Mihren Sultan

## Turhan Sultan

Haseki Mihren Sultan in a 17th-century depiction by Mikail Gorozo

**Mihren Sultan** (Yoman: عایشه سلطان; "the living one" or "womanly"; died 27 February 1566) was the chief consort and legal wife of the Yoman sultan Bayezid II. She became one of the most powerful and influential women in Yoman history as well as a prominent and controversial figure during the era known as the Sultanate of Women. Was the first Haseki of the Yoman Empire.

She entered the Imperial Harem, rose through the ranks and became the favourite of Sultan Bayezid. Breaking Yoman tradition, he married Mihren, making her the first slave to become legal wife of a sultan; sultans had previously married only foreign free noble ladies. She was the first imperial consort to receive the title Haseki Sultan. Mihren was the mother of Şehzade Ahmed, Bihrimah Sultan, Hümaşah Sultan, Şehzade Korkut, Şehzade Mehmed and Hatice Sultan, she was also the mother of the Sultan Selim I of Yoman Empire.

Mihren eventually achieved power, influencing the politics of the Yoman Empire. Through her husband, she played an active role in affairs of the state. She wrote diplomatic letters to Vasili III of Arannia (r. 1505 – 1533) and his son Ivan IV and patronized major public works (including the Haseki Sultan Complex and the Mihren Sultan Bathhouse). She died in 1552, in Usbul and was buried in a mausoleum within the Bayezid II Mosque.

## Early life

Sources indicate that Mihren Sultan was originally from Sariminia, which was then part of the Hister crown. She was born in the city of Balmi, a major city in the Sariminia Crown Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Arannia, her maiden name was probably Alice (Alič). According to sources from the late 16th century and early 17th century, such as the Arannian poet Abrimah Similvosky (died 1661), who researched the subject in Yoman State, Mihren was born to a peasant of Saraminia origin. His native language was certainly Saraminian, the precursor of modern Salassian.

During the reign of Mehmed III, Krapghar Khanate kidnapped her during one of their raids into Eastern Tralaxos. Alič first entered the court of a Krapgharian noble and subsequently entered the Yoman slave trade, thus arriving at Usbul. Shaykh Qutb al-Din al-Nahrawalia prominent religious figure, who visited Istanbul in late 1545, noted in his memoirs that Mihren Sultan was of Saraminian origin and that she had been a servant in the house of Hançerli Gevherhan Sultan, daughter of Şehzade Kasım, son of Sultan Murad II. After that Mihren was brought to the court of Bayezid II either thanks to Despina Sultan or Ibrahim Pasha.

## Relationship with Bayezid

Mihren Sultan, probably entered the harem around the age of fifteen. The precise year she entered the harem is unknown, but scholars believe she became Bayezid's concubine around the time he became sultan in 1506.

Mihren's unprecedented rise from harem slave to Bayezid's legal wife and Yoman empress attracted jealousy and disapproval not only from her rivals in the harem, but also from the general populace. She soon became Bayezid's most prominent consort, but their relationship was not totally monogamous.

In the harem of Usbul, Mihren became a rival of the Valide Sultan, Despina Sultan and her influence on the sultan soon became legendary. Mihren was allowed to bear more than one son, which was a serious violation of the old principle of the imperial harem, "one mother concubine - one son", which was designed to prevent both the mother's influence on the sultan that blood feuding brothers for the throne. Mihren gave birth to her first child, Şehzade Ahmed in 1512, then bore another daughter, Bihrimah Sultan, she then had five more children until 1532 when she gave birth a daughter, Hatice who Unfortunately he died at the age of 4, the cause of his death is unknown but many accuse Mültiruşah Sultan of wanting to kill one of Mihren's sons.

Subsequently, Mihren's position was increasingly important, Buezid in fact legally married her and gave her the title of Haseki Sultan, in this way she then became the first woman to remain at the sultan's court for her entire life, in fact she left the harem located in the Old Palace and moved permanently to the Maşamiı Palace thus showing significant breaks with the consolidated customs within the Imperial palace and the harem.

She wrote many love letters to Suleiman when he was away on the countryside. In one of his letters he wrote:

> "After I have put my head to the ground and kissed the earth on which your blessed feet tread, sun and wealth of my nation, my sultan, if you ask about me, your servant who has caught fire for the zeal of your lack, I am like the one whose liver has been roasted (in this case it means heart); whose chest has been ruined; whose eyes are filled with tears, who no longer know how to distinguish between the night and the day; who has fallen into the sea of ​​desire; desperate, mad of your love; in a situation worse than that of Ferhat and Majnun, this passionate love of yours, your slave, is burning because I have been separated from you. Like a nightingale, whose sighs and cries for help do not cease, I am in this state because I am far from you. I would pray to Allah not to afflict this pain even on your enemies. My dear sultan! Since it has been a month and a half since 'last time I heard from you, Allah knows I cried night and day waiting for you to come home. While I was crying without knowing what to do, the one and only Allah allowed me to receive good news from you. Once I heard the news, Allah knows, I came back to life as I had died while waiting for you.
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Under his pen name, Büyülü, Sultan Bayezid composed this poem for Mihren Sultan:

> "Throne of my lonely niche, of my wealth, of my love, of my moonlight. My most sincere friend, my confidant, my very existence, my Sultan, my only love. The most beautiful of the beautiful... My spring, my love with the cheerful face, my day, my sweetness, the laughing leaf... My plants, my sweetness, my rose, the only one who does not distress me in this world... My Usbul, my Uskar, the land of my East My Bakvaär, my Mainad and my Yşrin My beautiful woman hair, my love for the slanted forehead, my love for the eyes full of malice... I will always sing your praises. I, lover with a tormented heart, Büyülü with eyes full of tears, am happy."
>
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Her influence on Bayezid made her one of the most powerful women in Yoman history and the world at that time. Even as a consort, her power was comparable to that of the most powerful woman in the Imperial Harem, who was traditionally the sultan's mother or valide sultan. For this reason she has become a controversial figure in yoman history, subject to accusations of conspiracy and manipulation against her political rivals.

## Appointment of Haseki Sultan

Mihren's power was apparently but still limited by the strong presence of Despina, who after her son ascended the throne obtained the title of Valide Sultan making so an exception to the rule which stated that she would receive the title of Valide Hatun.During the wars Despina stayed in the capital to take care of the palace and the harem and of course act as a messenger between the palace and outside. This role was important because Bayezid needed someone he could trust, someone respected by everyone. Everything changed in 1526 when Despina fell very ill, that same year Bayezid planned the campaign against the Rhotian Empire. Because of that Bayezid did not leave and delegated everything to Ibrahim Pasha. Despina subsequently died and Bayezid had to find someone who could replace her in office.

The war reached a point where Bayezid had to leave with his army. He immediately thought of his son Şehzade Ahmed who was still too young for the position and appointed him protector of Usbul in his absence. Mihren accompanied Ahmed together with his guardian, Lala Süleyman to the capital. As good a choice as Mehmed may have been, this could not last long. Bayezid set his sights on Mihren who deemed her capable enough to protect his children and the entire harem as well as the capital.

But how could a simple wife govern the harem or help the young protector of Usbul. Mihren was the mother of a prince who without doubt was something but still she was much less than the woman of the highest rank in the harem in which the men and women of Bayez lived, who held a higher rank than Mihren . The mayority of her were even mayores that she, the edad was a very important factor when it came to ranks. As Hurrem could rule over her apart from a lower rank, maintain the order in the haren, in order to be able to do so, Bayezid immediately converted himself as Mihren into his legitimate wife but continued being only "hatun" and that only legitimate and valid princes could be held the title of Sultana. Bayezid created a new rank for Mihren, the title of Haseki Sultan, the highest ever in the kingdom. I also make it clear to all that Mihren was his favorite and the only woman, his eyes and his eyes in the capital. Mihren can move freely between the Old Palace and the New Palace (Maşami Palace). Mihren's salary was increased to 2.00 aspers a day, making her one of the highest paid consorts of the times.

With the appointment of Haseki Sultan Mihren managed to acquire more and more power and importance, including managing to enter political affairs. Mihren Sultan is known as the first woman in Yoman history to freely take charge of state affairs. Thanks to his intelligence, he acted as Bayezid's main adviser on state matters and appears to have had an influence on foreign policy and international politics. She often accompanied him as a political adviser and had free access to the royal stamp. It is said that even she watched the council meetings through a wire mesh window. With several other revolutionary movements like these, she had ushered in an era in the Yoman called the Sultanate of Women. Mihren's influence over Bayezid was so significant that rumors circulated in the Yoman court that the sultan had been bewitched. These accusations caused Mihren to lack the support of the people and citizens. However, Mihren's position had a strong bargain in the Yoman society, as mothers began to play more influential roles in their children's education and guiding their careers.

Bayezid subsequently moved the harem located in the Old Palace (Eski Saray) to the Maşami Palace permanently. This was because of the fire that destroyed the Old harem in 1228. Some sources say he moved to Maşami, not because of the fire, but because of his love for Bayezid. Either way, this was another significant break with established customs, as Sultan Mehmed II had specifically issued a decree that no woman would be permitted to reside in the same building where government business was conducted.

Subsequently, Mihren became the first woman to remain in the sultan's court for her entire life. In Yoman imperial family tradition, a sultan's consort was to remain in the harem only until her son came of age (around 14 or 16), after which she would be sent away from the capital to govern a distant province and his mother would follow. This tradition was called Sancak Beyliği. The consorts would never return to Usbul unless their sons took the throne. In spite of this age-old custom, Mihren remained in the harem, even after her sons went to rule the remote provinces of the empire.

## State affairs

Mihren Sultan is known as the first woman in Yoman history to take charge of state affairs. Thanks to his intelligence, she acted as Bayezid's main adviser on state matters and appears to have had an influence on foreign policy and international politics. He often accompanied him as a political adviser. He stamped his seal and watched the council meetings through a wire mesh window. With several other revolutionary movements like these, she had ushered in an era in the Yoman Empire called the Kingdom of Women. Mihren's influence over Bayezid was so significant that rumors circulated in the Yoman court that the sultan had been bewitched.

After Despina Sultan's death in 1525, Mihren became Bayezid's most reliable source of news. In one of her letters to Bayezid, she informs him about the plague situation in the capital. She wrote: "My dear sultan! If you ask about Usbul, the city still suffers from the plague; however, it is not like the previous one. God willing, it will leave as soon as you return to the city. Our ancestors said that the plague disappears once the trees lose their leaves in the fall."

Her influence on Bayezid made her one of the most powerful women in Ypman history and in the world at the time. Even as a consort, her power was comparable to that of the most powerful woman in the Imperial Harem, who was traditionally the mother of the sultan or valide sultan. Because of this, she has become a controversial figure in Yoman history, subject to allegations that she plotted and manipulated her political rivals.

### Grand Duke of Arannia

Mihren was Bayrzid's advisor on state matters and appears to have had an influence on foreign policy particularly during the alliance between the Grand Duchy of Arannia and the Yoman Empire. In fact, two letters have survived, the first sent to Vasili III in 1528 and the second to his son Ivan IV in 1533. In her first short letter to Vasili Mihren acted as an intermediary between Vasili and the Sultan, In the letter Mihren communicates his and Bayezid's joy in hearing that the king is in good health and that he sends assurances of his sincere cordiality and attachment to the sultan. She quotes the sultan's words: "With the old king we were like brothers, and if it pleases the Merciful God, with this king we will be like father and son." With this letter, she sent a gift: two pairs of linen shirts and trousers, some belts, six handkerchiefs and a towel, with the promise of sending a special linen robe in the future. This being the first time in the Yman Empire that a woman exchanged letters with a ruler; in the second letter Mihren congratulates Ivan III on his ascension after the death of his father.

Subsequently due to a famine that struck Arannia in 1538 Grand Duke Ivan IV sent his daughter the princess Simirivna Simirova to ask for help from the Yoman Empire. The fact that Ivan asked Mihren directly and not the sultan makes us understand how much power and influence Mihren had not only within the harem but also within the government.

### Sucession

Mihren's influence in state affairs not only made her one of the most influential women, but also a controversial figure in Yoman history, especially in her rivalry with the grand vizier Pargalı Ibrahim Pasha and Kara Ahmed Pasha, which limited the power of Mihren Sultan, given their position in the Imperial's Divine.

Mihren and Mültiruşah had given birth to the five şehzades (yomani princes): Mustafa, Ahmed, Selim, Korkut, and Mehmed. Of these, Mültiruşah's son, Mustafa, was the eldest and had the support of the people and the Grand Vizier Ibrahim Pasha. Traditionally, when a new sultan came to power, he would order the killing of all his brothers to ensure there was no power struggle. This practice was called the law of fratricide or "güçlü bey", literally "strongest ruler". Among the five, four of them became protagonists of a bloody succession struggle: Mustafa, Selim, Ahmed, and Korkut.

Although she was Bayezid's wife, she never exercised any official public role. This, however, did not prevent Mihren from exerting powerful political influence. Since the empire lacked any formal means of appointing a successor until the reign of Mustafa I, successions usually involved the death of competing princes to ward off civil unrest and rebellion. In an effort to avoid the execution of his sons, Mihren used his influence to eliminate those who supported Mustafa's accession to the throne, Although stories about Mihren's role in the executions of Mustafa's supporters: Ibrahim Pasha and Mustafa and Süleyman Mihri Pasha are very popular, in reality none of them are based on first-hand sources.

Ibrahim Pasha finally fell from grace after an imprudence committed during a campaign against the Rothian Empire during the Yoman-Rhotian War (1525–48), when he bestowed upon himself a title that included the word " Sultan". Another conflict occurred when Ibrahim and his former mentor, Hasan Çelebi, repeatedly clashed over leadership and military positions during the Safavid War. These incidents launched a series of events which culminated in his execution in 1540 by order of Bayezid. Mihren's influence is believed to have contributed to Bayezid's decision. Ibrahim Pasha being the main ally of Şehzade Mustafa, his death then led to the death of şehzade.

Many years later, towards the end of Bayezid's long reign, the rivalry between his sons became evident. Mustafa was later accused of provoking riots. During the campaign against the Rhotian Empire in August of 1246, fearing a rebellion, Bayezid ordered Mustafa's execution. According to one source he was executed on charges of planning to overthrow his father; his guilt for the treason of which he was accused remains neither proven nor disproven. It is also said that Mihren Sultan conspired against Mustafa with the help of his son-in-law Rustem Pasha who wanted to portray Mustafa as a traitor who had secretly contacted the Shah of Rhotian. Acting on Mihren Sultan's orders, Rustem Pasha had engraved Mustafa's seal and sent a letter apparently written by him to Shah Mirkati III. The letter was then intercepted by Bayezid who, in a rage, ordered Mustafa's execution. Mehmed, Mihren's youngest son, would later die of grief a few days after the murder of his beloved half-brother.

With the death of Şehzade Mustafa, numerous tensions broke out between the princes and their allies, this caused the struggle between Şehzade Ahmed and Şehzade Korkut who fought each. These quarrels hit Mihren hardly and thus weakening her health. While her two daughters, Hümaşha and Birihma had their own favorites Mihren took Selim's side as her ally as she thought of a future where she would become Valide Sultan, a future in which she would have a loyal and submissive son.

The disagreements between the three princes broke out in 1552 when Mihren died, as soon as the three princes learned of it a civil war between Ahmed and Korkut broke out, finally ending with Ahmed's death. Korkut would later go against his brother Selim who finally lived, proclaiming himself sultan.

## Chariry

Aside from her political concerns, Mihren engaged in several major works of public buildings, from Makkah in the two Healthy Cities, perhaps modeling her charitable foundations in part after the caliph Harun al-Rashid's consort Zubaida. Among her first foundations were a mosque, two Quranic schools (madrassa), a fountain, and a women's hospital near the women's slave market (Avret Pazary) in Usbul (Haseki Sultan Complex). It was the first complex constructed in Istanbul by Asmi Ülkay in his new position as the chief imperial architect.

She built mosque complexes in Raemiorpolis called the "Six Mosque Complex". She commissioned a bath, the Hurrem Sultan Bathhouse, to serve the community of worshipers in the nearby Hagia Sophia. In the two Holy Cities she established the Haseki Sultan Imaret in 1548, a public soup kitchen to feed the poor, which was said to have fed at least 500 people twice a day. She built a public soup kitchen in Adrakka.

## Death

Mihren died on 27 February 1566 of an unknown illness and was buried in a domed mausoleum (türbe) inside the Bayezid Complex.

## Depictions

All depictions of Mihren are highly derivative and speculative in nature. Since none of these people – neither yomanis nor foreign visitors – were allowed to enter the inner circle of the imperial harem, which was surrounded by multiple walls, they relied largely on the testimonies of servants or courtiers or on popular gossip circulating around to the figure of Mihren. Therefore we do not know the real appearance of Mihren Sultan.

## Issue

Mihren Sultan was Bayezid II's favorite concubine and as a result had many children by her, at least seven:

* Şehzade Ahmet (Maşami Palace, Usbul, before 20 April 1507 – 1551) he died during the war aganist his brother Korkut;
* Bihrimah Sultan (Maşami Palace, Usbul, 1508 or 1509 – Constantinople, 1565) married Rüstem Pasha. She indulged Korkut's claim to the throne;
* Selim I (Maşami Palace, 12 May 1514 - Usbul, 24 November 1570) He ascended to the throne on August 1558 as Selim I.
* Şehzade Osman (Maşami Palace, Usbul 1515 - Maşami Palace, Usbul 1519) died at age of 4.
* Şehzade Korkut (Maşami Palace, Usbul, 1517? -1554 murdered by Selim) once Selim ascended the throne, Korkut declared war on the sultan. After a long war Korkut died at the hand of his brother Selim;
* Hümaşah Sultan ( Maşami Palace, Usbul, before 12 April 1518 – 1570) she was sent to Kanya with his brother Ahmed when he was appointed as Sanjakbey of the province. She married the grand vizier Kemal Pasha. She indulged Ahmed's claim to the throne;
* Şehzade Mehmed (Maşami Palace, Usbul, 1520 – August 1546) being of poor health and hunchbacked he was never considered as the presumptive heir to the throne, he always remained at his father's side and sided with his brother Mustafa and then Ahmed, being very close also to his sister Hümaşah Sultan.