Gulsah

**Gülşah** was a servant of Mahidevran Sultan in the harem of Sultan Suleiman, known as Suleiman the Magnificent or Suleiman the Law-giver.

### Biography

Gülşah's name means "Rose of the Shah (queen)" or "Queen of Roses." She may have been named after a wife of Mehmet II, also known as Mehmet the Conqueror, the great-grandfather of Suleiman who conquered Constantinople from the Byzantines and re-named it Istanbul.

Little is known of her life before she entered the household of Shehzade Suleiman (before he became Sultan); however, Mahidevran makes many references to their time together before they come to the Topkapı Palace (Topkapı Saray). She is incredibly loyal to Mahidevran and her son, Mustafa.

When Mahidevran arrives at the Topkapı Palace, Gülşah is seen unpacking her belongings in the chamber prepared for her by the Valide Sultan (Queen Mother). From the start, her dedication to Mahidevran and Mustafa is clear.

#### Alexandra's Arrival

When the Ruthenian concubine Alexandra is given the purple handkerchief by the Sultan, a sign that she is invited to spend the night with him, Mahidevran asks Gülşah to bring the Russian girl to her chamber and make her do some cleaning, all as an excuse for Mahidevran to get a look at her. Gülşah seems to enjoy ordering Alexandra around, especially as her disappointment in being asked to serve someone else becomes evident. When Alexandra asks who was the woman watching her, Gülşah tells her it is Mahidevran Sultan, the Sultan's chief consort.

Later that night, as Alexandra walks to the Sultan's chamber, Gülşah is seen standing outside his door and smiling; Sümbül Ağa sees at once that Gülşah's mistress is in the private chamber with the Sultan, and hurries Alexandra away. Gülşah smiles as Alexandra's temper seethes at being left outside while Mahidevran is with the Sultan.

The following night, Wednesday, Alexandra is admitted to Suleiman's private chamber. The next night, Thursday, is a holy night in Islam; it is said that a child conceived on that night will be blessed, and for that reason Suleiman has always spent it with Mahidevran. However, as she prepares for her summons, Gülşah enters her room and reluctantly tells her that Alexandra is still closeted in the private chamber with the Sultan. Mahidevran drops her attar and orders all to leave except Gülşah, who feels her mistress's pain keenly.

At a party in the harem, Mahidevran and Gülşah scoff that Alexandra has been promoted to the Favorite's wing. When Alexandra is sent to the dungeon for disrespecting Mahidevran, the two cannot hide their glee at her fate and, as Mahidevran prepares for bed later, laugh that Alexandra will now dance only for mice. Later the two visit visit Hürrem in the dungeon, saying that it will all end if "Alexandra" apologizes and make obeisance; Hürrem refuses with characteristic pride and stubbornness. Mahidevran orders water to be withheld from her; she and Gülşah walk away smiling.

Their smiles do not last long; Suleiman orders Hürrem released from the dungeon and summons her as soon as she is recovered, giving her an emerald ring encrusted with diamonds that Mahidevran coveted. The next morning, when Mahidevran and Gülşah see the ring on Hürrem's finger, Mahidevran flies into a rage and tries to snatch it; Hürrem flees, and Mahidevran collapses into Gülşah's arms. Gülşah carries her back to her chambers, where she is visited by a doctor who tells Mahidevran she is pregnant. But Mahidevran cannot forget the ring, and she orders Gülşah to steal it from Hürrem.

### The Ring, the Baby, and the Poison

Gülşah conspires with Ayşe, one of the Sultan's favorites; Ayşe steals Hürrem's ring in the baths when Hürrem takes it off. Gülşah delivers the ring to Mahidevran, who keeps it hidden in her chamber. Ibrahim Ağa interrogates Ayşe, who confesses the truth, and Ibrahim confides in the Valide Sultan, who orders Daye Hatun to send Mahidevran to her and, in her absence, to get the ring from Gülşah. Daye sends Mahidevran to the Valide, then takes Gülşah forcefully by the arm until Gülşah places the ring in her hand as ordered. When Mahidevran realizes what has happened, she cries herself to sleep. When she wakes up the next morning, she realizes she has miscarried her baby; Gülşah frantically summons physicians. In her grief, Mahidevran walks to Suleiman's private chamber where Hürrem is just leaving. Mahidevran violently assaults Hürrem until Gülşah finds her and pulls her away, leaving Hürrem bloodied and unconscious on the floor.

After Hürrem recovers and Suleiman leaves on campaign, the Valide plans to marry Hürrem off to the son of Suleiman's childhood tutor and now second vizier; Hürrem says she is pregnant, and Gülşah commiserates with her mistress, offering her medicine to relieve her headache and help her sleep. Mahidevran, reminded that the medicine is lethal in large quantities, hatches an idea after she hears Gülşah's words.

Suleiman repeatedly snubs Mahidevran and favors Hürrem. When he returns from campaign, Mahidevran conspires with Gülşah to poison Hürrem. Gülşah at first is horrified, but Mahidevran convinces her that this is the only way for her mistress's suffering to end. Gülşah enlists the help of Hasibe, a servant from Gülşah's home town (Gülşah insinuates that it is because of her influence that Hasibe was chosen for the harem), to pour the poison into the dessert that is served to Hürrem and Suleiman that night, because Suleiman doesn't eat dessert but Hurrem will eat it all. She tells Hasibe the poison will make Hürrem vomit so that she cannot lie with the Sultan that night, concealing the truth of the poison's lethality. Though deeply apprehensive, Hasibe does as she is told. When the news reaches the harem that Hürrem is fighting for her life, Hasibe is horrified and begins to panic. Gülşah tells her, and Hasibe says she will confess what she did at Gülşah's request to Daye Hatun. As Hasibe weeps uncontrollably, Gülşah grabs a pillow and smothers her to death, then stages the murder as a suicide and returns to her mistress. Together they recoil in horror at what Gülşah has done.

After an investigation, Hasibe is fingered as the one who handled the dessert; Nigar Kalfa and Sümbül Ağa see Gülşah leaving the area where they find Hasibe's body. Ibrahim, who is overseeing the investigation, understands that Hasibe had no motive to murder Hürrem or the Sultan; understanding that someone must have put the girl up to it, he interrogates Gülşah, beating and threatening her until she confesses all. She claims there is no sin in her because she was ordered to poison Hürrem by her mistress; Ibrahim orders her never to whisper Mahidevran's name in relation to this incident again. Gülşah is exiled from the palace, but Mahidevran promises to bring her back as quickly as possible.

### Gülşah's Return

Some months later, Hürrem's son is born and she becomes pregnant again. Gülşah, back from her exile, enters the harem with a proud and haughty manner. The concubines invite her to share in the sharbert; Gülşah asks if it is in honor of Hatice Sultan's engagement, but the concubine replies that it is in honor of Hurrem's pregnancy. Gülşah looks as though the sharbert has turned to vinegar in her mouth. When Hürrem gives birth to a girl, Gülşah brings the news to Mahidevran, and together they smile with delight. Mahidevran orders Gülşah to distribute gold to the concubines, which she does with glee.

Gülşah, as her mistress, does not miss a chance to insult and undermine Hürrem and her servant Gulnihal (formerly Maria). She overhears Nigar Kalfa defends Hürrem when the women of the harem disrespect her, and reports the exchange to Mahidevran, who in turn warns Nigar Kalfa to choose her protectors carefully, because she and only she is the Hasike Sultan who will be Valide when Mustafa is sultan. Nigar Kalfa confronts Gülşah for spreading gossip and says she knows it was Gülşah who killed Hasibe, and will reveal it if necessary to protect herself.

When Ayşe is killed, Gülşah and her mistress encourage the spite and hate toward Hürrem in the harem to make her look guilty; they revel when she is sent into exile, and are shocked and disappointed when she returns, though their disappointment is moderated by Hürrem's show of obeisance in kissing Mahidevran's hem, kneeling before her, and apologizing for her former behavior.

Suleiman, at his mother's direction, begins to invite Mahidevran to his private chamber, but unknown to anyone but themselves, they do not have intercourse; he is unable to trust her or share his bed with her after she delivered poison to his room on food intended for him. When she becomes weak and pale, Gülşah speculates that her mistress is pregnant. Mahidevran says she is not, but Gülşah still goes to the harem and lets it be known that Mahidevran is with child. The news reaches Hürrem, who hides her rage; but the Valide and others are delighted. When Mahidevran finds out what has happened, though, she is enraged, saying she will be humiliated before the entire harem when it's discovered she is not pregnant. The news comes out, and Mahidevran bears it as best she can, but Gülşah feels her mistress's pain, and her own guilt, keenly. When Hürrem reveals that she is with child, Mahidevran is heartbroken and Gülşah offers a solution: that she would, if Mahidevran wishes it, kill Hürrem. It becomes clear that Gülşah has thought of this solution before, has imagined different ways of doing it, and is almost eager to take another life. Mahidevran forbids it.

### Hatice's Chambers

After Hatice's wedding, Gülşah accompanies her mistress to Hatice's old rooms with their large terrace near the sultan's private chamber. Gülşah says she has an idea for Mahidevran to get even with Hürrem. Thinking she is about to offer again to kill Hürrem, Mahidevran orders Gülşah to be silent, but Gülşah says she instead thinks Mahidevran should ask to move into Hatice's rooms. Mahidevran considers this, and eventually goes to the Valide and makes her request, which is granted. Hürrem hears of it, and that night as she is with the Sultan, she points out how her current rooms are too small for three children, their servants, and herself, and asks for Hatice's rooms for herself. Suleiman agrees, and Sümbül Ağaa is put in charge of moving Hürrem's things into the room instead of Mahidevran's. As Mahidevran gets Mustafa ready for school, she says to Gülşah that they should go see how the decorations of the new rooms are going; in the hall they run into Hürrem and Sümbül Ağa, who confirms that Hürrem is to have the rooms. Mahidevran is disappointed and hurt; Gülşah again offers to kill Hürrem, and is again turned down and chided.

### Nigar Kalfa

Gülşah reports to Mahidevran that Nigar Kalfa is always with Hürrem, doing her bidding and defending her. At Mahidevran's order, Gülşah attacks Nigar Kalfa, half-strangling her until Mahidevran gives the signal to release her so she can deliver her threats to Nigar Kalfa herself. Nigar Kalfa doesn't stay down for long, and one day when Gülşah is in the bath, she pushes her head into the water and promises to kill her if Gülşah touches her again. Though Mahidevran shortly joins Gülşah in the baths, she does not reveal Nigar Kalfa's threat.