Concubine of Suleiman the Magnificent From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mahidevran Hatun (Ottoman Turkish: ماه دوران; meaning "moon of fortune"[1]; c. 1500 - 3 February 1581[2][3]) also known as Gulbahar Hatun [4](Ottoman Turkish: کل بھار; meaning "spring rose"[5]) was a concubine of Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and she was the mother of Şehzade Mustafa of the Ottoman Empire.
Mahidevran Hatun | |
---|---|
Born | c. 1500 Circassia or Montenegro or Albania |
Died | 3 February 1581 80–81) Bursa, Ottoman Empire | (aged
Burial | Muradiye Complex, Bursa |
Consort | Suleiman the Magnificent |
Issue | Şehzade Mustafa |
Religion | Sunni Islam (converted) |
Mahidevran was the mother of Şehzade Mustafa, the eldest son of Suleiman the Magnificent. She held a prominent position in her son's harem at Manisa. Altrough Hürrem became Sultan Suleiman's favorite and legal wife, Mahidevran retained the status of mother to Suleiman's eldest son.[6]According to some diplomats, she was the Suleiman's "first wife", altrough they were never married.[7] When Hürrem got the title of "Sultan" and "Haseki Sultan", then all concubine simply called "Hatun", meaning "lady","woman".[8]So Mahidevran had never the title of "Sultan" in the harem and she was simply called "Mahidevran Hatun". Altrough as the mother of the eldest son she still held the rank of Baş Kadin.[9] However, she is often mistakenly given the title of "Sultan" in historical fiction.[10][11][12]
Mahidevran was came from Circassia[1][4][13]or Albania[14][1] or Montenegro.[4][15] Mahidevran was listed among seventeen women in Suleiman's harem when Suleiman was governor of Manisa. Mahidevran gave birth to her only one son, Şehzade Mustafa in 1516 or 1517[16]and her status within the harem rose.[1]After the death of Sultan Selim I in 1520, Suleiman ascended the throne. After Suleiman ascended the throne, Mahidevran came to live Old palace in Constaintinople.[17]
In 1520, Suleiman lost his two sons, Mahmud and Murad. Then Mustafa became the eldest son of Suleiman.[1] This gave Mahidevran a high position, but early in Suleiman's reign, Mahidevran faced a new rival, Hürrem, who soon became Suleiman's favorite and later his wife.[1][4] It is recorded by Bernardo Navero that Suleiman cherished Mahidevran along with Hürrem.[18][19] According to his report, a bitter rivalry led to a fight between two women, with Mahidevran beating Hürrem, which angered Suleiman.[20]
The enmity between the two women was partially quelled by Suleiman's mother, Hafsa Sultan.[21] By 1526, Suleiman stopped paying attention to Mahidevran and devoted his entire attention to Hürrem.[18] Altrough a close relationship developed between Suleiman and Hürrem. Mahidevran, as Mustafa's mother, maintained a privileged position within the harem.[22]Ambassador Pietro Bragadin reported that, early in Suleiman's reign, both Mahidevran and Mustafa lived in the royal palace in Istanbul, and Mustafa was the sources of all his mother's joy.[1]
According to Turkish tradition, all princes seved as provincial governors (sanjak-bey) for training. In 1553 Mustafa was sent to Manisa and Mahidevran accompanied him.[23][24]Bassano wrote in 1540 about the court of Şehzade Mustafa at Diyarbakir near the Safavid border that, Şehzade had "a wonderful and opulent court, in no way interior to that of his father". He also wrote that, "his mother, who was with him, showed him how to favourite himself to the people".[25] According to tradition, Mahidevran was the head of Mustafa's royal harem.[26] She tried to protect Mustafa from his political rivals until the last days of her sons and probably kept in touch with several correspondents to do this.[26] Pargali Ibrahim Pasha was also a supporter of Mustafa.[27]
In 1541, Mustafa moved to Amaysa.[1] By 1546, compettion for Mustafa's succession began with Suleiman's three other sons, altrough the sultan would live another twenty years.[1]
Mustafa was a talented, popular and a warrior prince. So, jannisaries loved him very much.[2]
Towards the end of Suleiman's long reign, a rivalry arose between his sons. Both Hürrem and Grand Vizier Rüstem Pasha turned Mustafa against Suleiman and they were responsible for Mustafa's unrest. The envolvement of Hürrem Sultan and Grand Vizier Rüstem Pasha was questioned but never proved. During the campaing against Safavid Iran in 1553, Suleiman ordered to kill Mustafa,[28] accused of plotting to dethrone his father, later, proved wrong.[2] Mahidevran sent a letter to him that his father want to kill him. But Mustafa don't take her mother's words.[2]
After the death of Şehzade Mustafa, Mahidevran lived a trouble life. She went to Bursa, where her son Mustafa is buried. She was the last concubine who went to Bursa. She could not to pay the rent of the house she lived in, and her servants were mocked and cheated in the local markets.[2] Suleiman's childhoob friend Yahya Efendhi request Mahidevran to back the palace. She asked Yahya to intercede on her behalf. Suleiman's considered Yahya request to be insolent, causing him to be dismissed from his teaching position.[29] Mahidevran's situation improved when Sultan Selim II ascended the throne in 1566.[2] She died in 3 February 1581, after the death of Suleiman and his all childrens. She was buried in Mustafa's tomb.[2][3]
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