha here. After Oruç's death, Hızır Hayreddin Pasha consolidated his power, captured Algiers, and was officially appointed Grand Admiral by Suleyman the Magnificent in 1533.

⭐️Suleyman was away from the capital between 1533-35: The Irakeyn Campaign, launched by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent against the Safavids between 1533 and 1535, was one of the Ottoman Empire’s largest and longest-running military operations in the East. Targeting the two main regions of Iraq (Irak-ı Acem and Irak-ı Arab), the most significant turning point of this campaign occurred with the capture of Baghdad on November 28, 1534.

Therefore I date back this letter to this period. Mehmed was only around 12 year old here and already reading literature masterpieces. He was a smart fella.

The saddest part is, the construction of Mehmed’s Mosque complex and Mihrimah’s Mosque complex were started around the same time, which is immediately after his death. Two siblings’ mosques, on each coast of Istanbul… only one of the eldest siblings remained on this Earth after 1543 ☹️☹️☹️

About the construction of their mosques please check down below:
https://www.reddit.com/r/sultanateofwomen/s/W4Z5KOzG2f

A user just asked me to make a separate post about Meryem’s 2013 interview. TW: Meryem was at a very low point during her life before she abruptly quit filming MC, so this may be triggering to those who have mental health issues.

Highlights from Meryem’s 2013 interview after she left the set due to burnout and depression:
(She was pregnant at the time of the interview with her first daughter)

Meryem was about to wrap season 3 of MC when she had to urgently fly back to Germany to get treatment for her burnout and depression.

She was mentally in such a bad place that when she heard the doorbell ring while in Germany, she thought some people would forcefully take her back to the film set in Turkey. She feels very sorry for having to leave the set, but explains that she had no other choice. She feel very guilty about disappointing Meral Okay, the script writer who passed away while Meryem was still filming.

She attempted unaliving herself after an awards ceremony. Then she shattered the award and cut herself by mistake.

Meryem says she needed to be in Germany to get mental health help, not because Turkey doesn’t offer the help but because of the language barrier it would be pretty difficult to seek help for depression there

The MC producer firmly refused her return to the series after she had to fly back to Germany, because he thought this was unprofessional. Her brother tried to intervene on her behalf but he made up his mind about replacing her with a new actress.—he openly talked about this during an interview.

Because her Turkish was not fluent at the time, sometimes she had to stay up all night studying the script to catch up with other actors and actresses

She admits that she had trouble adapting to Turkey, she felt so lonely that she enjoyed the attention she got from her ex bf initially. She met her bf when she was already in a bad place mentally. Even before meeting him she felt so lonely and out of place that she didn’t even think of googling his name or extracting some personal information about this man. She has more friends in Berlin at the time of her departure from the show and she felt she had a better social safety net in Germany. She complains about the social norms in Turkey.

Her ex bf made unsolicited comments about her weight and was abusive towards her when she said she wanted to keep the baby.

She says MC Hurrem and Meryem are opposite personalities and she felt like she completely destroyed Meryem during filming

🩵I’m glad Meryem is mentally doing much better nowadays, she’s involved in lots of new projects, filming and has new sponsorships! She’s such a kind, graceful and emotionally intelligent woman and her personality is so gentle and resilient. The producers seem to finally have reconciled with her and I’m looking forward to her new projects.

Sorry for the clickbaity title 😁, but I really do find some similarities between these historical figures as well as stark differences! (Gülnus wanted to work together with him for instance!)

I made a post about Haseki Gulnus Sultan’s daughter Hatice Sultan previously, and I wanted to make a follow up post about her first husband Musahip Mustafa and why it was hard for me to believe their marriage produced four sons as some historians claim.

Here is my previous post:
https://www.reddit.com/r/sultanateofwomen/s/tnJd97sKBJ

⭐️ Musahips in Ottoman Empire: What is a “Musahip” exactly?

Musahips can be described as close confidants to the Sultan in the Ottoman court. Thanks to their close friendship with the Sultan they formed strong bonds on an official and personal level.

Musahip Mustafa Pasha rarely left the Mehmed IV’s side, enjoyed a privileged position within the court.

According to Rycaut, Mehmed IV felt great affection and loyalty toward Musahip Mustafa Pasha. Apparently “Sultan Mehmed’s joy would fade whenever he was not with him”. Another detail is that, Musahip Mustafa Pasha dressed like the Sultan, and accompanied him along on trips. Rycaut adds that Mehmed IV demanded that everyone in the palace show the same respect to his musahip as they did to him. (The relationship between Mustafa Pasha and Mehmed IV reminds me of the close friendship between Pargali Ibrahim Pasha and Suleyman I in their younger days. It’s also interesting that, Haseki Gülnus Sultan is the only woman who was able to somehow mirror Haseki Hurrem Sultan’s bond with Suleyman with her own master Mehmed IV)

According to Silahdâr, the pasha’s date of death falls between September 29, 1686, and October 8, 1686. He also notes that at the time of his death, the pasha was a little over forty years old. Venetian ambassador Giambattista Donado notes that Mustafa Pasha and Mehmed IV were around the same age. Their close age is another similarity with Pargali Ibrahim Pasha and Sultan Suleyman! (Gülnus is also around the same age as Mehmed IV!)

⭐️ Musahip Mustafa Pasha was promoted to “Second Vizier” position in July 1666. The Sultan might have tried to counterbalance the influence of the Köprülü family by appointing someone from his inner circle to a lead governmental position.

⭐️ According to the accounts of Zühdî, Donado and Şeyhî: Mustafa Pasha was very smart, the favorite of the Sultan, a reliable person, very mature, reasonable, religious, fluent in Persian and Arabic, interested in poems, literature, good at math, and a man of culture. Very much like Pargali Ibrahim Pasha’s early description by Venetian ambassadors..

⭐️ Musahip Mustafa Pasha married Hatice Sultan, Mehmed IV’s daughter in 1675 in a lavish marriage ceremony. Hatice was born in 1668 so she was just a child at the time and the marriage wasn’t consummated until the princess came of age.

⭐️ After Fâzil Ahmed Paşa passed away in 1676, it was possible that Musahip Mustafa Pasha could be promoted to Grand Vizierate however Mehmed IV promoted third vizier Merzifonlu Kara Mustafa Pasha to this position instead. Merzifonlu Kara Mustafa Pasha was raised under the leadership of Köprülü family. There are rumors about a possible clash between Merzifonlu Kara Mustafa Pasha and Musahip Mustafa Pasha. (Thank goodness for their nicknames because they’re both Mustafa’s lol)

De La Croix and Donado point out a possible clash:

De La Croix implies that he was distanced from Musahip Mustafa Pasha, noting that the latter had sought the position of kaymakam of the rikâb-i hümâyûn during the Çehrin Campaign (1678), but that Kara Mustafa Pasha had prevented this and instead chose Kara Ibrahim Pasha. Funny enough Hatice Sultan joined the campaign to Chehrin, Russia, alongside her father Mehmed IV, her mother Haseki Gülnus Sultan, and her brothers Ahmed (III) and Mustafa (II).

On the other hand Nâbî highlights the friendship between the two. Opinions are divided on the matter of their rivalry.

⭐️ The dismissal of Merzifonlu Kara Mustafa Pasha from Grand Vizierate who suffered a crushing defeat at the gates of Vienna in 1683, was a turning point in Musahip Mustafa Pasha’s career.

But it also somehow led to Musahip Mustafa Pasha’s removal from the court. An anonymous historical account states that the pasha’s influence and prestige lasted until the time of Austria’s attack on Buda, and that after the defeat at Vienna, he was needed as the Kaptan-ı Derya (Admiral of the fleet). Needless to say, this new Admiral of the fleet position was the reason Musahip Pasha had to be away from the capital from now on.

⭐️ Indeed, the Venetian bailo Giovanbattista Donado reported that Haseki Gülnus Sultan was wishing to strengthen her daughter Hatice’s position, and she had asked her son in law Musahip Mustafa Pasha a total of three times to accept the Grand Vizierate position, but Musahip Mustafa Pasha had rejected this offer. Musahip apologized by presenting gifts, and by this gesture he had kept his mother in law’s favor, thereby continuing to be loved and respected for some time longer. One stark contrast to Hurrem and Ibrahim; Gülnus actually wanted this man to be the Grand Vizier and wanted to work together with him haha 😆

⭐️ As a conclusion we can say Musahip Mustafa Pasha’s expulsion from the palace stemmed from the power balances and rivalries within the court.
I’d like to also add that Musahips, who were the Sultan’s close confidantes, also took the toll from Sultan’s failures when things went south, that is—the defeat at Vienna in 1683.

⭐️ Final years:
Musahip Mustafa Pasha was invited to the capital again on December 9th, 1684 for a talk.
They met with the Sultan on January 15th, 1685 in Çorlu to discuss some matters.

Musahip Mustafa Pasha set sail from Beşiktaş on April 12, 1685 heading for the Mediterranean. The Venetian ambassador Donado, who observed this process, noted that although the Musahip lacked practical experience, he possessed theoretical knowledge.

About a year later in 1686, following the martyrdom of Halil Pasha, the commander of Morea, the commander position was initially given to Siyavuş Pasha; however, after he too was martyred in battle, this duty was transferred to Musahip Mustafa Pasha. Musahip Pasha eventually developed health problems and passed away in late 1686. He was in his 40’s at the time of his death and his wife Hatice was only 18 yo.

❌ Regarding Musahip Mustafa Pasha and Hatice Sultan’s children:
Hatice was born in 1668. At the time of Musahip Mustafa Pasha’s death, she would be only 18 years old. Considering that Mustafa Pasha was usually away from the capital on his final years, even if this marriage was consummated after Hatice Sultan came of age, it doesn’t give much credibility to the existence of the alleged four sons.

There is just not enough time for four children in my own personal interpretation of their marital history, but I will still share the findings of several historians:

>!Oztuna, in his work “Mustafa Paşa (Dâmâd Musâhib)" says Hatice Sultan and Mustafa Pasha lost a son named Hasan in 1684 at the age of seven. But according to this account Hasan would be born in 1677, when Hatice was 9 years old, which is impossible. Öztuna says other children from this marriage died young.!<

>!Nâbî wrote a 10-verse poetic chronicle on the occasion of Mehmed Bey’s birth—who is allegedly Mustafa Pasha’s son.!<

>!Mustafa Pasha’s son Süleyman Bey tried to intervene the process following Musahip Mustafa Pasha’s bequest of his estate in Küçükçekmece to his daughter Saliha Hanım and the subsequent division of the property between his son-in-law Omer Ağa and his grandson Mustafa after her death.!<

>!According to official records, it appears that Mustafa Pasha had two sons named Süleyman Bey and Mustafa Bey, and two daughters named Saliha Hanım and Emetullah Hanım. I’m not sure about the mothers of these children. A portion of these kids might be from a different woman, transcriptions from records could be wrong, as I said I am making an educated guess here and thinking the timeline of events just doesn’t give enough room for four kids.!<

Source:
Sultanın Musahibi: Bir Devlet Adamı, Entelektüel ve Hami Olarak Kuloğlu Mustafa Paşa
Metin Aydar

Bragadin’s 1526 report describes the close friendship of Sultan Suleyman and Ibrahim Pasha:

“Ibrahim is the Sultan’s right hand man. He does whatever the Sultan asks, and the Sultan does nothing without consulting him—nor does Ibrahim. Ibrahim is from Parga; he has no children. He is a frail man, with a small face, pale, not very tall, kind-hearted, eloquent, and entertaining.

…

He loves to have fun and really enjoys having novels read to him. He reads books about the life of Alexander the Great, Hannibal, wars, and history. He composes music with an Iranian musician at the palace.

…

The Sultan loves him dearly and cannot do without him; he often stays at the palace by the Sultan’s side, and they even sleep in beds with their heads touching. Every day, the Sultan writes important tasks to him with his own hand and sends them via a mute messenger. Ibrahim Pasha also records all the tasks that are carried out. Suleyman cannot live without Ibrahim Pasha.

…

Sultan Suleyman had a beautiful palace built for them (Ibrahim and Muhsine Hatun), but the Janissaries ransacked it a bit. It was later repaired. He has a wife but no children; his mother and two brothers live in the palace. His mother, who has embraced Islam, lives in a room next to his and provides great assistance to the Christians. His father has a Sanjak in Parga, which has a revenue of 2,000 ducats a year.

In the past, everyone used to hate him, but now that they’ve seen how much the Sultan loves him, everyone is trying to befriend him—including the Sultan’s mother*, his wife (Hurrem), and the other two Pashas. (*This is interesting because in one of his letters to his wife Muhsine Hatun, Ibrahim mentions that Muhsine had formerly turned down invitations from Hafsa Hatun to visit Imperial Palace and she even refused to attend the circumcision ceremony of a Prince.)

No one ever opposes him on any matter. That is why he can do whatever he wants. He is very loyal to his Sultan. He enjoys receiving gifts in public, but he never accepts any gifts in secret.”

The report by Secretary Daniello De Ludovisi read in the Senate on June 3, 1534 however, contained much harsher words about Ibrahim and mentioned the execution of Ferhad Pasha, and Ibrahim’s dispute with Rüstem…
This may be related to the failure of the 1529 Siege of Vienna and Ibrahim’s eventual fall out of favor.

Suleyman can be described as a man who had favorites and enjoyed devoting most of his private time to his favorites. He had a favorite consort: Hurrem, a favorite friend: Ibrahim and a favorite son: Mehmed.

Bragadin also recounts the story of Sultan Suleyman eating together with Ibrahim and Prince Mustafa getting offended and throwing a childish fit because his father eats everyday “with his slave”.

I previously had talked about the “Sultans eat alone” custom in Ottoman Empire here https://www.reddit.com/r/sultanateofwomen/s/pLaxlFGsKi

Even if I haven’t seen any direct reports or dispatches mentioning Suleyman ate together with Hurrem and his family, and breaking the custom of Mehmed the conqueror, it’s very likely that he broke that tradition—he was also reported to be “spending every night at the harem with the same woman” early in their relationship, who is inarguably Hurrem, so my educated guess is Suleyman ate together with Hurrem and possibly their children on many occasions.

One more thing I’d like to mention is, each Sultan’s reign is pretty unique, and the more I study Ottoman history, the more I realize we should take general Islamic rules or Ottoman customs with a grain of salt and focus on contemporary reports and sources. Not that these rules or customs don’t have any significance but Sultans keep surprising me in many ways. I’ve become increasingly wary of making assumptions about a certain period based on the rules and customs of another period, depends on the occasion of course, but it’s definitely something to keep an eye on.

Edit: Since some of you guys are wondering if this relationship between them was anything more than just close friendship, I personally don’t think so. I think it was just Ibrahim keeping his Hasodabasi (head of the privy chamber) traditions even after being promoted to Grand Vizier position in an unprecedented way.

I think, this close friendship was probably seen as a breach of security by bystanders over anything else. Sultan Suleyman is the most vulnerable during eating and sleep, and him allowing Ibrahim into his personal space means he 100% trusts him with his life which is a bit risky given that Ibrahim had amassed considerable power on his own as a Grand Vizier.

However, Hasodabaşı (head of privy chamber, Ibrahim’s former position) was a position that required responsibility over Sultan’s personal care, assisting the Sultan with dressing and undressing during official ceremonies, daily life and managing his personal living space. Dressing the Sultan is quite an important task because Hasodabasi needs to make sure the Sultan is safe, his clothes are clean and safe etc. When Ibrahim was Has Odabaşı he probably overtook those tasks, so I don’t really think it’s odd for him to have an intimate, personal connection with the Sultan and be very close to him physically at the time. (I really don’t think it’s anything sexual honestly)

After he was promoted to Grand Vizier in an unprecedented way tho, this close friendship was probably no longer seen appropriate. It seems like Ibrahim just climbed up the career ladder a bit too fast and couldn’t leave behind his Hasodabasi ways even after being promoted to Grand Vizierate.

Episode 138 is one of the most tragic episodes in Magnificent Century, as we watch Beyazid’s sons being executed in front of him by Selim’s men. Beyazid’s final words are not the type of words a person can easily stomach: "Yüzyıllar geçse bile hainlikle, sarhoşlukla anılacaksın!" screams a defeated Beyazid. (“Even after many centuries, you will be remembered for your treachery and drunkenness!” in English)

As Beyazid breaks through the “fourth wall”, an invisible barrier in film between the viewers and actors, he blinks at our modern perception of Selim.—convincing us, who now live in modern day after some centuries later, that Selim is the evil one undeserving of his throne.

The reality is different. Neither Selim was as drunk and incompetent as the slander against him suggests, nor Beyazid was this misunderstood Prince who was constantly wronged by his older brother and cast aside by his own father.

In Costantino Garzoni’s 1573 relazione, the Venetian senator in the legate of Bailo Marcantonio Barbaro reports:

&gt;>”Selim leaves the management of the state and the faring of wars in the hands of Grand Vizier Mehmet Pasha, although the latter would never put into effect any act of great consequence without consulting with the Grand Signore.”

Some more details about Selim actually being a competent Sultan who simply didn’t comply to 16th century social norms can be found here
https://www.reddit.com/r/sultanateofwomen/s/kRLVWzfTkf

Beyazid on the other hand, challenged Suleyman’s patience over and over again after his mom Hurrem Sultan’s passing, gathered paid troops, refused to move to his newly assigned provincial position in Amasya, and the subsequent Battle of Princes in Konya & Beyazid’s rebellion can even be tied to future Celali rebellions as I explained here: https://www.reddit.com/r/sultanateofwomen/s/FqoKgelSv0

(Also the English translation of a letter from Mihrimah to her father Suleyman written during the period Beyazid refused to move to Amasya can be found here https://www.reddit.com/r/sultanateofwomen/s/rwdmK3d3SX Mihrimah was quite shocked at his behavior unlike how she’s portrayed in MC and had a more stabilizing role between her two brothers. I’ve summarized the Konya Battle of Princes here https://www.reddit.com/r/sultanateofwomen/s/MAUSIWXPfj )

His 30.000 armed man turned into a large, armed mass of bandits in Anatolia which posed a threat in the second half of 16th century. This was NOT the sole reason of Celali rebellions of course, but it was one of them, and as a result so many innocent Anatolian villagers suffered as these bandits SA’d and looted people. There are reports of women and children being SA’d by these bandits in kadi records.

This Battle of Princes was such a turning point in Ottoman History starting from this period only the eldest prince was assigned a Sanjakbey position. —not by choice during Selim II’s reign of course, as his other sons than Murad (III) were simply too young to be assigned provincial positions.

There are still traces of these Celali rebellions in Anatolia today if we dig deep enough, so I find it a bit ironic for Beyazid to tell Selim that he will be remembered as the traitor even after many centuries pass..

This also makes me think of the Ottoman Interregnum (fetret devri). Fratricide was a horrible practice, but it seems there was simply no other way of preventing civil war and fratricide was seen as a contemporary solution of preventing the suffering of thousands of innocent civilians by sacrificing a few. Still incredibly tragic, but what I’m trying to say is that there is more nuance to this situation than “omg evil Ottomans murdering their own princes!!”

I still find Murad III’s non stop fathering of children incredibly irresponsible tho. He should have stopped himself after a few healthy spare princes.

I’m just thinking, the ramifications of Beyazid’s rebellion are overshadowed by this supposed ugly duckling of the family story. Even Pecevi later criticized Beyazid and said, “perhaps his circumcision ceremony was cut short because the God didn’t intend a festive ceremony for a rebellious Prince”. (Comparing his ceremony to his older brother’s, which was longer) I actually find Beyazid’s rebellion even more treacherous than Prince Mustafa’s open acceptance of love and adoration from Janissaries, because Beyazid had lived through an example of “the execution of Mustafa”. Mustafa on the other hand, might have thought he would be next Sultan anyway as usually it’s the oldest Prince who gets the throne except for Selim I’s example (Suleyman’s father) and Suleyman was in poor health some time before his execution.

🦋In the second half of the 16th century, the institutional structure of the Ottoman Empire began to deteriorate, the madrasas were also affected by this decline. Madrasas (educational institutions) admitted more students than they could accommodate, and students graduated without the necessary qualifications. The graduates turned into rebels/bandits after not being able find employment. Over time, these “suhte” bandit groups evolved into units of hundreds or even thousands, and turned the lives of innocent Anatolian villagers into living hell by forming illegal forces. There were cases of SA’s against women and children :( it’s also interesting how these men were educated in Islamic arts in the Madrasa, but ended up looting and SA’ing people, which is strictly against Islamic values.

🦋The population growth experienced in the 16th-century Ottoman Empire was also one of the major causes of the social and financial crisis. In particular, the increase in the population in Anatolia led to a rise in the number of people without shelter, land, or work, which in turn caused the formation of gangs, an increase in banditry and looting, and major hardships for farmers. So, this crisis had strictly economic reasons.

🦋The state was aware of the consequences: Ottoman Empire’s economy was mostly based on animal husbandry and agriculture, and if the production in the villages were affected by these bandits, it would affect the whole empire. Military precautions were taken in Suleyman’s and Selim II’s period.

🦋The WORST wave of Celali rebellions happened during Murad III’s period, but these rebellions rooted back to Suleyman’s reign:

⭐️⭐️The constant campaigns against Safavid Empire and Austria, and problems with sipahi forces

⭐️⭐️Düzmece Mustafa incident—a false Prince Mustafa appeared after Prince Mustafa’s execution

⭐️⭐️Prince Bayezid’s rebellion and his escape to Safavid Empire, 30,000 soldiers joined him. A large, armed mass in Anatolia posed a threat in the second half of 16th century. (Honestly, Beyazid caused so much harm to the empire by his rebellious behavior, and the ramifications of his rebellion continued through decades)

⭐️⭐️Groups of bandits of “Sipahi” (Turkish men of Anatolian origin, as opposed to Devşirme class from the Balkans that didn’t have Anatolian roots) and “Sekban” origin joined those rebels, along with medrese students known as “suhte”. They were bandits spread across all the provinces of Anatolia, raided villages and towns, forcibly collecting food and money, and killing residents who resisted them.
(When these sipahis and sekbans are turned into bandits who loot and attack villages they’re now called “Celali” rebels if this is confusing)

🦋Unlike his father Selim II and his grandfather Sultan Suleyman, Murad III tried to have a more peaceful approach to those bandits: He attempted to negotiate with these rebels. He pardoned them at some point, but realized that the bandits continued to pillage the villages.

Murad III might have believed that he could solve the issue through a more diplomatic approach, and with military force if necessary but he didn’t take the necessary measures to address the root cause of the issue: He failed to implement reforms regarding those Madrasas (educational institutions) where those bandits and rebels were once educated in. Some corrupt local statesmen would turn a blind eye to those rebels. Things got so bad, there was no safety of life or property for those living in rural areas.

🦋The third and ABSOLUTELY WORST wave of the Celali Rebellions began in the late 16th century during Murad III’s reign. The prolonged wars placed a heavy burden on the treasury, in 1586, the devaluation of money happened, and the silver content of the akçe was reduced by 44 percent. (The silver that European merchants had begun bringing into the Ottoman Empire in 16th century had created a surplus of silver and began to disrupt the Ottoman domestic market.)

The resulting inflation cut the people’s purchasing power nearly in half. These rebellions continued into his son Mehmed III’s reign.

The long Ottoman-Iranian War (1578–1590) and the Ottoman-Austrian War (1593–1606) certainly didn’t help. During Haçova battle (1596) against the Austrians, a large number of “tımarlı sipahis” who had lost their estates crossed over to Anatolia and joined the Celalis. Some of the population had taken refuge in nearby safe cities and towns to escape the Celali raids. Anatolia was brought into further chaos.

🦋The “Sekban” unit had replaced the Sipahis, but they also joined the bandits when they found themselves unemployed during peacetime. Their numbers had reached 25,000 to 30,000. The Great Celali Rebellions began after the Battle of Haçova in 1596 as I explained above, the battle was personally commanded by Sultan Mehmed III.—a stark difference to his father Murad III who rarely left his residence.

Under the leadership of Karayazıcı Abdülhalim, the Celalis became quite dangerous. Karayazıcı gathered groups of deserters who did not want to go to war. Starting in 1598, they began attacking towns and cities. They established control over Central Anatolia and the Maraş region. After Karayazıcı’s death in 1602, they spread throughout
all of Anatolia.

In the summer of 1608, the Ottoman Army, led by Kuyucu Murat Pasha, put an end to the Celali uprisings. Kuyucu Murat Pasha’s campaign against the bandits eliminated the remaining Celali rebels.

Source:
Mustafa Akdağ
Selaniki

Hatice Sultan in Magnificent Century is a combination of Sehzade Sultan aka “Hanimsultan” and Muhsine Hatun

By 1523, Sultan Suleyman had three surviving sisters of marriageable age: Sehzade Sultan (also known as Hanimsultan), Beyhan Sultan and Sah Sultan. Sah Sultan is his half sister. Here is more details about Suleyman’s surviving sisters: https://www.reddit.com/r/sultanateofwomen/s/4Dl4Tm5h2d

Ismail Hakki Uzuncarsili wrote a paper about “Hanimsultan” who was married to İskender Pasha. In the fictional universe of MC, Hatice was also married to another pasha prior to her marriage to Ibrahim as a young girl, and then this old pasha had passed away. However, considering the one son per one concubine rule, historical Suleyman’s sisters should be older than him.

The real Hanimsultan had three sons and one daughter with İskender Pasha: Mehmed Shah, Osman Shah, Süleyman Bey, and Nefise Hatun—Mehmed Shah had passed away young. In the show, Hatice also has a son named Osman.

Hanım Sultan passed away in the early months of 945 H. (1538) and in accordance with her will, her son Osman Shah Bey had the mosque and madrasa in Kızıl, Aksaray—construction had begun that same year—built.

A copy of a waqf deed belonging to Osmanşah Bey, son of İskender Pasha, dated 1568, is held in the Topkapı Palace Museum Library.

This copy of the waqf deed provides detailed information regarding the endowments of the mosque and soup kitchen that Osman Shah Bey had built in Tırhala for his mother, Hanım Sultan—who is described as the daughter of Yavuz Sultan Selim—as well as the mosque he had built in Istanbul.

The interesting bit is, Venetian sources record that when İskender Pasha, who was married to Selim’s daughter, was killed in 1515, his wife was remarried to Mustafa Pasha. In the 1529 in’âm records, it is noted that Mustafa Pasha’s wife was Şehzade Sultan. Therefore we could assume this Hanimsultan who was indeed formerly married to İskender Pasha, was Sehzade Sultan herself. Archival records makes me think Sehzade Sultan, Hatice Sultan and “Hanimsultan” are all the same person.

Hanimsultan is a title that is used by imperial princesses. Mihrimah Sultan, in her letters to Sigismund II Augustus also signs her letters with the title Hanimsultan: https://www.reddit.com/r/sultanateofwomen/s/07CknMjlYV

In MC, Hatice later married Ibrahim Pasha. In reality, Ibrahim’s wife was named Muhsine. https://www.reddit.com/r/sultanateofwomen/s/cpRn7IQjJh The Ibrahim-Hatice-Mustafa-Mahidevran faction we watched in MC actually happens with Ibrahim, Muhsine, Mustafa and Mahidevran in history, with Mahidevran and Muhsine Hatun exchanging letters.

One historically accurate bit in MC is, Hatice Sultan passes away before wrapping up Season 3, and the real Hanimsultan/Sehzade Sultan also passed away in 1538.

It seems like, much like they did in “The Tudors”, they’ve created this “combination princess” who is a little bit of both in Magnificent Century.

Summary: from the information I’ve found down below, I’ve come to the conclusion that by 1523, Suleyman has three surviving sisters of marriageable age: Sehzade Sultan (also known as Hanimsultan), Beyhan Sultan and Sah Sultan. Sah Sultan is his half sister.

🦋The entry dated March 8, 1523, in the “İn'âmât Defteri” records indicates that Şah Sultan and Şehzade Sultan were siblings of Sultan Suleyman and another entry dated March 10, 1523, also mentions a sister named Beyhan Sultan. (Wife of Ferhad Pasha)

🦋The entry “Vâlide-i mezkûr Şah Sultan” also reveals that Şah Sultan’s unnamed mother was still alive in 1523. Şah Sultan’s (Lutfi Pasha’s wife) mother was not Hafsa Hatun.

🦋Sah Sultan had a different mother: Hafsa Hatun, the mother of Sultan Suleyman, first received a gift package (bohça) in 1512 the year Yavuz Sultan Selim ascended the throne. It appears that these gifts continued to be given in 1513 and 1515&1516 as well. The fact that the 1523 records of gifts mention that a gift was given to the mother of Sultan Suleyman’s sister Sah Sultan, without mentioning her mother’s name, suggests that their mothers were different.

🦋Archival records for “Hanimsultan’s” marriage to İskender Pasha (note that “Hanimsultan” is a title for an imperial princess, I’ll explain why I think this princess is Sehzade Sultan):
For Selim’s “berây-ı harc-ı cihâz-ı duhter-i hod” (the dowry of his daughters to be married), without specifying the daughters’ names, Sultan Bayezid II sent 500,000 akça on March 6, 1507, and 40,000 akça in cash along with various valuable fabrics were sent on August 25, 1509.
Another record dated August 31, 1509 reveals Hanimsultan’s wedding invitation “berây-ı arûs-ı mübârek” and mentions Selim Bey, the sanjak-bey of Trabzon, and his son Süleyman. Archival records also reveal that various gifts were sent from the imperial capital in 1509, 1510, 1511, and 1512 for Selim’s daughter “Hanım Sultan” who was married to İskender Bey (Pasha), who served first as the sanjak-bey of Eğriboz and later as that of Gelibolu.

🦋Venetian sources record that when İskender Pasha, who was married to Selim’s daughter, was killed in 1515, his wife was remarried to Mustafa Pasha. In the 1529 in’âm records, it is noted that Mustafa Pasha’s wife was Şehzade Sultan. Therefore we could assume this Hanimsultan was Sehzade Sultan herself. (Edit: Hanimsultan, Sehzade Sultan and Hatice Sultan seem like three separate women, but to me they all appear to be the same person.)

🦋Uzuncarsili suggests Iskender Pasha had three sons and one daughter—Mehmed Shah, Osman Shah, Süleyman Bey, and Nefise Hatun with Hanimsultan. —who is likely Sehzade Sultan. (Hanimsultan is a title for imperial princesses, Suleyman’s daughter Mihrimah also used this title)

🦋Therefore, it is likely that Şehzade Sultan, Beyhan Sultan, and Sultan Suleiman were born to the same mother, which is Hafsa Hatun. If the information provided by the Venetian ambassadors is correct, it is possible that Şehzade Sultan, who was married to İskender Pasha, was Sultan Suleiman’s full sister. However more information is certainly needed.

🦋All of this information reveals that in 1523, Sultan Süleyman had only three sisters of marriageable age: Şah Sultan, Şehzade Sultan (also called Hanimsultan), and Beyhan Sultan. Beyhan and Sehzade (Hanimsultan) Sultans are likely Hafsa Hatun’s daughters and Suleyman’s full sisters.

🩵

Bragadin in his 1526 report, mentions a Mustafa Pasha that is married to one of Suleyman’s sisters. This is the husband of Suleyman’s sister Sehzade Sultan (also known as Hanimsultan):

“The other pasha, named Mustafa, is 48 years old. He is of Albanian descent, elderly, and suffers from gout; he is bedridden for 8 out of every 12 months of the year due to his illness. He is a wise man and also the sultan’s brother-in-law, as he is married to the sultan’s sister. His sister had previously been married to Bostancı Pasha. The sultan’s father, [Yavuz Sultan] Selim, had Bostancı Pasha beheaded after he declared war on the Sufi [Safavid Shah] in Tabriz. It is said that he is one of our principality’s old friends; a somewhat disorganized, lustful man who drinks wine, a handsome man, very humane, talks a lot about state affairs, and has 700 slaves. He has an income of 70,000 ducats. He has money, but he is tight-fisted. He owns a great deal of jewelry. He has been to Cairo. It is said that when the sultan sent him from Rhodes to Egypt, he made a great deal of money there but sent none of it to the state. For this reason, the sultan was forced to recall him from Egypt.”

🩵

About Fatma Sultan and Kara Ahmed Pasha’s marriage: Eda Öner has done a masters thesis about Kara Ahmed Pasha in 2024, and found out that his wife Fatma Sultan is actually a Fatma Hanimsultan, a granddaughter of Beyazid II. Kara Ahmed Pasha was promoted to Grand Vizierate after Rustem Pasha’s dismissal.

The marriage of Janissary aghas to a Sultan’s granddaughters, called the “hanım sultans”, was a common practice in the 16th century.
I’ve also found out about Rustem Pasha possibly contemplating on marrying off his daughter Ayse Sultan (born to Mihrimah Sultan in 1547) to Ahmed Agha when he was a janissary Agha. —he’s known as Semiz Ahmed Pasha in his later years. https://www.reddit.com/r/sultanateofwomen/s/zGzr8FFcdV

Kara Ahmed Agha (later Kara Ahmed Pasha) indeed married a woman named Fatma. However, by going through Istanbul Kadi registers, Eda Öner found out the misconception that Kara Ahmed Pasha’s wife Fatma was the daughter of Selim I and the sister of Sultan Suleyman to be incorrect.

This is because in two shari’a court records—written after Kara Ahmed Pasha’s execution and indicating that he had freed four of his slaves during his lifetime—his wife is listed as “Fatma Sultan, daughter of Mustafa Bey.” Based on this, it is understood that Fatma Sultan’s father was not Sultan Selim I, but that she was related to the dynasty through her mother, who was married to a man named Mustafa Bey.

Said register:
Istanbul Qadi Registers 41: Balat Court Register No. 1 (h. 964–965 / m. 1557–1558)

Edit: This is not to say Selim I didn’t have a daughter named Fatma Sultan, but Eda Oner’s paper above definitely debunks that Kara Ahmed Pasha’s wife is a Fatma Hanimsultan, Beyazid II’s daughter, and not Selim I’s daughter. This is also important to know because when I first started studying Ottoman history I thought Hürrem Sultan had clashed with one of Suleyman’s sisters, and now we see that it was actually a granddaughter of Beyazid II.

That said, so much of Beyazid II and Selim I’s family records seem intertwined that we need more research on this matter. And except for a letter presented by Cagatay Ulucay, I couldn’t find a lot of information on her.

Source:

Eda Oner, Kara Ahmed Paşa

M. Hanefi Bostan, Yavuz Sultan Selim’in Sehzadelik Dönemi

İsmail Hakkı Uzuncarsili, Yavuz Sultan Selim'in Kızı Hanım Sultan ve Torunu Kara Osman Şah Bey Vakfiyeleri

Summary: it sounds a bit unrealistic to me that Selim tried to poison his sole heir Suleyman with a poisonous kaftan. Selim I worked to improve the territories and treasury of Ottoman Empire and it would be a fatal mistake to execute his sole adult heir and put the dynastic continuation at risk. These rumors were likely based on Selim I’s own personal experience with his father Beyazid and his competition with his brother Ahmed, giving him the reputation of a bloodthirsty man because he got the throne despite not being the eldest prince.

Let’s look at Suleyman’s princely years to analyze his relationship with his father:

🩵Selim I is declared padişah semi officially on April 24th 1512 (7 Safar 918 Friday)

🩵Selim I’s first job was to pursue his brother Ahmed and his sons who had a power base in Anatolia

🩵Selim I immediately sent a letter to Caffa and invited his son Suleyman to the capital. Selim I informed the Crimean Khan that he was now the Sultan of Ottoman Empire and requested his son Süleyman be sent to Istanbul to guard the city.
A Venetian letter dated June 18th 1512 from Ragusa, reported the departure of the armada kept at Caffa to Istanbul.

🩵Suleyman is greeted on the shores of Üsküdar with canon fires. The city was in a festive mood spreading beautiful textiles under the feet of his horse. For the first time, Suleyman’s future looked bright, and Selim I put up a show of his dynastic continuity. At this point in 1512, Suleyman and Selim were working together for their joint future and part of the same faction: If his father succeeded at getting rid of Ahmed and his son Suleyman would be the sole heir of the Ottoman throne.

🩵Year of 1513 marks a turning point in Suleyman’s claims to the throne. In late March 1513 Selim I wrote a letter to Süleyman who was guarding Istanbul at the time and asked his son to go to a location on the outskirts of Istanbul.

“… as soon as my imperial decree reaches you,
without delaying even for a moment or an hour, find a safe place near Istanbul so that you may come near Istanbul, for an important matter has arisen. Upon my command, once you have arrived near Istanbul, write and inform my royal court. Then, whatever form my exalted command
may take, you shall act in accordance with it. On this twenty-seventh day of the sacred month of Muharram, which is the appointed day, I too departed from the blessed city of Bursa with blessings and good fortune and, by the grace of Allah, set out toward Sultan Ahmed. Know this well: Place your trust in the sacred emblem. Written toward the end of Muharram al-Haram 919” Sultan Selim I to his son Suleyman

🩵11 days later, Selim and his brother Ahmed met in Yenişehir —not for a catch up but for a fight that would solidify Suleyman’s status as the heir to Ottoman throne. Ahmed was caught while attempting to flee to İzmit. Ahmed was executed and buried in Bursa, while his son Osman (Suleyman’s cousin) who was in Amasya at the time was captured by Selim’s forces. Both Ahmed’s son Osman and Murad’s son Mustafa (Ahmed’s grandson) were strangulated on May 14th, 1513.

🩵Nicolo Giustiniani, the Venetian bailo in Istanbul, reported that Selim would soon grant Suleyman a “Sanjak” — a province.

Manisa Sanjakbey in 1513:

Suleyman moved to his Manisa governorship as the only heir of the throne. Francesco Arimondo, the commander of Napoli di Romania, wrote on July 24th 1513: “the son of the Signor has gone to Manisa, where his father gave him the governorship”.

In 1514 and 1516, Suleyman was ordered to go to Edirne while his father Selim was leading a campaign. Selim sent at least two announcements of victory to Süleyman during the first Eastern campaign; one following the battle of Çaldıran and the other one following Kemah. They both ordered the prince to make celebrations for the victory.

Süleyman came to Istanbul and spent time with his father following Selim I’s return from the campaign in 1515. Suleyman arrived on July 26th, 1515 and was taken to İskender Pasha’s residence. Süleyman came over to present his gifts and kiss the Sultan’s hand. “… On the ninth day, a court session was held. The young, fortunate prince came to receive his (Selim’s) authorization and also to kiss the hand.” There are no contemporary records of whether Suleyman spent one on one “dad and son” time with Selim, but he performed his duty in these ceremonies displayed his loyalty to his father.

The met again near Kırklareli in 1518, and again Suleyman kissed his father’s hand and presented his loyalty. Lutfi Pasha observed that Sultan Selim I had appreciated his son and decided that his son was fit to rule after him.

Up until this point, it seems that while we are not sure if there was a deep father and son bond between Selim and Suleyman, it’s evident from the events took place during Suleyman’s princehood that Selim was confident that Suleyman would be a fit ruler after him and Suleyman meticulously followed his father’s orders. It’s very unlikely that Selim I who worked tooth and nail to expand the empire’s territories and who only had one legitimate heir at the time would make such an abrupt decision like killing his son and risk the continuation of Ottoman dynasty. It’s also important to note that Selim I seems to have stopped having relationships with women, which means he was content with his son Suleyman. On February 7th 1514, Antonio Giustiniani, reported that Sultan Selim did not wish to have any more children so he did not engage with women anymore. Alvise Mocenigo repeated the same information on June 4th 1518 and emphasized that Selim did not want any more children. (By this point Suleyman already had male kids of his own)

🩵

However, Giovio would tell the story of “Hafsa Hatun saving Süleyman’s life upon discovering the poisoned kaftan gifted to him by his father”:

“For it is said that he once wanted to kill his son with a garment laced with a most cruel poison, to avenge certain words of the boy’s that were too sharp; but that the mother, with shrewd mercy, refused the gift of that dangerous garment and, in Suleiman’s stead, gave it to one of her servants, thereby swiftly saving her son’s life.”

“Sultan Selim arrived in Constantinople, where
he had left Suleiman, his only son, under the guardianship of Piri Pasha, a man of great loyalty and singular prudence; and there were many who said that Suleiman had been in great danger of being poisoned by a robe dipped in poison, which his father had sent him, fearing that his son might do to him what he had done to Sultan Bayezid.”

Nicolo Giustiniani, the Venetian bailo in Istanbul also mentions the “poisoned gown” in his letters from April 1515.

I believe these reports are based on hearsay and are not indeed based on actual events. Had Selim thought Suleyman was truly a traitor, he would probably execute him with more traditional means and wouldn’t bother with a poisoned kaftan.

Source: Zeynep Yelce

One of the first posts I posted on this sub after I founded r/sultanateofwomen ten months ago, was about Ibrahim’s marriage. I made more discoveries since then so I’d like to make an update post! 📝

Ebru Turan’s 2009 article on Ibrahim Pasha debunks the popular myth that Ibrahim Pasha was married to “Hatice Sultan”, as we watched in Magnificent Century.

The show started airing in 2011, a couple of years after Ebru Turan published her paper “The Marriage of Ibrahim Pasha” in 2009. The paper introduces newly discovered material from the Ottoman and Venetian accounts, and firmly establishes the true identity of the pasha’s wife. Contrary to what historians generally agreed prior to 2009 — that the pasha was married to one of Süleyman’s sisters, he was actually married to a woman named “Muhsine Hatun”. The discovery of Muhsine sparked debate and controversy at first, and my personal opinion is because too little time had passed since the publishing of this paper for historians to reach a general consensus, it likely became the trigger behind the “Ibrahim cheating on Hatice Sultan with Nigar Kalfa” plot in the Magnificent Century. Muhsine’s mention in the letter must have confused the show producers and make them think Ibrahim cheated on Hatice Sultan.

According to Celalzade Ibrahim Pasha’s marriage ceremony started on May 22nd 1524 in an unprecedented festive wedding that lasted for two weeks. Suleyman personally attended the wedding on the fourteenth day on June 5th, 1524. The sultan’s involvement in this wedding & how festive the wedding was didn’t go unnoticed, and modern historians often took this piece of information to argue that Ibrahim Pasha’s wife must be one of The Grand Signor Süleyman’s sisters.

Ebru Turan adds: “In a four-page letter dated 20 October 1523 and written to the Council of Ten, Zen reported..”

“On the 13th of this month, a person came to see me, who was around 35 years old, not well dressed, making himself in his report by name and practice the nephew of the mother of the wife of the magnificent Ibrahim Pasha…. Let it be first known to your Signori that as to the relations with whom he associated himself was Iskender Pasha who raided in Friuli and to whom Zerbo was later sent by your Excellency to save him from his sickness. This one [Iskender] had initially as wife a noble woman from Pera who had already died many years ago, leaving him two daughters. One of them was married to that Yakub Aga who died, leaving his wife childless. She being a widow at the time when the sultan had San Maura, some Turks bought Ibrahim Pasha, who was very young, to him [Iskender Pasha], who later gave him [Ibrahim] to this Madonna, as she was still held by her father near Edirne. The other daughter of that Iskender had two daughters with a sancak beg [governor of a sub-province] and one of them married before a çavuş başı [head of palace officials] of this sultan, and the other one is at the moment being married to the aforementioned Magnificent Ibrahim Pasha. At the beginning she did not want to take him as husband, saying that he was her slave, but she was persuaded to consent as she has done and condescend to the wish of the sultan who wished it that way. And being these things true…”

Ibrahim Pasha’s wife Muhsine’s mother was named Hafsa, who also had another daughter named Fatma. This was confusing, as Süleyman’s mother was also named Hafsa and assumed to a daughter named Fatma. (Disputed information) His constant mention of “Hafsa” in good regards in his letters led historians to assume it was Hafsa Sultan, Süleyman’s mother.

However, Ebru Turan wasn’t the first historian to suggest that Muhsine Hatun was Ibrahim’s historically accurate wife. If was Ismail Hakki Uzuncarsili, a Turkish Historian who published a paper on Ibrahim and Muhsine’s relationship in 1965.

According to Uzuncarsili, Celalzade recorded Ibrahim Pasha’s wedding, and other historians like Pecevi and Solakzade copied the information from Celalzade’s work. (The Celalzade who keeps rolling his eyes whenever Ibrahim says insufferable things in MC lol) None of them mentioned that Ibrahim married a sister of Suleyman the Magnificent.

Uzuncarsili apologizes from his audience in this paper for previously suggesting that Ibrahim was married to Hatice, he adds that several historians cited this to create the “Ibrahim was married to Hatice Sultan” narrative. He thinks because of how festive Ibrahim’s wedding ceremony was, and because Suleyman personally attended the wedding festivities people might easily mistake it for the wedding of a princess.

According to Uzuncarsili, amongst Ibrahim Pasha’s letters, one particularly long letter gives us a clue. In a letter Ibrahim received from his wife in Istanbul, she stated that the Valide had passed away but that she had gone to the palace to offer her condolences without consulting him (that is, her husband), and she apologized to the Pasha for leaving her home without his consent. Hafsa Hatun passed away in March 1534 in Ramadan month therefore this letter must be dated around the same time.

If Ibrahim Pasha’s wife had indeed been a daughter of Yavuz Sultan Selim, she would not need to apologize to her husband for going to the palace to offer her condolences. The deceased Valide would be either her biological mother or a stepmother. — Ibrahim also mentions in his reply letter that his wife Muhsine didn’t attend the circumcision ceremony of the Prince and she turned down the former invitations of Hafsa Hatun, which makes it even less likely that she is the daughter of Yavuz Sultan Selim. There are zero mentions of his wife being the daughter of Selim I in his letters addressed to her between 1533-35 or during the Safavid campaign. A mosque in Kumkapi, built in 1532 is named after Muhsine Hatun.

Uzuncarsili briefly mentions that Ibrahim may not have given the permission for Muhsine to visit the Imperial Palace when he was away from the capital because of a horrific assault on a woman that happened during Mehmed the Conqueror’s reign: Prince Mustafa, a son of Mehmed the Conqueror had SA’d the beautiful second wife of Mahmud Pasha when he was away from the capital during Agriboz campaign. Prince Mustafa didn’t let the woman leave the palace for a night.

Source:

Ebru Turan

İsmail Hakkı Uzuncarsili

The funniest letter written to Sultan Suleyman by Hurrem so far:

"The sun of my realm,
the bright star of my happiness,
my sultan, my beloved from the bottom of my heart, my dearest friend, the light of my eyes, a piece of my soul!

You sent your concubine Gülfem* a box of cologne and 60 florins; my eyes went dark, and I quickly drank that cologne—come see what has become of me!

We had a guest in our chambers, and I didn’t know what to say; I dozed off for a long time—one person would flick my nose, another would make a fool of me. You’ve made a fool of me; God willing, we’ll catch up when we meet again…”

(* concubine in this context is used to describe humility, Gulfem wasn’t Suleyman’s sexual partner)

I’ve been reading about Qutb al-Din al-Nahrawali’s visit to the Ottoman Capital in 1558, and not only he personally witnessed Hurrem Sultan’s funeral https://www.reddit.com/r/sultanateofwomen/s/oSmt2Ka5of and talked to Prince Beyazid some weeks before his mother’s death, https://www.reddit.com/r/sultanateofwomen/s/Xb6aoEqQ3M but he also provides insight into Humasah Sultan’s step father and mother.

Humasah Sultan is Haseki Hurrem Sultan’s beloved granddaughter and Prince Mehmed’s daughter. I’ve posted about her here before:

Humasah Sultan, Prince Mehmed’s daughter, her marriage to Ferhad Pasha and Lala Mustafa Pasha https://www.reddit.com/r/sultanateofwomen/s/Wy0daIjuGf

This cute little detail I’ve noticed about Humasah Sultan and her grandmother Haseki Hurrem Sultan https://www.reddit.com/r/sultanateofwomen/s/Cr5UaEKoPu

🩵

Qutb al-Din al-Nahrawali met fourth vizier Pertev Pasha, a wealthy man. He describes him as a kind, modest and sincere person and was personally invited into his house, where he met two of his sons. He addresses the mother of these sons as “the widow of late Prince Mehmed.” Pertev Pasha seemed to be a good host to Qutb al-Din al-Nahrawali during his visit.

According to poet Nihadi, Pertev Pasha passed away in the autumn of 1572, on a Wednesday. His only recorded wife is Fütuha Hatun, therefore there is a possibility that this woman is Humasah Sultan’s mother. His wife and children are buried in his mausoleum. He had four sons; Mahmud, Mustafa, Mehmed and Ahmed and two daughters named Safiye and Hatice. Ahmed passed away before Pertev Pasha and Mahmud passed away around the Islamic year of 1012, or 1603. I haven’t been able to confirm if all of these children are from the same mother, or they had different mothers.

Some historians assumed that Fütuha is Prince Mustafa’s concubine. However Qutb al-Din al-Nahrawali describes one of these sons as a young teenager, so it’s impossible for a concubine of Mustafa to be married to Pertev Pasha sometime after Mustafa’s execution in 1553, and already have a young teenager in 1558.

A poem written for Pertev Pasha’s daughter Safiye:

She transitioned into the realm of eternity, O the Pure one, (Safiye means the “pure one”)
May light shine upon her grave,
The sacred voice announced the date.

Fun fact: Safiye Sultan (mother of Mehmed III and wife of Murad III) was raised in Humasah and Ferhad Pasha’s household! Safiye shared her name with one of Humasah’s step siblings.

🦋

Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent had appointed Pertev Pasha as an advisor to Prince Bayezid and Sokullu Mehmed Pasha as an advisor to Prince Selim.

However, because Bayezid did not pay attention Pertev Pasha’s guidance and advice, the Battle of Princes in Konya took place, resulting in Bayezid’s defeat, his escape to Safavid Empire, followed by his execution there.

Pertev Pasha also participated in the Conquest of Cyprus (1571) and was assaulted by the Janissaries during the events of Selim’s accession in 1566 https://www.reddit.com/r/sultanateofwomen/s/m7wP0BJ8lp

🦋

Information we can get from Humasah’s wakf deed about her mother and half siblings:

Humasah Sultan addresses her mother and half siblings in her will which was written in 1570. This is proof that her mother remarried, however from her wakf deed we cannot tell her mother’s name, this is where Qutb al-Din al-Nahrawali’s account becomes critical.

In her endowment deed, she requested that no one shall interfere between her children, neither “her mother”, nor her (half) siblings or relatives...

Humasah Sultan’s wakf deed: These statements indicate that her mother was alive by 1570 (her last wakf registry date) and that she had other siblings from her mother’s side, since her biological father passed away in his early twenties. Additionally, this critical piece of information suggests that her mother remarried after her father's death and Humasah did not leave anything to her half siblings from her mother’s side or mother in her will. —which now makes sense because Pertev Pasha was quite wealthy and his children didn’t need anything from Humasah Sultan’s wakf revenue. When I first started doing my research on Humasah I was a bit taken back by her not leaving anything to her mother or half siblings, but by doing further research, I was able to understand the reasons behind her decision!

🩵

I’m just thinking, maybe Humasah’s mother had a better life trajectory as the mother of a Princess, she married wealthy Pertev Pasha and led a better life than many concubines in history who lost their sons to fratricide and had tragic ends. Being married off to a Vizier suggests that she was perhaps well raised and educated enough to become the wife of a wealthy and influential Pasha after Prince Mehmed’s death. What if Humasah was a boy? I wonder what would happen after Prince Mehmed’s death, maybe Humasah being born as a princess was the best outcome for everyone.

Source:

Qutb al-Din al-Nahrawali’s account

Kanunî Süleyman Devri Vezirlerinden Pertev Paşa’nın Hayatı ve Eserleri — Abdülkadir Erdoğan

Maria Pia Pedani

Betül Sahin Allahverdi, Yetim bir Hanim Sultan — Şehzade Mehmed’in Kizi Humasah Sultan Vakiflari

Do you remember the clip from MCK when the executioners arrived to kill little Mustafa (I) but the poor little boy only had his chestnuts to offer them? It was a heartbreaking scene that realistically portrayed the practice of fratricide.

Mustafa was not a grown man, he didn’t have an army, gold ducats or pashas around for him to lead. His most precious belonging was his chestnuts, a favorite delicacy of the little boy, and he was ready to offer his chestnuts so that maybe, just maybe the executioner would spare his life.

(I have to say, it looks like the child actor’s scenes and the executioner’s scenes were filmed separately to protect the little actor from being traumatized, and I hope he wasn’t so scared during the filming. I have a soft spot for child actors)

Evliya Çelebi, who lived between 1611-1684, recounted the fratricide of 19 princes of Murad III in a fictional narrative. It’s similar to Mustafa’s scene in MCK:

“At the time of Murad Han’s (III) death, in accordance with the law of the sultanate, nineteen princes were martyred at once. In fact, one was so young that while he was eating chestnuts, when the executioner came to kill him, the prince said, ‘Wait, let me finish my chestnuts, then strangle me.’

The merciless executioner martyred him immediately. When he came back to martyr another, he took the little prince from his mother’s lap and, while strangling him in a corner, the mother’s milk flowed from his nose, and his soul left his body through his mouth as he breathed his last.”

Evliya Çelebi was born in the 17th century and didn’t personally witness these events of course, so it’s important to highlight that this is not a contemporary source of those events but a later interpretation of history.

Evliya Çelebi skillfully avoids putting the blame on Mehmed III who gave the execution order for his 19 brothers and put the entire blame on the “merciless executioner”. He justifies this fratricide with “the law of the sultanate”, which alludes to Mehmed the Conqueror’s fratricide law.

Evliya is hesitant to use the word “execution” and he used the word “martyred” instead, creating the narrative that the execution of young princes is acceptable by Islamic law, and a necessary evil for sustaining the Ottoman dynasty and the Empire’s continuation.

Source: Evliya Celebi’nin seyahatnamesi

Mihrimah’s reasonable personality and neutrality is evident in her letter addressed to Sultan Suleyman during her brothers’ clash. It’s also evident from the “You asked, What did you understand from this letter?” part that Suleyman valued his daughter’s opinions in state matters:

"My Sultan, my Padishah, you have sent the letters from Sultan Bayezid; I have seen them. You asked, ‘What did you understand from this letter?’ My Blessed Sultan, I, a wretch, do not even know; I understood nothing. May God’s grace reach him immediately, may mercy dwell in his heart, and may he depart while awaiting Your Highness’s noble approval, my Sultan. My Sultan, who knows—perhaps he will leave; I do not know. My Sultan, nothing can be other than the kindness you have shown. May Allah the Almighty make one day equal to a thousand. You have graciously provided the rent for the house, the winter expenses, and the barley and hay. God willing, he will come to his senses and depart. May Allah the Almighty grant my Sultan all that is good. I have also written a firm letter in accordance with your noble command, leaving no word unsaid; God willing, he will accept the advice and go to the province with good intentions. My Sultan, my blessed Sultan, send it immediately. I will act in accordance with Your Highness’s noble letter and abide by your command. My Blessed Sultan, by Allah, I am utterly captivated; I do not know what to say... My Blessed Sultan, please do not write the letter too gently; write it somewhat sternly; my Sultan, write it gently at first, then sternly afterward. God willing, your noble command will be carried out. You asked for the letters sent to your cariye (“cariye—concubine” is used here to express humility); my Sultan, there is nothing in the letter sent to me.
As I said before, I have sent the letters in accordance with your noble command...”

From the “God willing, he will accept the advice and go to the province with good intentions,…,My Blessed Sultan, please do not write the letter too gently; write it somewhat sternly; my Sultan, write it gently at first, then sternly afterward.” part I can tell this is when Sultan Suleyman ordered Selim to go to Konya and Beyazid to Amasya province respectively, and Beyazid resisted moving forward to his new provincial assignment. Mihrimah offers advice to her father concerning Beyazid, saying that Suleyman should warn him sternly if necessary.

Upon his father’s insistence, Beyazid departed from Kütahya on October 28th 1558. Nevertheless, since he regarded this appointment as a “descent from heaven to hell,” he poured out complaints and, after a long journey lasting fifty-five days, arrived in Amasya on December 21, 1558.

Source: Cagatay Ulucay

İsmihan Sultan (b.1544) and Valide Nurbanu Sultan (d.1583): Mother-daughter duo who created libraries in Istanbul

Ismihan Sultan: Selim II’s daughter, wife of Sokollu Mehmed Pasha and Kalaylikoz Ali Pasha

Valide Nurbanu Sultan: Wife of Selim II, mother of Ismihan and Murad (III)

Ismihan Sultan’s complex in Eyüp consists of a madrasa (an educational institution), a mausoleum, darulkurra and a fountain. The mausoleum, madrasa, and fountain were built in 1569 by Architect Sinan, while the darulkurra was built in 1579.

The inscription above the courtyard gate of the madrasa refers to Ismihan Sultan as the patroness of this pious project, using the phrase “Hazreti es-Sultan binti Selim Han.”

Inside the mausoleum in Eyüp, there is a library featuring various books. İsmihan Sultan’s endowment deed states that this library was established in the mausoleum, located near the madrasa (educational institution), so that the teachers and students at the madrasa could make use of the books. This “mausoleum library” concept was a pioneer for its successors and created a wave of other mausoleum libraries.

The library contains books on advanced Islamic sciences such as hadith, and Islamic jurisprudence, as well as books on literature, logic, mathematics, and natural sciences.

According to Hatice Aynur, this collection of books is very important in Ottoman History because it’s the first example for a collection of books attributed to a female member of Ottoman dynasty, a collection that survived to modern day without being assimilated into another collection.

Although there was no separate library within the “Atik Valide complex”, Valide Nurbanu Sultan is another Ottoman Sultan to establish a library in Istanbul due to a collection of 58 works—totaling 141 volumes—comprising books taught at the classical and specialized madrasas she had endowed. On the endowment seal affixed to the books she endowed, Nurbanu Sultan identifies herself as “el-Mütevekkile ala’llahi’l-Meliki’l-Mennân, mother of the sultan, protector of the faith, Sultan Murad Han” (Source: Kut-Bayraktar 2021)

Source:

Vakfiyesine Göre İsmihan Sultan’ın (ö. 1585) Medresesine Bağışladığı Kitaplar, Hatice Aynur

Veziriazam Sokullu Mehmed Paşa’nın Eşi İsmihan Sultan’ın Vakfı, Cennet Kızılkaya, Abdullah Çakmak

Check out my previous post about Ismihan Sultan: https://www.reddit.com/r/sultanateofwomen/s/KntFSeaPLc

Some Nurbanu fun facts: https://www.reddit.com/r/sultanateofwomen/s/jjk1lqNj2A

In 1558-1559, Janissaries had sent both Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent, and Grand Vizier Rustem Pasha these letters. The letters include some strong words for Suleyman, Grand Vizier Rüstem Pasha, second vizier Ali Pasha and Suleyman’s surviving sons Beyazid and Selim.

From these letters, we can tell that the Janissaries are not over Prince Mustafa’s death in 1553, moreover, we get that Rustem Pasha might have been contemplating to marry off his daughter Ayse Sultan (b.1547) to this Ahmed Aga, later Semiz Ahmed Pasha from onwards 1558-1559 when his daughter was 11-12 years old, since he appointed him as the Janissary Aga. The marriage took place some years later. The Mihrimah Sultan-Semiz Ahmed-Ayse Sultan political faction’s first seeds were buried in ground around 1558-1559 and it was later solidified by a future marriage.
Mihrimah’s daughter Ayse Sultan married Semiz Ahmed Pasha on November 27th, 1561 when he was promoted to Rumeli Beylerbey from Janissary Agha.

⭐️ My guess is, since the Hurrem-Rustem-Mihrimah faction came to end upon Hurrem’s death in April 1558, shortly before these letters were sent to Rustem and Suleyman, Rüstem Pasha might have been contemplating a new political faction by forming alliances through marriage. (This is a personal, original theory of mine.)

In 1557, Antonio Erizzo noted that the authority Rüstem possessed triggered people’s jealousy, and that if he were to lose the support of Mihrimah Sultan and Haseki Hurrem Sultan, he might even lose his position.

We can also understand the sheer amount of power and influence these Janissary corps had, as they could dare talk to Suleyman with this incredibly harsh tone and openly criticize him and his surviving sons Beyazid and Selim. I will post about how these factions led Prince Mustafa to his death, but the tone of this letter in a way shows how dangerous these Janissaries could be and at some point Suleyman didn’t have much choice other than ordering the execution of his son to protect his reign and prevent civil war.

My personal opinion, but these janissaries talk like they still want to push Prince Mustafa, an already dead man, to his death by pitting him against Sultan Suleyman.—4-5 years after Mustafa’s execution.

Some crucial parts of the letter addressed to Suleyman, there’s also another letter addressed to Rustem:

“We wish we had died instead of Sultan Mustafa. We have grown weary of you, of your sons (Beyazid and Selim), and of your pashas. Such a reckless, godless boy, Ahmed Aga (Later Semiz Ahmed Pasha, the future husband of Mihrimah and Rustem’s daughter Ayse Sultan) who knows nothing of decency, came and became a Janissary Aga, inflicting such unjust torment and punishment upon us, and we will be humiliated and despised. Moreover, this is the end of your life (Suleyman is well into his 60’s at the time) fear God and see our plight.

…There is no shortage of men; we will remove this scoundrel from our midst, ward off this evil—and we have said that this will surely happen.* (They’re threatening to off Ahmed Aga) Then this sin will not be ours, and regarding this matter, we have even sent a detailed letter to Rüstem Pasha and Ali Pasha (second vizier); you should see them. Woe to us—what a powerless state we are in that Sultan Mustafa has departed and we remain. If only he were still alive, matters would at least be different. First of all, what is this suffering we endure? Who can bear this? Every night when you enter the room, we keep looking over our shoulders as if heading to the slaughterhouse, wondering whose execution order will arrive tonight. Come, O Sultan of the State—since you have become Sultan, at least have mercy on the plight of these subjects. It is not right to subject us to such tyranny and treat us with contempt and disdain.

…Unlike the Janissaries of old times, we are not concerned with wine, women, and boys; we are not concerned with strife and victory; we are focused on our five daily prayers and your blessings”

The main focus of the Janissaries’ letters is their complaints about their Aga. In their letters, they state that since the founding of the Janissary corps, there has never been an Aga as cruel as the current one (Ahmed Aga), and that this agha has been sending experienced commanders to the fortresses in Erzurum under various reasons; some of those who left have fled to the Safavid empire. They address Ahmed Aga as a “pork smelling Hungarian”* (!) in these letters, however there are accounts of him being Albanian, or according to Gerlach, a German.

About Semiz Ahmed Pasha:

*In this letter, the Janissaries refer to Ahmed Aga as a “pork smelling” (!) Hungarian. It’s also interesting that these devşirme boys would use such insults for Hungarians. It is noted that he was of Albanian descent by some sources. However, Stephan Gerlach, a member of the Habsburg diplomatic mission in Istanbul in 1573, writes that Ahmed Aga introduced himself to the envoys as “from Graetz” and that for this reason, it is highly likely that he was of German descent. In fact, the fact that he presented the Bishop of Salzburg with a small bottle of balsam when he received the Habsburg ambassador in 1576 lends credence to this information. He was appointed Janissary agha on January 10, 1558. He remained in this position until October 4, 1561. Based on this letter, I estimate that it was written sometime between late 1558 and 1559, sometime after his promotion to Janissary Agha position. — by the second half of 1559 Beyazid was already a rebel after Konya Battle of Princes in May.

Source: I. Hakkı Uzuncarsili

More information for Ayse Sultan, Mihrimah’s daughter and her marriage to Semiz Ahmed Pasha & their descendants: https://www.reddit.com/r/sultanateofwomen/s/17cT8Tzy2n

Answering some of the defamatory claims:

Edit: I know this is messy. I’m just posting this because of a defamatory post about me, otherwise my intention was to keep things professional. I will delete this post once that defamatory post is taken down.

Hello everyone, after I removed the other moderator from the moderator list, there has been some defamation and harassment against me. I just want to say that not only it was pretty uncalled for, but also against Reddit MCOC as it goes into the category of brigading. —when you post defamatory comments about a subreddit on another subreddit, it’s called brigading and against the Reddit rules.

1: “The woman against woman thing”: This is not a woman against woman thing. I created the sub 10 months ago, and about 5 months in, invited her as a moderator because I had so much respect for her knowledge and deep understanding of Ottoman History. If this was a “woman against woman” thing, I would simply not invite her over here at the time. Regardless of what went down between us, including that defamatory post about me: I still have a lot of respect for this young girl who accumulated a PhD level of knowledge in over a year.

It’s true that I disappeared for a while because I was pretty depressed after my senior cat had passed away, following a year of feline chronic kidney disease and feline chronic pancreatitis, which was a difficult process for me and my family. However saying that “there was 0 posts” here is bit of a reach, I deleted some of my amateur content therefore they’re not visible anymore.

2. It’s true that she has made a lot of valuable contributions to this sub, and as I said I have great respect for her level of knowledge. All of her content except that call out post still remains here by the way. And she’s still welcome to post here as she likes. I can understand being upset over being removed as a moderator but this wasn’t an abrupt decision on my side but rather a result of a chain of events.

3. What rubbed me the wrong way was, she deliberately warped my words about the harsh reality of female sexual slavery into something else, accused me of making Hurrem’s accomplishments about Suleyman, and then turned this into a call out post of some sort with the title “making Hurrem’s accomplishments into a Cindirella love story”.

You can go check here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/sultanateofwomen/s/Mc3EftBGKr

https://www.reddit.com/r/sultanateofwomen/s/WHPSYDKoDx

I have to say we had many discussions in private, she knew about my opinions, I also considered her a friend and had so much respect and adoration for her research, and she already KNEW how much I adored ALL of these women for their resilience, courage and achievements, and it seemed very much intentional to me. I’ve supported her through tough times and I’ve supported her when her personal research was stolen or recycled (image attached), and frankly I was a bit taken back by that response. I DID try to solve this in private with her but it didn’t work. Honestly, I wasn’t happy being lectured on nuance over and over again 🤷🏻‍♀️

4. Moderation: Of course we remove extremely misogynistic comments here, plus some trolling or ragebait.

What I wasn’t happy about was, that whenever someone disagreed with her, had a different opinion than her or made a minor mistake, she would remove their post. Of course, as users, you cannot tell this unless automoderator or someone with a mod badge replies to you, and tells you that your comment has been removed.

She was also rude and condescending to users occasionally when they couldn’t read or understand, I wasn’t happy with that but I kept my mouth shut because again, I considered her a friend. She also always got upvoted for those comments so I thought maybe it’s just me, but deep down I didn’t like that. Knowledge is great but we shouldn’t weaponize it and give some grace to people when they have trouble understanding things IMO. When I added her as moderator, I didn’t expect these things to happen because creating a respectful and wholesome community is key to me.

It’s true that she moderated this sub when I was depressed, but the thing is the subreddit grew in a direction different than the original environment I had envisioned. I made clear rules about this space being a wholesome community and I didn’t think a mod would ignore the rules

5. Health issues: Oh well, if we have to make this about health issues I live with an endocrine disorder and a nervous system disorder, both of which have brought immense limitations to my life, that’s why I picked up history as a hobby because it’s something you can read while sitting. I also cannot handle too much stress so making this environment stress-free is crucial to me, as I’ve already explained her in private.

6. Her accusations against a university professor rubbed me the wrong way, I thought she was going to make a post correcting her mistakes in her work, but this turned into defamatory claims regarding the personality of this female professor and it very much sounded like defamation—I also removed that post btw besides her call out post against me because I don’t want to get modmail from a university regarding their staff….. I think we can always “debunk” old info, but we should do this in a way without being rude to the professor and undermining their research and hard work. I was seriously uncomfortable with those comments.

I also found some misleading information on that research, and posted them online but I think we should express our findings respectfully and consider a female professor’s dignity.

7. I made former announcements to make things easy for her, to keep this subreddit a safe space, and have always supported her through everything.

https://www.reddit.com/r/sultanateofwomen/s/m0cwNqX8Jg You can go see if you would like to.

Conclusion:

I just wanted to have a break engaging with her, and we couldn’t solve our moderation differences amicably. I didn’t ban her from the sub and I just removed her from the mod list as a result of our personal differences.

I can imagine she is hurt now, but I’m also, equally hurt and disappointed.

She could choose to continue posting here, as a user and not as a moderator, but she chose to make defamatory claims on another subreddit.

I’m sorry to bother you with all of this. This whole drama could have been prevented, if there wasn’t serious harassment and accusations against me tho. I never intended to make a post like this until that defamatory post. I’m getting weird reports, downvotes and DM’s due to her defamation and accusations, and I don’t think what she did was right. She could seriously continue being a part of this community, but not as a moderator. Users do not know about moderation actions such as discreetly deleted comments so please keep that in mind when judging my decision.

That said, I guess I will be seen as the evil one, at least for a while. I expected that and again I’m sorry about all this but this wasn’t an abrupt, mean, evil, unstable decision on my part.