Güvercin Hatun

**Yinira Hatun** (Modern Yoman: ینیرا هاتون) better known as **Güvercin Hatun** (Lady Dove; Modern Yoman: دختر کبوتر) was the most beloved concubine of Orhan I and mother of two of his sons and two of his daughters.

## Life

Nothing is known about his early life. Much less when she was born. The only certain thing is that her original name was Ingen, Orhan in fact wrote:

> Oh! My Ingen, my Yinira, my dove in my head, you will always be my beloved star, my splendid dove and my sweet and pure breath
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Certainly entered the harem of Orhan when he was still a prince. Orhan describes the first time he saw her in one of his letters to Güvercin Hatun:

> Allah thank you for that first time where a young and inexperienced prince Orhan saw her face. Radiant with beauty and full of life and love. My heart exploded and my eyes filled with joy. As her smile filled the room I looked at her in love.
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Nothing is known about Yinira's life in Orhan's harem, we only know that she had a more advantaged position than Orhan's other concubines, given that she was the most loved and respected concubine by the Eski Sultan.

She had four children, Şer Bey, Mehmed Bey, Devlet Hatun (1218) and Fatma Gülcemal Hatun (1228). According to tradition, the mother had to accompany her son together with her unmarried daughters in the province assigned to her son, however when Yinira's sons were of age to fulfill as sanjak-bey being two, a problem arose, forcing Yinira to spend a certain period of time by his son Şer and a certain period of time by his son Mehmed. This certainly wasn't practical at all since she failed to settle into one of the two harems and establish herself as the prince's mother. This coming and going ended when his son Şer Bey died in 1235, six years after appointment.

Yinira continued to preside as the sanjak-bey's mother until 1259 when the now ill Eski Sultan ordered her to move to the Yşrin Palace so he could be near her before he died.

When Orhan died Yinira tried to keep his death a secret and allow Mehmed to ascend the throne before Orhan's other sons. However, Işa arrived at the palace first and ordered the death of his other brothers. Mehmed who was still in his palace was executed while having a meal.

## Final years and death

Yinira was exiled to Koçi after the death of Orhan. Her sons, Şer and Mehmed were buried next to their father in the Müdür-bey Mausoleum. Nothing more was known about Yinira until 1267 when Işa I sent her a letter asking for forgiveness for killing his son in an intent to have his sins forgiven before dying. According to legend, Yinira burned the letter.

## Relation with Orhan

Orhan loved Yinira very much and whenever he mentioned her he called her "the dove on my head", causing historians to call her "Güvercin Hatun" (Lady Dove). Every time he mentioned Yinira he called her Lady Dove and always asked to be able to rub shoulders with her, considering the world too corrupt to live in:

> I wish God would spread your wings, oh! dove on my head, to escape from this Venetian and inverse world...
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His love for Yinira was reflected in her children. When Şer Bey died in 1235 Orhan went into a deep depression which caused him insomnia, Orhan calls Şer "firstborn", in fact it's thought that being the first child he had with Yinira, he was the most loved by his father:

> Oh son, Oh my baby, my prince, my firstborn, my little dove cub. The death of such a beloved son hurts more than seven hot blades in the heart. Wait for me next to Allah because my only desire is you, to be close to you and listen to your laughter.
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When Mehmed Bey and Şer Bey ware appointed as Sanjak-bey was Orhan who prepared the palace for theme, in fact he was very involved in his sons life, it is known that it was he who decided the decorations and colors to choose and chose the concubines for them, paying them a lot as they belonged to the most expensive slave market.

When Mehmed's first son was born Orhan decided to name him Orhan in his own honor, thus demonstrating the great affection he had for Mehmed.