WHAT IS SULTANATE OF WOMEN?
It was the time when wives and mothers of sultans ruled the empire. From 1566, when Suleiman the Magnificent died, until 1683 – there were nine different Ottoman sultans. But several of them were children when they came to the throne. So, their mothers ruled from the harem, as regents with absolute power.
Most visitors to Istanbul only see the most famous historic buildings: Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and Grand Bazaar. But, Ottoman Istanbul is much more than just these iconic sites.
However, there are many interesting angles that you can follow when you explore the city. I hope that this post will inspire you to visit structures that I’m going to mention and that you will properly understand their historical context and significance.
The women that I’m talking about are: Hurrem Sultan, Mihrimah Sultan, Nurbanu Sultan, Safiye Sultan, Kosem Sultan and Turhan Hatice Sultan.
Two more women – Handan Sultan and Halime Sultan – appeared in that period too, but they had less influence. Additionally, I couldn’t find anything in their name.
In this post, you will find out about historic sites in Istanbul related to Nurbanu Sultan. Of course, I’m not saying that this is all that exists in her name, I believe that she probably commissioned other buildings across Istanbul and the Ottoman Empire in which she lived.
NURBANU SULTAN
One more slave girl that held ultimate power in the Ottoman Empire was Nurbanu Sultan. She was the legal wife and Haseki Sultan of Sultan Selim II.
After Selim’s death, she became Valide Sultan, as the mother of Sultan Murad III.
There are different theories about her origin. Most likely she was from the Venetian Republic and her original name may have been Cecilia Venier-Baffo. Interestingly, she was very pro-Venetian during her nine year regency. The Republic of Genoa hated her because of that. This fact also points at her probable Venetian origin.
Beautiful and intelligent, Nurbanu was the favourite consort of Sultan Selim II.
The same as Hürrem Sultan, she remained in the Topkapi Palace during Selim’s reign. Selim often asked Nurbanu for her advice on various subjects, because he respected her good judgement and she acted as his adviser.
In fact, she was so formidable that, according to some sources, she effectively ran the empire between 1574 and 1583, together with the Grand Vizier Sokollu Mehmed Pasha.
When Sultan Selim II died, she hid his body for 12 days which allowed her son Şehzade Murad to reach Istanbul from Manisa and take power. Thus, she prevented someone else from sitting on the throne.
When her son became a new sultan, she became Valide Sultan, the highest position for a woman within the Ottoman Empire.
ATIK VALIDE MOSQUE
Chief imperial architect Mimar Sinan constructed the magnificent Atik Valide Mosque and the surrounding complex in Nurbanu’s name. You’ll find this mosque in Üsküdar, on the Asian side of Istanbul.
He built it in three stages. He constructed the first version of the mosque between 1571 and 1574.
The second version was done between 1577 and 1578, when Sinan enlarged the initial mosque to reflect Nurbanu’s elevated Valide Sultan status.
The final stage of construction took place between 1584 and 1586, after Nurbanu’s death.
In addition to the mosque, there is also a madrasa, a hadith college, a school for Quran recitation, an elementary school, a dervish convent, a hospital and a hospice that includes a guest-house and a double caravanserai.
The Atik Valide Complex was one of the biggest in Istanbul at the time.
NURBANU SULTAN FOUNTAIN
The Nurbanu Sultan Fountain is part of the Atik Valide mosque.
ATIK VALIDE HAMMAM
Not far from the mosque, there is the Atik Valide Hammam. The bath-house was built in 1579 and is still fully operational.
ÇEMBERLİTAŞ HAMMAM
Nurbanu Sultan commissioned Çemberlitaş Hammam to be a source of income for financing development of new mosque complexes, such as Atik Valide Mosque.
This historic bath was built in 1584 by the chief imperial architect Mimar Sinan and it’s still used. In fact, during one of my first visits to Istanbul, I went to this hammam. At that time I didn’t know anything about its history, for me it was just an experience of going to the Turkish bath. I also remember that it was interesting and beautiful inside.
NURBANU SULTAN TOMB
Nurbanu Sultan died in 1583 and is buried next to her husband Sultan Selim II. The mausoleum is next to Hagia Sophia which was an imperial mosque at that time.
She was the first wife of a sultan to be buried next to her husband, because that wasn’t the Ottoman tradition. Hurrem Sultan, for example, rests in a completely separate mausoleum.
Interestingly, there are no markings, although you can probably guess that Selim’s and Nurbanu’s coffins are in the centre of the mausoleum. The interior decoration is done with the exquisite Iznik tiles.
You can find many articles about Nurbanu Sultan on the internet. However, if you study or you are just interested in this fascinating part of Ottoman history, hopefully this post will help you better understand Nurbanu’s life seen through her legacy in modern-day Istanbul.
With these structures in her name, she will be remembered forever or, at least, for as long as these structures exist.
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