Mahidevran

Mahidevran Hatun (;   – 3 February 1581) also called Gülbahar Hatun, (, meaning "spring rose"), was a concubine of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent of the Ottoman Empire and the mother of Şehzade Mustafa. She was known for her beauty, pride, and as the mother of the Sultan’s eldest son, which gave her respect in the palace and a special role in the harem. Her life shows the influence that mothers of princes had in the Ottoman court, as well as the rivalries between women for the Sultan’s attention.

 Title and status 

Mahidevran was the mother of Şehzade Mustafa, the eldest surviving son of the Sultan. She had an important position in her son's harem in Manisa. While Hürrem Sultan became Suleiman's favorite and legal wife, Mahidevran kept the special status of being the mother of the eldest son, and some diplomats called her Suleiman's "first wife" even though they were never married. 

Before Hürrem was given the title of "Sultan" and later "Haseki Sultan", all women in the harem were called "Hatun", meaning "lady" or "woman". So Mahidevran never had the title of Sultana and was called simply "Mahidevran Hatun". Even so, she was respected as the mother of the eldest son. In books and historical fiction, she is sometimes wrongly called Sultan.Sometimes, she is also incorrectly called Baş Kadın,Mahidevran is described in academic history books (incl. Harem II by M. Çağatay Uluçay, p. 45, e.g., Mustafa'nin annesi Mahidevran baş kadinin mũeadelesi gelir by Pars Tuğlacı p. 189, 315 and in Tarih Dergisi, Issue 36 by İbrahim Horoz Basımevi, eg; Mustafa'nin annesi ve Kanuni'nin baş kadin olan Mahidevran Hatun... vya Gũlbahar Sultan p. 357) but this title did not exist in the 16th century.

 Life with Suleiman 
Her origins are unknown, and different historians have attributed various ethnic backgrounds to her. She has been described as Circassian,Marie Broxup (1996). The North Caucasus Barrier: The Russian Advance Towards the Muslim World. Hurst. . p.29 Albanian,Daniello de Ludovisi, Relazione dell'impero ottomano riferita in Senato, Venice, 3 June 1534 in Relazioni degli Ambasciatori Veneti al Senato, ed. Eugenio Albèri, III, v.1, p. 29  Montenegrin,Nicolae Iorga, Geschichte des Osmanischen Reiches, vol.2, 1909, p.344. The Turkish translation by Nilüfer Epçeli,  p.291, translates it by "Euboean". or of Crimean origin. Because there is no clear contemporary record about her birthplace or family, scholars continue to debate this issue. Mahidevran was one of the seventeen women in the harem of Suleiman when he served as governor of Manisa. According to stipend records, three women ranked above her and received 5 aspers a day, while Mahidevran and two others received 4 aspers per day. This shows that although she was not the highest-ranking woman at that time, she still held an important position.

Within the harem there were also two concubines, Akile Hatun and Belkis Hatun, who acted as Mahidevran’s handmaidens. They were buried in one of the mausoleums of the Muradiye complex in Bursa, near Mahidevran. Some later writers have suggested that they were her elder sisters. However, it is more likely that they were girls brought to the harem at the same time as Mahidevran and later entered her service when she became a favored concubine. In 1515, Mahidevran gave birth to her only child, Şehzade Mustafa. The birth of a son greatly increased her status in the harem. When Sultan Selim I died in 1520 and Suleiman became sultan, Mahidevran moved to the Old Palace in Constantinople. As the mother of a prince, she now held a strong and respected position.

In 1521, Suleiman’s two older sons, Mahmud and Murad, died. After their deaths, Mustafa became the eldest surviving prince of Suleiman’s generation. This made Mahidevran even more important within the palace hierarchy. Being the mother of the eldest prince gave her political influence and prestige. However, early in Suleiman’s reign, Mahidevran faced a powerful rival: Hürrem. Hürrem soon became Suleiman’s favorite concubine and later his legal wife. According to the Venetian ambassador Bernardo Navagero, Suleiman at first valued both Mahidevran and Hürrem. But over time, Mahidevran began to lose favor, especially by 1526, as reported by Bragadin.

Navagero reported that a serious quarrel broke out between the two women. During this conflict, Mahidevran reportedly beat and humiliated Hürrem, which angered Suleiman. Mahidevran was described as “the Circassian, naturally proud and beautiful.” She believed that as the mother of the eldest prince and as a woman who had served the sultan before Hürrem, she deserved authority over the other women in the harem. Historian Leslie Peirce accepts that such an incident may have occurred but suggests that the story may have been exaggerated. She notes that the strict rules and discipline of the imperial harem would have limited open violence. Still, Peirce considers it possible that Mahidevran reacted strongly because she felt her senior status was being challenged. The conflict can be understood as part of the intense competition for influence and security within the palace. According to Peirce, Mahidevran’s actions may have been a form of self-defense against the loss of her rank and position.Peirce, Leslie; Empress of the East

The rivalry between Mahidevran and Hürrem was partly controlled by Hafsa Sultan, Suleiman’s mother. As the Valide Sultan, Hafsa held great authority and likely tried to maintain balance within the harem. However, by 1526 Suleiman had largely turned his attention away from Mahidevran and devoted himself to Hürrem. Despite losing Suleiman’s personal affection, Mahidevran still remained in a respected position because she was the mother of Mustafa, the eldest surviving prince. Suleiman also ensured that she and Mustafa continued to live in comfort. The Venetian ambassador Pietro Bragadin wrote that while they were living in the imperial palace in Istanbul, Mustafa was his mother’s “whole joy.” In summary, although Mahidevran eventually lost Suleiman’s favor to Hürrem, her role as the mother of Şehzade Mustafa secured her lasting importance within the Ottoman dynasty. Her life in the palace reflects both the privileges and the intense rivalries of the imperial harem.

 Mustafa's governorship 

In Ottoman tradition, all princes were expected to serve as provincial governors (Sanjak-bey) to gain experience in ruling before they could inherit the throne. In 1533, Mustafa was sent to Manisa for this purpose, and Mahidevran accompanied him. She led Mustafa's princely harem and oversaw his household. From the start, Mahidevran worked to protect her son from potential political rivals and threats, maintaining influence and likely a network of informants to keep him safe. Foreign ambassadors, especially from the Venetian Republic, closely followed Ottoman dynastic affairs. Their reports often mentioned Mahidevran and give a clear sense of the critical role a prince’s mother played in ensuring his security and success. Mahidevran’s presence at Mustafa’s side was considered essential; she managed his household and guided his decisions, helping him gain support from officials, soldiers, and other influential figures.

The grand vizier Pargalı Ibrahim Pasha was a strong supporter of Mustafa. Letters between the pasha, Mahidevran, and Mustafa show close and affectionate relationships. In her correspondence with the grand vizier, Mahidevran expressed gratitude for his guidance and emphasized the trust, loyalty, and friendship that existed between them. Around 1540, Bassano, a foreign observer, described Mustafa’s court in Diyarbakır, near the Safavid border, as "most wonderful and glorious, no less than that of his father." He also noted that "his mother, who was with him, instructs him in how to make himself loved by the people." In 1541, Mustafa was transferred to Amasya, another important province for training princes. By 1546, three other sons of Suleiman were also serving as governors, and competition for succession began to grow among the four princes, although Suleiman would live for another twenty years. Mahidevran continued to watch over Mustafa, protecting him from rivals and guiding him through the complex politics of the court.

In a report from 1553, ambassador Bernado Navagero described Mahidevran’s careful efforts to safeguard Mustafa: "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." Mustafa was an extremely popular prince. Even as a child, foreign observers noted his extraordinary talent. The Venetian ambassador wrote that "he will be a warrior, is much loved by the Janissaries, and performs great feats." By 1553, Navagero added, "It is impossible to describe how much he is loved and desired by all as successor to the throne." During Suleiman’s long reign, rivalry among his sons became a source of tension. Rumors suggested that both Hürrem Sultan and the grand vizier Rüstem Pasha tried to turn the sultan against Mustafa, accusing him of stirring unrest. However, there is no definitive evidence of such a conspiracy. In 1553, during the campaign against Safavid Persia, Suleiman ordered the execution of MustafaLord Kinross: The Ottoman Centuries, (Trans. by Nilifer Epçeli) Altın Kitaplar, İstanbul, 2008,  p. 233. on charges of plotting to overthrow his father. Historians have never been able to prove or disprove Mustafa’s guilt.

On the day of the execution, the ambassador Trevisano reported that Mahidevran had sent a messenger to warn Mustafa of his father’s intentions. Unfortunately, Mustafa ignored the message, consistently refusing to listen to warnings from his friends and even from his mother. Mahidevran’s attempts to save her son illustrate both her courage and the precarious position of women in the Ottoman dynastic system. Despite her high status as mother of the eldest surviving prince, she could not prevent the political forces arrayed against Mustafa. Mahidevran remained loyal to Mustafa until the end. She worked tirelessly to protect him, advise him, and maintain his safety. Foreign accounts show that she played a critical role in his administration, ensuring he was loved by the people, supported by officials, and respected by the military. Even after Mustafa’s death, her reputation as a devoted mother and political actor in the Ottoman court remained widely acknowledged in contemporary records.

 Later years and death 

After the execution of her son, Mahidevran lived a difficult and poor life for many years. She moved to Bursa, where her son Şehzade Mustafa was buried. Mahidevran became the last of Suleiman’s concubines to retire to Bursa. Unlike some of her predecessors who had remained wealthy and influential, Mahidevran struggled financially. She could not even pay the rent on her house, and her servants were often mocked, cheated, or harassed in local markets.

Years after Mustafa’s death, Mahidevran sought to return to the palace. She asked Yahya Efendi, a close friend and milk brother of Sultan Suleiman, to intercede on her behalf. However, Suleiman saw this request as bold and disrespectful, and he dismissed Yahya from his teaching position. This left Mahidevran in a state of social and financial insecurity for a long time.

Her situation improved around 1573, nearly twenty years after Mustafa’s death. By then, Sultan Selim II, who had become sultan in 1566, paid off her debts and purchased a house for her. With this support, Mahidevran regained some stability and dignity. At the same time, her son Mustafa finally received a proper burial. Earlier, after his death in Konya Ereğlisi in 1553, Mustafa’s body had been moved to Bursa and buried elsewhere. Now, a proper tomb was built for him by Mehmed Çavuş, allowing Mahidevran to honor him appropriately.

With her finances secured, Mahidevran also created an endowment to maintain her son’s tomb. This shows that she remained deeply devoted to Mustafa even after many years of hardship. She continued to live in Bursa until her death on 3 February 1581. She outlived Sultan Suleiman and all of his children, witnessing nearly three decades after Mustafa’s death.

Mahidevran was buried in the same tomb as her son. The mausoleum contains four coffins: that of Şehzâde Mustafa, Mahidevran herself, an unknown child (possibly one of Mustafa’s sons who had been executed), and Şehzâde Osman, who was likely a son of Sultan Bayezid II and died in 1512 or 1513. This makes Şehzâde Osman’s tomb the oldest in the mausoleum.

Even in her later years, Mahidevran’s life reflects the challenges faced by women in the Ottoman imperial family. Once a favored concubine and mother of the eldest prince, she experienced loss, financial hardship, and the consequences of palace politics. Yet she remained devoted to her son until her last days, ensuring his memory and tomb were preserved with care. Her story highlights both the vulnerability and resilience of women in the Ottoman harem system, as well as the political importance of a prince’s mother.

 Issue 

Mahidevran had only one child with Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent:

 Şehzade Mustafa (born Manisa, 1515 – died Konya, 6 October 1553). He was the eldest surviving son of Suleiman and served as governor of Manisa and Amasya during his princely training. Mustafa was a popular and talented prince, admired by the people and the Janissaries alike. Despite his accomplishments, he was executed by his father, Sultan Suleiman, on allegations of treason and plotting to seize the throne. Mustafa’s death had a profound effect on Mahidevran, who spent many years afterwards living in hardship, deeply mourning her only son.

 Depictions in literature and popular culture 

Mahidevran Hatun has appeared in various novels, TV series, and other media over the years:

 She is a character in M. Turhan Tan's historical novel Hurrem Sultan (1937).
 In the Ukrainian TV series Roxolana (1997–2003), Mahidevran was played by Natalya Goncharova.
 In the 2003 TV miniseries Hürrem Sultan, Turkish actress Hatice Aslan portrayed Mahidevran.
 She appears in Adnan Nur Baykal's novel Hürrem Sultan ile Söyleşi (2004).
 Mahidevran is a character in Alum Bati's historical novel Harem Secrets (2008).
 In the popular Turkish TV series Muhteşem Yüzyıl (2011–2014), she was portrayed by Turkish-German actress Nur Fettahoğlu.
 She is the main character in Kemalettin Çalık's novel Mahidevran Sultan (2012).
 She is also the main character in Ridvan Akbay's novel Mother to a Prince: Mahidevran Sultan (2021).
 Mahidevran appears in Christopher de Bellaigue's historical novel The Lion House: The Rise of Suleyman the Magnificent (2022).
 She is also a character in Bea Eschen's novel Orontius and Mafalda: On a Mystical Journey (2023).

Mahidevran continues to be a popular figure in literature and media, often depicted as a proud, strong, and devoted mother in stories about the Ottoman court.

See also

List of consorts of the Ottoman Sultans

 References 

 Bibliography 





Category:1581 deaths
Category:Concubines of Ottoman sultans
Category:Slavery in the Ottoman Empire
Category:Consorts of Ottoman sultans
Category:1499 births
Category:Ottoman people
Category:Muslims