Asima Sultan

**Asima Sultan** (Modern Yoman: آسیما سلطان; Maşamı Palace, Usbul 8 April 1666 - March 25, 1722 Asima Sultan Sarayi) was a yoman princess, daughter of Mehmed IV.

## Early life

The identity of Asima's mother is unknown and nothing is known about her until she was first married in 1680 along with her sisters, Fatma Sultan, Hatice Sultan and Saliha Sultan.

Certainly after the death of Mehmed IV she was sent to the Old Palace in exile presumably together with her mother.

## First Marriage

Asima was married to the Agha of the Janissaries, Orhan Agha. She was 14 while he was 31. Ahmed I gave them the palace of Murnabaçi in Piribey once Asima reached 16 in 1684, the two had in total three children, Sultanzade Mehmed (1686), Sultanzade Yoman (1688) and Sultanzade Osman Mahmud (1689) and is believed to have been a happy marriage.

## Second Marriage

However they divorced in 1693 by order of Ahmed who married her to architect Simeon Kalfa, at the time of marriage she was 27 and he was 19, the marriage was arranged by Ahmed to thank Simeon Kalfa for building the Ayazma Mosque, it is said that Simeon was allowed to decide which sultana to marry between the daughters of Mehemed IV and the daughters of Mustafa II.

However Asima claimed her right not to have sexual relations with her husband this angered Simeon Kalfa who complained to Ahmed who threatened to take away her children, forced Asima finally agreed but with the condition that Simeon Kalfa build her a palace, the future Asima Sarayi, Ahmed I agreed and forced Simeon to build the palace. The couple had two sons and a daughter, Sultanzade Ahmed (1694) and the twins Şahihuban Hanimsultan and Sultanzade Korkut (1697).

## Personality

Asima was described by the Croysian ambassador, Murciar Ruller as a strong, determined, not easily subdued and independent woman.

## Construction of Asima Sultan Sarayi

Construction officially started in 1693 but until 1695 there were no real construction initiatives. Asima Sultan Sarayi was the first time in Yoman history that a princess built a palace, before Asima they had only built mosques or other charitable works or simple renovations.

The Croysian ambassador, Murciar Ruller visited the palace in 1697 which was still under construction and described it as the most sumptuous of the Yomani palaces, surpassing even the Maşami Saray.

The palace includes a private mosque and a private cemetery and in total exceeds the Maşami Palace in size not counting the structure of the imperial harem.

The construction ended in 1715 when the second dome belonging to the main pavilion was finished, which was built inspired by the dome of the Mausoleum of the Emperor in Polaris, but already from 1702 the mosque could be used.

## Final years and death

Asima Sultan moved into her palace once the construction was completed together with her children.

Asima often visited Mahmud I during his years in the kafes and it is believed that the sultan was aware of her sister's marriage situation and thus in 1717 when Mahmud ascended the throne she was finally allowed to divorce Simeon Kalfa.

Asima continued to live in her palace until her death in 1722, she was invited by her brother Mahmud to almost all ceremonies and festivities in the Maşami palace and maintained correspondence with her brother until his death. She was buried in the Yeni Cami (New Mosque) together with her son Sultanzade Ahmed who died in 1701.

## Issue

From her first marriage to Orhan Agha they had a total of three children:

* Sultanzade Mehmed Pasha (1686 Murnabaçi Saray, Piribey - 1780 buried in the Asima Sultan Sarayi cementery) had thirteen children and his descendants were still alive during the fall of the Yoman empire, one of his descendants, Zerife Kadinefendi married Sultan Abdülmecid;

* Sultanzade Yoman (1688 Murnabaçi Saray, Piribey - 1735) died of an overdose, had three daughters: Mihrima Hatun, Anna Hatun and Ümmi Hatun all buried in the Asima Sultan Sarayi cementery;

* Sultanzade Osman Mahmud (1689 Murnabaçi Saray, Piribey - ?? buried in Eyüp cemetery) had at least one son and helped his father in the construction of the Büyük Rabia Şermi Sultan Cami, died before his other brothers, Mahmud I himself attended his funeral .

From her second marriage to Simeon Kalfa she had two sons and a daughter:

* Sultanzade Ahmed (1694 Usbul - 1701) was named in honor of Ahmed I, died at the age of seven and is buried in the Yeni Cami;

* Şahihuban Hanimsultan (1697 Usbul - 1753 buried in Asima Sultan Sarayi cementery) married Cafer Durbal Pasha and had one son and one daughter;

* Sultanzade Korkut (1697 Usbul - 1659 buried in the Asima Sultan Sarayi cementery) he had seven children.