Hatice Hatun (daughter of Işa)

## Hatice Hatun

**Hatice Hatun** (Modern Yoman: هاتیجه هاتون; "respectful lady" b. 1241 – d. 1310) was daughter of Işa I and sister of Murad I and Mahmud Bey. She was one of the richest princesses of her time (others were: Iriminia of Kresver, Zara of Cifame and Elizabeth Phillipinia of House Gurtül)

## Ealry life

She was born in the Bakvaär Old Saray during the reign of Orhan I, his father was Işa Bey (future Işa I) the governor of the Bakvaär Sanjak, her mother was a minor cocubine of unknown name.

## First Marriage

Usually Ottoman princesses were promised in marriage to illustrious pashas and consummated the marriage around the age of 15. Hatice, however, was not married until she was 24 in 1265. Işa chose Mehmetoğlu Haznir Pasha, a member of the Mehmetoğlu family. Haznir was 36 years older than Hatice, despite being quite old Işa chose him because he was very rich and belonged to an influential family in the capital. In fact, the Mehmetoğlu had many houses and shops and together with five other families they controlled the economy of the Bakvaär bazaar.

Haznir was the last heir of Mehmetoğlu, he had seven children, however four were female and the remaining three were male but they all died before him: one died in infancy, one of an overdose and the last one was poisoned. One theory says that Hatice was the one who poisoned her husband's last surviving child so that she could inherit everything, however it is more likely that it wasn't her as the law prevented the inheritance from going to the wives after the death of the husband. Haznir died five years after the wedding in 1278.

Hatice asked her father Işa, who was on his deathbed, if she could inherit her husband's inheritance, probably under deception Işa agreed, thus making Hatice very rich. Hatice also inherited Haznir's properties including the shops, Hatice became the first woman in the Yoman Empire to manage the capital's bazaar, however Hatice enlisted the help of an agha of unknown name who acted in her name.

## Second and Third Marriage

Hatice was then married on Murad's orders to Hizir Pasha in 1280. Hizir Pasha died only a year after the marriage.

Murad decided to marry Hatice to Kara Esferhead Mehmed Efendi. Hatice is believed to have had a previous relationship with Esferhead, this theory is driven by the fact that Hatice wrote to Murad thanking him.

Esferhead was later appointed Sanjak-bey of Harmoçuk and Hatice had to move to the Bey's palace in Harmoçuk, their marriage was very happy and they had a lily and three daughters: Osman, Hafife, Ismihan and Şahzade.

## War of Redsons (1290-1293)

Her step-brothers: Mehmed Bey and Mahmud Bey, returned to the borders of the empire around 1289, after Murad signed the Treaty of Açukşu (1288/1289) they reunited some provinces and settled in Furdanı, Murad wanted to attack them and Hatice sent a sum of money thus demonstrating loyalty to him right away , however Murad after learning of the size of their army retreated and sked his younger sister, Hiriban Hatun, to act as an intermediary between the two, thus becoming the first female ambassador of the Yoman.

Diplomacy, however, failed to calm the waters and forced the imperial family to take sides, first the sisters of the princes and then the entire empire. Hatice confirmed her loyalty to Murad. Unlike her other sisters she did not swear loyalty to Murad and later betray him in favor of Mehmed and Mahmud; other sisters who remained loyal to Murad were Salça Hatun and Mihriali Hatun. Hatice probably took Murad's side so quickly as there was not a good relationship between her and her two other brothers, in fact while letters from both Mehmed and Mahmud addressed to the other sisters were found, none addressed to Hatice were found. Hatice and her husband continued to send money to Murad throughout the War of Redsons.

Mürçi said that Hatice was in the Türfeş Palace when Mahmud defeated Murad's army and was still there when Mahmud entered the capital triumphantly despite being told to abandon the palace. When Mahmud arrived in the capital Hatice approached him and gave him a slap. Mahmud responded by confiscating all of her assets.

## Mahmud's assassination

Hatice had suffered several economic problems at the beginning of Mahmud's reign due to the confiscation of his assets by him and asked her brother for help however he refused due to the economic problems that the empire had, subsequently due to the elimination of the minor provinces her son, Osman, who provided her with a salary to survive, had been deposed from the title of Sanjakbey. Hatice wrote Mahmud a letter in 1298 asking him for help:

> I ask you for help oh my sovereign, oh my king, oh my bey, oh my brother. The new institution has hurt me a lot, I know I offended you but it wasn't my intention and I was driven by fear.
>
>

This letter it somehow confirms that there were misunderstandings between Hatice and Mahmud as the historical Mürçi declared. Some historians, however, claim that Mahmud helped her secretly, giving her at least the bare minimum through anonymous donations; in fact, according to historians, Hatice would never have survived on her own.

It is not actually known whether Hatice or Salça had anything to do with Mahmud's death, maybe both or maybe just Hatice or just Salça. It is thought that at least one of them if not two helped Mahmud's assassins in some way. According to some historians, Mahmud's son Haznir Bey, who was about to ascend the throne, convinced his aunts to assassinate Mahmud.

## Last years and death

The fact that Haznir returned the goods to Hatice suggests that he had something to do with Mahmud's murder. Hatice lived her last two years comfortably not only thanks to the regaining of her assets but also thanks to her alliances with her daughters' husbands.

Hatice's body was buried in the Işa Mausoleum in the Sultaniye Complex.

## Issue

With Kara Esferhead Mehmed Efendi had four children:

* Osman Bey: Sanjak-bey of Amirı, after the reform of the provinces he was deposed. He helped his mother financially;
* Hafife (Hatun?): it is not known whether he actually had the title of Hatun but it is probable that he did;
* Ismihan Hatun: was married to Mimar Pasha Efendi;
* Şahzade Hatun: was married to Süleyman Kalfa (a prominent architect of the time, built the tomb of Mahmud Bey, the "Küçük Kırmızı Kubbe" (the little red dome).