Mihrimah Sultan

**Mihrimah Sultan (1522 - January 25, 1578)** was the daughter of the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and his wife Hürrem Sultan. She is still known and remembered today as the most politically influential Ottoman princess, and the only one to have served as Valide Sultan during her brother's reign. Her name means "The Sun and the Moon" and was named by the Valide Hafsa Sultan while the army of Suleiman dominated in Rhodes. According to her monologue, the day she was born, was a dismal and melancholy day where the women of the harem gathered to mock her mother for not having given birth to a male child.

## **Biography**

Mihrimah Sultan grew up in a life full of luxuries and comforts in the Topkapı Palace, with an imperial education alongside her brothers. In her childhood, she had a warm and loving relationship with her aunt Hatice Sultan, with whom she spent a great deal of her time until her mother Haseki Hürrem Sultan was forced to separate the aunt and niece due to personal conflicts.

As she grew older, she developed a detachment and slight hostility towards the concubines and other sultans who lived in the Topkapı Palace, especially if they had conflict with her mother. In her childhood innocence, she developed a great affection for Malkoçoğlu Bali Bey, one of the janissaries close to her father Sultan Suleiman. He eventually sailed back to his country, thus withdrawing from her life.

After her father's return from three years of campaigning, she has grown into a young lady of great beauty and grace. This was noticed by Taşlıcalı Yahyâ Bey, a poet and janissary who served her half-brother Şehzade Mustafa. She had secret rendezvous with him that were supported by Firuze Hatun, a concubine of Persian origin who (unbeknownst to anyone one in the palace for the majority of her time there) was sent as a spy by Shah Tahmasp I of the Savafid Dynasty to infiltrate the Ottoman Harem and assassinate Sultan Suleiman.

One day while Mihrimah was reading a poetry diary written by Yahyâ's hand, Firuze enters with a dubious expression, and the hatun nearly tells the young sultan that she is Sultan Sulieman's lover. In that very moment, the doors of the room are burst through with exasperation by Hürrem Sultan, who appears to be full of rage and indignance to see that her daughter maintains contact with Firuze, her worst enemy. After shouting and a dramatic scene, the truth is revealed and Mihrimah feels empathy for her mother and irrefutably sides with her. She remonstrates Firuze Hatun for her betrayal, and calls her a coward. After many more confrontations with her former maid, Mihrimah attempts to subtly get into her father's head to tear apart their romance. Following Firuze's eventual departure, she continued to contact Yahyâ through letters. Mihrimah, with the intense longing she felt to see her beloved, plans a rendezvous with him without imagining that her cunning mother was already aware of everything, and was waiting for her in the private garden where she catches them alone together. Haseki Hürrem Sultan spares the janissary's life for the sole reason of not wishing to break her daughter's heart, but Taşlıcalı Yahyâ Bey is threatened with death if he ever returns to merely look into the eyes of the Sultan's daughter. This turn of events creates a quarrel between the mother and daughter as Mihrimah Sultan never saw her lover's face again, as he moved to Manisa Province permanently with his master, Şehzade Mustafa.

Some time later, Hatice Sultan invites her sister Şah Huban Sultan to the capital, whose sole motive is destroying Hürrem Sultan due to the Haseki's actions against Hatice Sultan's late husband, former Grand Vizier Pargalı Ibrahim Paşa. She brings along her only daughter, Esmehan Hanımsultan, who makes a friendship with Mihrimah Sultan and keeps her company. To her surprise, the old general of the court Malkoçoğlu Bali Bey is summoned to the capital once again, which reawakens old feelings for Mihrimah Sultan. However, there is someone inside the palace that is plotting against her to ruin her romantic overtures with Bali Bey, devising dirty tricks inside the harem to keep them apart. Mihrimah believes that it is the work of Esmehan, who was the only witness of her love. Mihrimah soon realizes that Esmehan wants to obtain the affection of her older brother, Şehzade Mehmed, and interposes between the two to humiliate Esmehan as a way of revenge. However, the person who slandered her whims was not her aunt's daughter, but Rüstem Ağa, Hürrem's greatest ally, who, to her misfortune, is never discovered and her affair with Bali Bey is over.

Meanwhile, since the execution of the Grand Vizier Pargalı Ibrahim Paşa, both Mihrimah's mother and father are slandered by the shocking event throughout the palace. Although Hürrem Sultan ordered to stop all kinds of celebrations for the death of her sister-in-law's husband, she relents to celebrate Eid by order of Sultan Suleiman. This celebration infuriates Hatice Sultan to such an extent, that she burst through the harem doors, and disrespected the Haseki in front of everyone. Mihrimah Sultan, who is also present, defends her mother fiercely and makes it clear to the whole harem that she is not in favor of the egregious insinuations of the Sultan's sisters towards her mother. Hürrem, seeing that her daughter's fierce loyalty to her could be a valuable tool, uses her as a strategic means to bring herself more power and to gain the regime and absolute control in political affairs through the ministers. The Haseki Sultan begins planning Mihrimah's betrothal to Rüstem Ağa, much to to Mihrimah's despair and disgust. Hürrem, aware of her daughter's emotional fragility, takes advantage of Bali Bey's rejection of her daughter so that, in a fit of anger and embarrassment, Mihrimah agrees to marry Rüstem.

#### Wedding

In 1539 Mihrimah Sultan marries her mother's greatest ally, Rüstem Ağa, who is later made The Grand Vizier of Sultan Suleiman and is given the title of "Paşa". The marriage was celebrated with the most beautiful eccentricities, parties, parades that lasted for weeks, and processions where the bride sat inside a carriage decorated with fabrics of fine material and bright colors. The scene is shown with the essence of Mihrimah's internal monologue reflecting on her wedding day, "This is not my wedding, this is my funeral."

At the end of the day, she agrees to lie with her husband. After some time passes, Mihrimah becomes pregnant and gives birth to her first child, a baby girl whom the Sultan names Ayşe Hümaşah. The baby girl is lovingly welcomed into the family, and is Mihrimah's newfound pride and joy.

But not everything went smoothly, as Nigar Hatun, Hürrem's former ally, goes mad and kidnaps the newlyweds' young daughter, calling her "Nur", the name of her lost daughter she had with the late Ibrahim Paşa, and attempts to flee with her to her old village by ship. Fortunately, Rüstem Paşa manages to rescue his daughter, and orders Nigar's beheading. However, before it can be carried out, Nigar commits suicide by jumping off a cliff, and never reveals who she worked for: Şah Huban Sultan.

#### The kidnapping of her mother

Weeks later, a mysterious letter arrives at the palace while Sultan Suleiman was away, therein stating that Şehzade Selim is seriously ill, causing Hürrem Sultan to depart to her son's province, without the permission of Şehzade Mustafa (protector of the realm while his father is away.) She didn't imagine that this would be a trap set by Hatice Sultan, who has gone insane with grief. Mihrimah, analyzing the situation, is the only one who realizes that it is a trap and to prove it, she sends a letter to her brother Selim with her seal to which he replies that he was never ill. Her father is notified, and upon his return to they have a interrogation in the Sultan's rooms where Mihrimah angrily accuses all the sultans with having kidnapped her mother. Şehzade Mustafa is then furiously berated for his negligence, and once he and Suleiman leave to begin the search for Hürrem, Mihrimah remains as temporary leader of the harem. During the absence of her mother, Sultan Suleiman and Malkoçoğlu Bali Bey manage to capture one of the men who conspired in the kidnapping of the Haseki. He reveals that everything was planned by none other than the Sultan's sister, Hatice Sultan. Suleiman arrives enraged to the palace of his sister where she confesses everything. This was all in retaliation to Suleiman executing her beloved husband Ibrahim, so she decided to take Hürrem from Suleiman to make him feel her pain and sorrow. However, right before this confession, she drank poison that would ensure her death. Hatice Sultan dies in the arms of her brother, taking the secret of Hürrem's whereabouts to her grave.

Months later, Suleiman removes all trust towards his sister Şah Huban Sultan, and it is then that Mihrimah Sultan seizes the opportunity to avenge her mother. She discovers a spy loyal to her aunt living in her own palace, and invites her aunt to dinner that evening. Mihrimah shows the sultan a letter with her personal seal that reads the declaration of her role as a spy, and she blackmails her that if she doesn't leave the capital she will let the entire empire know of her crimes. In passing, Mihrimah additionally commands that Şah Huban will donate all the money she has generated during the last several years to her mother's foundation. Mihrimah is victorious, and rids the palace of even the slightest enemy or person who has wronged her mother.

#### Death of Şehzade Mehmed

After the disappearance of the Haseki Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Mihrimah was left with the burden of protecting her siblings on her own. Unfortunately, she overlooked the wicked games of Mahidevran Sultan, the mother of her older half-brother Şehzade Mustafa. She mistakenly believed that since Mahidevran Sultan had already been "exiled" to Amaysa along with her son, the sultan lacked any power or influence. However, she was wrong. Mahidevran manages to get one of her men to sneak in among Şehzade Mehmed's guards. At the time, it was decreed that no şehzade shall leave the palace due to the deadly Black Plague that was spreading rapidly, of which Mahidevran took advantage by having her guard wound Hürrem and Suleiman's son with a sword, where he applied an ointment that had passed through the germs of a dead man infected by the plague, thus killing Mehmed slowly.

The last scene of Mihrimah seeing Mehmed was when she heard that he was infected with the plague and she rushed straight to Manisa to see him. Unfortunately, the young şehzade had already succumbed, and they were covering his corpse as she stood in the doorway. Mihrimah is falls to the ground sobbing in sorrow and grief.

#### Divorce attempt

Fatma Sultan, the eldest of all Suleiman's sisters, befriends Mihrimah Sultan and begins to manipulate her, starting by making her doubt her marriage using Mirza, a very attractive military man from the Persian Empire who joins forces with the Ottomans, as a ploy. He in turn agrees to Fatma's games and they begin to exchange love letters with Mihrimah, the latter believing that her letters are indications of a true relationship. Mihrimah falls in love with Mirza, and confidently approaches her (now returned) mother and husband and asks for a divorce. A divorce that was never granted by the Sultan fortunately, since it was a trap for Rüstem. In reality Mirza is in love with Fatma, and is engaged to her.

#### Plot alliance

Mihrimah, after many attempts on her mother's part to convince her to distrust her half-brother Mustafa, agrees to participate with her in the trap that would end up being the end of the şehzade.

The trap consisted in taking advantage of the movements of Persia, the great enemies of the Ottomans. Due to Rüstem's movements, the leader of the Persians, Shah Tahmasp I, is provoked and thus contributes to a warlike conflict where Şehzade Mustafa would evidently be on his father's side. However, Mihrimah is sent to Amasya, Mustafa's region, where she steals the şehzade's royal seal and gives it to her husband, who in turn sends a letter to the Shah posing as the Sultan's son where he supposedly would be willing to fight for the Safavid side. Tahmasp accepts the alliance with Mustafa and sends a letter in reply thanking him for his betrayal, a letter that is intercepted by Hürrem's men and taken directly to Sultan Suleiman so that he would no longer have any doubt that his son would attempt overthrow him. In turn, the three manage to deceive the Ottoman Sultan and provoked the execution of his firstborn son, Şehzade Mustafa .

Although, their achievement also brings them many negative consequences. The janissaries, angry for the unjust death of their beloved şehzade, plan a revolt where they attack Mihrimah Sultan, Rüstem Paşa and their daughter. Luckily, Şehzade Bayezid appears and manages to save his sister, brother-in-law, and niece while making it clear to the traitors that they must pay the price for daring to touch the sovereign's daughter.

#### Rüstem Paşa's Execution

Before the late Haseki Hürrem Sultan passed away, Rüstem Paşa made a pact bowing to Allah with her, where he swore that he would always protect her children at all costs. Unfortunately, Rüstem doesn't keep his word, and he betrays Şehzade Bayezid, leaving him in the hands of Şehzade Selim, the strongest claimant to the Ottoman throne now. Selim's side of the conflict would offer Rüstem great power and notorious influence as the Grand Vizier of Selim. Therefore, he allows Şehzade Bayezid's assassination. Mihrimah discovers this immense betrayal and weeps with despair as she realizes that one of her mother's greatest allies, her own husband and the father of her children, was nothing more than a wolf in sheep's clothing. She then decides to take revenge on him and gives the order to Atmaca, a jannisary loyal to her late brother Mustafa, to execute the traitor. Rüstem is killed by Atmaca in his chambers, and once again Mihrimah Sultan avenges her family.

#### Escape from Topkapı Palace

These are dark days in the Topkapı Palace. Suleiman is dying with the passing of the hours, and the only heir is now Şehzade Selim, his alcoholic son, who now has his sister Mihrimah Sultan as his greatest enemy for having murdered their brother Şehzade Bayezid. Mihrimah appears on the balcony of the late Haseki Hürrem Sultan's chambers where she talks disdainfully with Sümbül Ağa, ending the conversation with the last words: "We have lost, Selim has won." Soon she leaves the capital to the palace of Edirne.

## Personality

Mihrimah Sultan had great political skill, she was crafty and inflexible, and could be quite manipulative at times. Despite her indoctrination and imperial education, it was difficult for her to separate her feelings from dynasty matters, and she often acted without thinking in the long term, letting herself be carried away by her impulses. In her youth she had capricious and selfish tendencies. Haseki Hürrem Sultan raised her only daughter to be intelligent, cunning, and clever. She was also raised to be loyal to her brothers, including Mustafa. She was also benevolent and respectful to her father's sisters at first, but as time goes by she realizes that her mother is right about the sultans in the palace and becomes more vigilant. Once she begins to understand the dirty games of the harem, she is more isolated and takes refuge among only her close family. She is also protective of her loved ones, and is never afraid of a confrontation to cunningly expose the unjust of people who have harmed her family.

## Appearance

Mihrimah Sultan is a lovely sultan with eyes of a brilliant sky blue, soft features, and delicate and round lips. She has long, wavy, and silky brown hair, straight and marked eyebrows, a small upturned snub nose, and a serene smile. She has a soft, high pitched, melodic voice. During the reign of Sultan Suleiman she was considered the most beautiful Ottoman sultan of the dynasty.

## Love entanglements

##### Malkoçoğlu Bali Bey:

He was her first love since she was a child. The handsome Bey returns years later by will of the Sultan, and Mihrimah falls in love with him all over again. Though the one-sided love affair ends completely when Mihrimah finally decides to marry Rüstem after Malkoçoğlu's firm rejection of her to her mother. Although he never loved her romantically, he cared for her as his sultan and her confidant. He shows her his respect, and appreciation by rescuing her mother, Hürrem Sultan from the hostage situation planned by Hatice Sultan.

##### Taşlıcalı Yahyâ Bey:

He was a loyal friend, janissary, and permanent confidant of Şehzade Mustafa. He met Mihrimah Sultan in a hidden area of the private garden while writing poetry in solitude, which attracted the sultan. Although Yahyâ at first calls her a "whimsical little girl", he ends up falling in love with her. Unfortunately, their relationship came to an end when Hürrem Sultan learns everything and threatens death to Taşlıcalı Yahyâ Bey. Although in the end, the Haseki has mercy on him, and she forbids the lovers to ever see each other again. When they meet again once more later on, Mihrimah has already fallen back in love with Malkoçoğlu Bali Bey, and she rejects Yahyâ's affections completely.

##### Rüstem Paşa:

He was the only legitimate consort of Mihrimah Sultan, and she had two children with him. Once he was executed, she inherited his immeasurable fortune. From their marriage it is known that there was only any affection from Rüstem, however he managed to satisfy Mihrimah. Although he always supported her, there was a steep decline in the relationship after Rüstem betrayed his mother-in-law and wife when he left the side of Şehzade Bayezid.

##### Mr. Pedro:

A doctor hired by the dynasty to treat a strange illness that Mihrimah suffered from, this illness is cured by Mr. Pedro thanks to his herbal and medical expertise. Due to all the sessions they had to "treat this illness" an affection was born between them that later turned into love. Rüstem sensed this growing relationship and attacked Pedro several times out of jealousy. The doctor was even forced to tend to the sultan blindfolded to establish distance. Pedro finally ends up returning to his nation, but not without first bidding an affectionate farewell to Mihrimah Sultan.

##### Elkas Mirza:

A deeply attractive Persian prince who arrives as a refugee at the Sultan's palace attracts the attention of Mihrimah, and her aunt Fatma Sultan, with whom he later plans an engagement. Fatma knows that Mirza is to her niece's liking, and tries to convince her that Mirza loves her so that she divorces the "demon Rüstem". To make matters worse, Mihrimah discovers the true love between her aunt and Mirza, and is humiliated.