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reallifesultanas · 3 years

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The myths around Kösem Sultan's execution / A Köszem szultána halála körüli legendák

One of the most frequently discussed topics about the Sultanate of Women is the brutal execution of Kösem Sultan. Usually, the casual people think that she was assassinated by her son-in-law Turhan Hatice Sultan during a long power struggle. We have plenty of accounts of the events, but there are quite a few of them that are contemporary. In this post, I would like to summarize what we know, who were the characters of the events, and what might have happened that night. In the comments section or in Tellonyme, I look forward to everyone's opinion and comment about the topic so that we can discuss it! :) If you don't know Kösem Sultan, you can read her biography HERE.

What do we know for sure?

- After Ibrahim's dethronement and execution, Kösem Sultan became a regent to her grandson Mehmed IV. - Turhan, Mehmed’s mother, and Kösem Sultan were on different sides during the political games. - Kösem Sultan was killed by her enemies on September 2, 1651. - Turhan Hatice became the new regent, Kösem Sultan's executioners were not punished, but her supporters were soon killed.

Backstory

Kösem Sultan came to power for the second time in February 1640. Along with her crazy son, Ibrahim I, she began to rule the Ottoman Empire as regent. Everyone loved her, she had a huge experience in rule, she did a lot of charity. Everything seemed perfect, but her son, Ibrahim, soon came under the influence of bad advisers. Cinci Hoca was a religious leader in occult sciences who took advantage of the Sultan’s mental problems and seriously influenced him. As a result, the Sultan executed his Grand Vizier in 1644 and exiled his mother. He originally intended to send his mother to the island of Rhodes, but eventually, his concubines persuaded him to send her only to another palace. Kösem Sultan spent the next few years there in exile, but during that time she corresponded regularly with the statesmen and tried to keep everything under control. She probably wrote her well-known letter to Hezarpare Ahmed Pasha here, saying, "In the end, he will not leave you or me alive and we will lose control of the state again, thereby destroying our society." The situation deteriorated to the point that in 1647 Kösem Sultan and the new Grand Vizier, Salih Pasha and Seyhülislam Abdürrahim Efendi tried to dethrone Ibrahim but they failed. The next year, both the Janissaries and the Ulema joined the rebellion, and on August 8, 1648, the mad sultan was easily dethroned and imprisoned and his followers were removed from positions.

Ibrahim was succeeded by his son, Mehmed, who was barely 6 years old, andso he needed a regent. The statesmen asked Kösem Sultan for the honorary task. The position of regent was usually held by teachers, pashas, or mothers (in the case of Mehmed II, the Grand Vizier was regent; in Ahmed I, his mother and teacher; in Murad IV, and Ibrahim's case their mother), so Kösem Sultan was the first grandmother to become regent. According to the most accepted opinions, this happened because Mehmed’s mother, Turhan Hatice, was not even 25 years old at the time, too young and inexperienced to run the empire. Anyhow Kösem Sultan started her third regency and she constantly disregarded Mehmed’s mother, Turhan. Because of Turhan’s youth, she might truly would not have been the best regent, yet she had every right to control the harem. Kösem Sultan, however, did not allow this to the young woman either. So Turhan, in vain was the mother of the reigning sultan, all her duties were ruled by Kösem Sultan. Kösem Sultan gained more and more enemies both in the divan and the harem, so both places split into two sides: Kösem Sultan and her supporters and Turhan Sultan and her supporters.

Two opposite sides and characters

Kösem Sultan and her supporters

Kösem Sultan ruled the empire as a regent for decades, and when she was not a regent, she followed events as valide sultan. Earlier in her life, she worked together with most of the pashas. During her first regency, she said that she, as the representative of the ruler, intended to be there at the divan meetings in person. This was not allowed by the pashas and so she was forced to accept. During her third regency, however, she was not bowing before anyone’s will. She had lost all her sons, buried at least one daughter, sacrificed her whole life for the empire, so then she refused to compromise on anything anymore. She wished to rule the empire as an absolute monarch. And in the divan she dismissed everyone who disagreed with her. More and more people began to debate her right for ruling. One of her well-known divan speeches happed around this time. Kösem Sultan accused the Grand Vizier Sofu Ahmed Pasha of wanting to kill her, then she continued: “Thank God I survived four rulers and I ruled for a long time myself. The world will neither collapse nor reform with my death.”

Kösem Sultan went too far. She didn't just change the pashas she did not like but replaced them with Janissary officers. The Janissaries have served her with allegiance since the first regency of Kösem Sultan. Back then, in 1623, she went against everyone and gave the Janissaries a huge amount of money after Murad IV's accession to the throne. Although there were rebellions and disagreements, basically the Janissaries - but at least some of their corps - were loyal to Kösem Sultan. Representation of the Janissaries has been a thing for centuries, but to make Janissaries — or simply soldiers — vizieres was too much. Pashas learnt a lot and bore a lot to reach the highest possible positions and they were aware of how to be good veziers. This was their only aim and Kösem put Janissary officers there instead of educated statesmen. Everyone in the divan felt that Kösem Sultan wanted to build a military rule so that she could lead the empire in a way she liked. Thus, by 1651, only a few corps of Janissaries were actually on the side of Kösem in political terms. Although the people still loved her for her generous charity, in political terms their support did not mean much.

In addition to the growing tension with the pashas, Kösem Sultan had a rival in the harem also. Although most sources treat it as a fact that the relationship of Kösem Sultan and Turhan was terrible, there is no evidence to that effect. The relationship between the two of them only began to deteriorate over time, but in general, it can be said that Kösem Sultan just did not care about Turhan at all. She certainly looked down on her and didn't think much about Turhan. Kösem Sultan, although she had her own harem staff, did not have the most influential eunuch. Moreover, some said most of her servants also found her unworthy after realizing the way she treated Turhan. Perhaps it is no coincidence that so many sources mention a servant named Meleki Hatun, who famously switched sides and betrayed Kösem Sultan and began to strengthen Turhan’s side.

Turhan Hatice Sultan and her supporters

Turhan Hatice had more allies and so was in a better position in the harem than Kösem Sultan. She received help from an influential eunuch, Suleiman Agha. Suleiman aga was the leader of the harem agas, an ambitious eunuch with great power and contact system, with significant political influence. The harem was actually torn in two, thanks to the supporters of Kösem Sultan and Turhan Hatice. Both sides had their own chief eunuchs, which caused immense chaos within the harem, people did not know whose instructions to follow. And although the title of Valide Sultan belonged to Turhan Hatice as the mother of the sultan, the vernacular referred to her only as “small valide,” while Kösem Sultan was called “big valide”. Suleiman Agha's support, however, was worth its weight in gold. The eunuch looked primarily at his own interests throughout his life, and he had a great understanding of how to exploit and influence people. This is precisely why the possibility arises that it was Suleiman who set Turhan up and turned her against Kösem Sultan. Perhaps it was Suleiman who - hoping for his own rise from the young valide - persuaded her to take what was her right. In addition, Suleiman Agha was very liked by the young sultan, becoming a kind of father figure for the boy. Of course, it is not my intention to underestimate the role of Turhan in the events, but at the same time, I feel that the role of Suleiman Agha is actually underrated and I would like to make that clear. I’m not saying Turhan was a naive girl led by the evil Suleiman Agha, I just think that without Suleiman’s support and incitement, Turhan probably wouldn’t have, or much later, confronted Kösem Sultan.

In addition to Suleiman, three other major eunuchs also sided with Turhan: Hoca Reyhan Agha, Lala Hajji Ibrahim Agha, and Ali Agha. Hoca Reyhan Agha was closest to Turhan as his associate and religious leader, but Lala Hajji Aga was also a long-term partner in Turhan’s life. In addition to the eunuchs, we must also mention Meleki Hatun, whose legend is well known. According to this, she was the one who betrayed the plan of Kösem Sultan to Turhan, thus saving the little Sultan Mehmed from death and dethronement. However, the reality is probably less romantic. It is unlikely that a previously insignificant, never-ever mentioned servant like Meleki would have known about Kösem Sultan's plans and so could betray her. Certainly, Meleki was given a bigger role in the legend than she actually had. Maybe Meleki has agreed to be a scapegoat, testifying against Kösem Sultan if she gets goods in return. Given what a huge fortune Meleki gained after Kösem Sultan’s death, we can’t rule out this option either. Even if Meleki brought supporters for Turhan within the harem, she could have had quite a bit of an impact on the whole event. In addition to Turhan, the key figure was Suleiman Agha, who also had a close relationship with the divan, so he could easily connect members of the divan who were dissatisfied with Kösem Sultan. The most influential supporter was none other than the Grand Vizier, Siyavuş Pasha, but practically the entire divan turned against Kösem Sultan so far. It should also be mentioned that although most formations of the Janissaries were impartial or were on Kösem Sultan's side, the Sipahies tended to the group of Turhan and her supporters.

What led to the tragic night?

Before turning to the immediate causes, we need to jump back a bit in time to better understand Kösem Sultan's behavior. As is well known, Ibrahim I was succeeded by his son, Mehmed, barely 6 years old, who needed a regent. The statesmen asked Kösem Sultan for the honorary task. However, the request was rather strange. Why is that? The regent position was usually held by teachers, pashas, or mothers, and Kösem Sultan was none. Moreover, Kösem Sultan rejected the request for the first time on the grounds that she no longer has the strength to rule further.

Why did Kösem Sultan take on the task? Did she really want to retire?

To understand Kösem Sultan's thoughts, we need to jump a little further back in time. Kösem Sultan was in exile for years during Ibrahim's reign. From her exile, she repeatedly attempted a coup against her own son. From one of her surviving letters in exile, it is clear that she was part of the coup that eventually dethroned her son. Outwardly, however, she showed a very different picture. After Ibrahim was shut down, they wanted to put his son, Mehmed, on the throne. Kösem Sultan then met with the statesmen at Topkapi Palace to discuss with them what Ibrahim's fate should be. They negotiated for hours, but Kösem Sultan all along refused to give Ibrahim's eldest son to the statemen. The statesmen had to publicly convince Kösem Sultan for hours. Kösem Sultan who had previously done everything to dethrone her son is now standing by his son. Why? Of course, we will never know exactly what happened in her mind. However, it seems probable, that Kösem Sultan wanted to keep the image of a loving mother in front of the soldiers and the people. If she would just agree to Ibrahim's dethronement and Mehmed's enthronement that would be strange from a loving mother. Therefore, she held a sham debate with the pashas not to lose the sympathy of the people, but at the same time to keep the empire safe. Kösem Sultan was an experienced politician who was able to rule for years, and her loving and caring mother image was essential to that. Thus, with Kösem Sultan's consent, Sultan Ibrahim was eventually closed up and Mehmed has proclaimed their new sultan. Perhaps the first rejection of regency in 1648 was also part of a play like this. Kösem Sultan maybe felt the people expect this of her, so she offered to retire, while maybe in the background she had already agreed with the pashas.

And why did the members of the divan let Kösem Sultan to be the regent? After all, any of the members of the divan or even Mehmed's teacher could have applied for the task. And that would give huge power to them. So why did they give this opportunity to Kösem Sultan?

Ibrahim I was executed on August 18, 1648. Some say Kösem Sultan gave her consent to the execution but it cannot be ruled out that the execution took place behind her back. As I mentioned above, the mother of the dethroned or assassinated sultans has traditionally retreated to the Old Palace, where they lived their remaining years politically inactive. In her case, however, this did not happen. This raises the possibility that Kösem Sultan was unaware of Ibrahim’s execution and the pashas tried to reconcile the shattered woman with this gesture. Maybe Kösem gave her consent, knew what will happen, but still in the end she couldn't bear the pain. Either way, after the execution Kösem Sultan has changed. She turned against the pashas with whom she had always cooperated before. Whichever version is true, we can clearly see that the Kösem Sultan who became a regent to Mehmed IV, was no longer the same woman who had previously been considered the beloved mother of the empire.

But who ordered the execution of Ibrahim? Do we know? No, we do not know. Actually any of the statesmen could do it, but either Suleiman Agha or Turhan Sultan could make the little sultan to sign the fetwa petition and then send it to the Seyhülislam to authorize. Anyhow, the fetwa was authorized with full right, as Ibrahim was very harmful to the empire.

The murder

As can be seen from the above summary, Kösem Sultan was trying to build an absolute monarchy in which no one but a few Janissary corpses supported her, so a huge team gathered against her. According to the well-known version, over time, the strife between Kösem Sultan and the statesmen escalated to the point that, with the support of Turhan Hatice, the statesmen tried to remove her from her position. Kösem Sultan in response to this planned to dethrone Sultan Mehmed and put her other grandson on the throne instead. To do this, she wanted to let the Janissaries into the palace so that they could carry out the coup at night, which is why she left the gate to the harem open for the night. However, Kösem Sultan's plan was revealed to her enemies. According to some it was a servant named Meleki Hatun, who betrayed Kösem and told her plans to Turhan. Thus, as soon as the men of Kösem Sultan opened the gate on September 2, 1651, the men of Turhan Hatice, led by Chief Eunuch Suleiman Agha, closed it and sent an execution squad to the residence of Kösem Sultan. When she heard knocking on her door Kösem Sultan thought that her own allies had come, so she shouted at them, “Have you come?”. However, instead of the voice of the Janissaries, she heard the voice of the eunuch Suleiman Agha, which made her panic and flee. It’s not exactly known if she did get out of her apartment and if yes then how because the descriptions don’t match. Some said she hid in a closet inside her apartment, others said she tried to get to the Janissaries, but she couldn’t get through the closed gate, so she finally hid in the room next to the gate.

The execution squad, which consisted of several eunuchs (Suleiman Agha, Hoca Reyhan Agha, Lala Hajji Ibrahim Agha, and Ali Agha, as well as some unknown eunuchs) continued the search. Kösem Sultan hid in a closet from which the edge of her dress protruded, revealing her hiding place. When they found her, she threw money at her executioners, trying to pay them off, but she had no chance against Turhan's loyal men. Legend has it that while the men tried to capture and strangle the valide sultan they ripped out her diamond earrings - which she had received from Sultan Ahmed - from her ears; torn apart her clothes as they tried to take away the precious ornaments from her. Kösem Sultan beyond her sixties fought very hard but in the end, the eunuchs overcame her. Some say she was strangled with her own hair, others said with a curtain. She survived the first strangulation attempt but did not survive the second.

However, there are several points in the story above that raise doubts:

- Kösem Sultan's problem was not Mehmed but was the pashas, Turhan and Suleiman Agha. Then why didn't she get rid of them? Wouldn’t it have been easier and more logical to kill these people than to dethrone one child sultan for the benefit of another child? Of course, we can justify this with the fact that Kösem Sultan was no longer sane, so let’s not even look for logic in her actions. However, it may also raise the possibility that perhaps Kösem Sultan was completely or at least partially innocent throughout the series of events. She may not have planned anything with the Janissaries, the whole plan was only invented by Turhan and her men to legitimize their own actions. However, it contradicts that the Janissaries were indeed preparing to gather on the tragic night, and it is unlikely that Turhan and her team could successfully cheat the Janissaries without Kösem Sultan realizing it. It is possible that Kösem Sultan was indeed prepared for a minor coup, but it was perhaps not directed against Mehmed. Kösem Sultan had to realize that besides the pashas, Suleiman Aga was behind the "rebellious" behavior of Turhan and Mehmed. I think Kösem Sultan planned a smaller coup in which she would have got rid of the eunuchs and servants she didn’t like and would have scared Mehmed and Turhan. This would have ensured her own power and that neither Turhan nor Mehmed would question her anymore.

- Why was Kösem Sultan killed in such a strange way? After all, the lawful, usual method of execution was by an execution squad with Seyhülislam fetwa and silk/bow string. (It is important to note, however, that female members of the dynasty have not been executed before, women have typically been punished only with exile.) Kösem Sultan in contrast was killed by inexperienced eunuchs, with a kind of fake fetwa, and by her own hair or a curtain. The question arises that perhaps the execution of Kösem Sultan was not even planned. If the execution would be planned, executioners could clearly kill her after a legal fetwa. About the fetwa... There was, of course, a fetwa, but the temporality is somewhat disturbed by the fact that the Seyhülislam was replaced by one of Turhan's trusted men just when the execution took place. Precisely because of this, and because of the unusual brutality of the execution, there is a possibility that perhaps the execution of Kösem Sultan was not originally planned, only things slipped out of control, and in the heat of the moment, the Eunuchs executed Kösem Sultan. In retrospect, to legalize the events, they produced a fetwa with the new Seyhülislam.

- But then who and why did finally decide that Kösem Sultan should die? Turhan was not present at the events, and since the murder was not planned in advance - based on the fetwa and executioners - I would remove her from the list of suspects. Of course, it cannot be ruled out that Turhan Hatice Sultan and Suleiman Agha talked about this possibility also. It is more probable, however, that they originally merely wanted to scare Kösem Sultan, to show her that she had been exposed, that time had passed over her. In my opinion, Turhan hoped that Kösem Sultan would admit her defeat and simply retire to the Old Palace. It would have been too risky to kill a venerate and beloved valide, especially knowing that none of the female members of the dynasty had ever been executed before. They probably wanted to resign her, but so far there was nothing to lose for Kösem Sultan. The only thing that still made her vivid was power, so she certainly objected to the idea of forced retreat. When Suleiman Agha realized that Kösem Sultan was not listening to them, perhaps out of fear, he decided they had to kill her. After all, if the enraged Kösem Sultan had come out of the palace, Suleiman and the other eunuchs would have found themselves headless at once. Although there is no evidence of it, my personal opinion is that Suleiman may have wanted this from the first minute, as he knew full well that Kösem Sultan would never retire. Either way, the eunuchs eventually defeated and executed the elderly valide in a way that could not be called professional at all.

- Can we completely rule out that Kösem Sultan was executed with a truly legal fetwa and by an execution squad? Unfortunately, this cannot be ruled out either. The English ambassador, for example, reported that an execution squad had killed Kösem Sultan after a fetwa requested by the young sultan. He said that the execution happened in front of Mehmed eyes. We must admit though that the English ambassador was not among the best-informed ones. It is likely that everyone at the time believed that the fetwa was pre-issued. Only later, after historians’ research, it became very possible that the fetwa was presumably made after the execution of Kösem Sultan. It is not seems reasonable that Kösem Sultan would have been executed before the eyes of her 10-year-old grandson, Mehmed. Turhan tried very hard to protect her son, unlikely to have exposed him to such a trauma. Mustafa Naima agrees with the English ambassador that the execution was planned in advance, but he said it was not the eunuchs but an execution squad that killed Kösem Sultan. However, then why was the execution brutal? Why wasn't there a silk/bow string? Why was it performed by unfit eunuchs?

The aftermath of the murder

To prevent any resistance, during the night, Turhan Hatice and her men removed all statesmen who would have endangered them. The first man to be appointed that night was Ebu Said Efendi, the new Seyhülislam. He was the one who eventually issued the fetwa for the execution of Kösem Sultan (in retrospect). Turhan then sent a message to all statesmen and soldiers to immediately go to an audience where they would take allegiance to Sultan Mehmed. Most, out of fear or out of sincere feelings, immediately approached the Sultan, and those who did not, the new Seyhülislam issued a fetwa for them. Thus it became lawful to execute the supporters of Kösem Sultan, since they did not appear before the Sultan either. And the rebellious Janissaries were thus stigmatized as traitors and were legally executed. For commoners, they became the scapegoat for the death of Kösem Sultan. After the murder, Kösem Sultan was transported to the Old Palace, where her body was prepared for the funeral. She received an imperial funeral, and the people of Istanbul voluntarily held 3-day mourning, closing all shops and stores. Kösem Sultan has always been popular among the people, but interestingly the same people did not turn against Turhan because of the death of Kösem Sultan, in fact, Turhan became as loved and revered valide sultan just as Kösem Sultan was.

What happened to the real culprits? Turhan and Mehmed escaped, of course, but it is questionable whether they had any part in the murder at all. It is true that a rebellion in 1656 seriously shook their power, but in the end, they did not lose it. The main reasons for this were the weak Grand Veziers, the resurgent Celali rebellion, and the war with the Venetians. Due to the war people of the capital did not get enough grain, the soldiers were not properly paid, but ordinary people were also increasingly dissatisfied, especially angered by the extreme wealth of those close to the Sultan. Eventually, under the leadership of the Janissaries and Spahis, the people revolted on the fourth of March 1656. During the rebellion, several of those close to the sultan were brutally executed, the whole capital was ravaged. The mob hung all 31 people on trees next to the Blue Mosque. Among them was Meleki Hatun, whom the sultan especially loved. Although the capital has been shaken by riots in the past, such a rebellion has never happened before. Not only did the soldiers revolt, but the people also stood by the soldiers as one. Everyone closed their shops, a general strike took place during the rebellion.

Suleiman Agha was no longer in power when the rebellion took place and perhaps this held his head on his neck. After the assassination of Kösem Sultan, he became the chief black eunuch, but he could only enjoy the position until July 1652. Suleiman continued to stretch beyond his blanket, trying to change political issues that had nothing to do with him. Turhan Hatice also began to realize that Suleiman was not on their side at all, but only on his own. Of particular interest is that Lala Ibrahim Agha convinced Turhan of this, who himself took part in the execution of Kösem Sultan. Lala Ibrahim Agha was Turhan’s personal eunuch and he never longed (or wisely didn’t show her) for a higher position. Turhan was thus finally dismissed Suleiman Agha in 1652 and exiled him to Egypt. The refined eunuch even invented himself in exile, growing into an influential figure who became one of the main figures in Cairo’s local politics. He died in 1676/7.

Epilogue

We will probably never know exactly what led to the execution and how it took place. Nor was my aim with the post to present a perfect solution in the manner as Hercule Poirot usually does. I merely wished to shed light on the fact that the generally known and accepted theory should be regarded with some healthy doubts. The fact that it is the most generally accepted theory, does not mean it is the most thorough. There are plenty of question marks, dubious information which makes it clear that this whole situation was more complicated than two women fighting for domination over the harem.

Kösem Sultan was the sultana who broke the highest, who could have been at the top for a long time, but from the great heights, she finally fell down and became the only murdered valide sultana ever. Kösem Sultan had several titles during her life: Naib-i Sultanat (regent of the Ottoman Empire), Umin al-Mu'minin (mother of all muslims), Büyük Valide Sultan (great Valide Sultan), Valide-i Sehide (martyred mother), Valide-i Maktule (murdered mother), Valide-i Muazzama (magnificent mother).

Used sources: M. Kocaaslan - IV. Mehmed Saltanatında Topkapı Sarayı Haremi: İktidar, Sınırlar ve Mimari; L. Peirce - The Imperial Harem; Ö. Kumrular - Kösem Sultan: iktidar, hırs, entrika; C. Finkel - Osman’s Dream: the History of the Ottoman Empire; M. P. Pedani - Relazioni inedite; N. Sakaoğlu - Bu Mülkün Kadın Sultanları; G. Börekçi - Factions and Favorites at the Courts of Sultan Ahmed I and His Immediate Predecessors; F. Davis - The Palace of Topkapi in Istanbul; Faroqhi - The Ottoman Empire and the World; C. Imber - The Ottoman Empire 1300-1650; F. Suraiya, K. Fleet - The Cambridge History of Turkey 1453-1603; F. Suraiya - The Cambridge History of Turkey, The Later Ottoman Empire, 1603–1839; Ö. Düzbakar - Charitable Women And Their Pious Foundations In The Ottoman; G. Junne - The black eunuchs of the Ottoman Empire, Networks of Power in the Court of the Sultan.

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A Nők szultánátusának egyik legtöbbször tárgyalt témája Köszem szultána brutális kivégzése. Általában a laikusok elintézik annyival, hogy Köszem szultánát menye, Turhan Hatice gyilkoltatta meg hosszas hatalmi harc lezárásaként. Rengeteg beszámoló áll rendelkezésünkre az eseményekről, ám meglehetősen kevés van köztük, mely konkrétan korabeli lenne. Ebben az írásban szeretném összegezni, hogy mit tudunk, kik voltak a szereplők az eseményekben és hogy mi történhetett azon a bizonyos éjjelen. A kommentszekcióban várom mindenki véleményét, megjegyzését a témáról, hogy meg tudjuk vitatni a posztot! :) Aki nem ismerné Köszem szultánát, az ITT tudja elolvasni életrajzát.

Mit tudunk biztosan?

- Köszem I. Ibrahim trónfosztása és kivégzése után régens lett unokája IV. Mehmed mellett. - Turhan, Mehmed anyja és Köszem külöböző oldalon álltak a politikai játszmák során. - Köszemet 1651. szeptember 2-án meggyilkolták ellenségei. - Turhan Hatice lett az új régens, Köszem gyilkosai nem lettek megbüntetve, támogatóitól azonban rövidesen megszabadultak.

Előzmények

Köszem szultána 1640 februárjában másodjára került hatalomra. Zavart elméjú fia, I. Ibrahim mellett régensként kezdte irányítani az Oszmán Birodalmat. Köszemet mindenki szerette, az uralkodásban hatalmas tapasztalata volt, rengeteget jótékonykodott. Minden tökéletesnek tűnt, azonban fia, Ibrahim hamarosan rossz emberek befolyása alá került. Cinci Hoca okkult tudományokkal foglalkozó vallási vezető volt, aki kihasználta a szultán mentális problémáit és komolyan befolyásolta őt. Ennek az lett az eredménye, hogy a szultán 1644-ben a nagyvezírét kivégeztette, édesanyját pedig száműzte. Eredetileg Rodosz szigetére szándékozta küldeni anyját, de végül ágyasai meggyőzték, hogy csak egy másik palotába küldje. Köszem elkövetkezendő éveit ott töltötte száműzetésben, ám ezalatt az idő alatt is rendszeresen levelezett az államférfiakkal és igyekezett kézben tartani mindent. Valószínűleg itt írta meg jól ismert levelét is Hezarpare Ahmed Pasának, mely így szólt: “Végül sem titeket, sem engem nem hagyna életben és újra elveszítenénk az uralmat az állam felett, ezzel pedig lerombolnánk társadalmunkat.” Odáig fajult a helyzet, hogy 1647-ben Köszem szultána és az új nagyvezír, Salih Pasa és a Seyhülislam Abdürrahim Efendi megpróbálták trónfosztani Ibrahimot, azonban lebuktak. A következő évben a janicsárok és az ulema is csatlakozott a lázadáshoz és 1648 augusztus 8-án könnyűszerrel trónfosztották és bebörtönözték az őrült szultánt, követőit pedig eltávolították a pozíciókból.

Ibrahimot a trónon fia, az alig 6 éves Mehmed követte, aki mellett szükség volt egy régensre. Az államférfiak Köszemet kérték fel a megtisztelő feladatra. A régensi pozíciót általában tanítók, pasák vagy édesanyák látták el (II. Mehmed esetében a nagyvezír volt régens, I. Ahmednél anyja és tanítója, IV. Muradnál és I. Ibrahimnál anyjuk), így Köszem volt az első nagymama, akiből régens lehetett. Erre a legelfogadottabb vélemények szerint azért kerülhetett sor, mert Mehmed édesanyja, Turhan Hatice még 25 éves sem volt ekkor, túl fiatal és tapasztalatlan volt a birodalom irányításához. Köszem tehát belekezdett harmadik régensségébe és folyamatosan semmibe vette Mehmed édesanyját, Turhant. Turhan fiatalsága okán talán tényleg nem lett volna jó régens, ugyanakkor a hárem irányításához minden joga megvolt. Köszem viszont ezt sem engedte meg a fiatal nőnek. Turhan tehát hiába volt a regnáló szultán anyja, minden feladatkörét Köszem uralta. Emellett Köszem a divánban is egyre több ellenségre tett szert, így a hárem és a divan is két oldalra szakadt: Köszem támogatóira és Turhan támogatóira.

Két, szemben álló oldal és a szereplők

Köszem oldala

Köszem évtizedeken át uralta régensként a birodalmat, amikor pedig nem régens volt, valideként követte figyelemmel az eseményeket. Életének korábbi szakaszában a legtöbb pasa mellette állt, ami nem volt elmondható harmadik régensségéről. Köszem első régenssége alatt is jelezte, hogy ő, mint az uralkodó reprezentálása ott kíván lenni a divan gyűléseken személyesen. Ezt akkor a pasák nem engedték meg neki, amit ő kénytelen-kelletlen el is fogadott. Harmadik régenssége során azonban szó sem lehetett arról, hogy meghajoljon bárki akarata előtt. Elveszítette összes fiát, legalább egy lányát is eltemette már, egész életét a birodalomnak áldozta, nem volt hajlandó többé bármiben is kompromisszumot kötni. Gyakorlatilag egyeduralkodóként kívánta irányítani a birodalmat. A divanban pedig aki nem értett vele egyet, azt eltiporta és menesztette. Köszem jogát az uralkodáshoz egyre többen kezdték el vitatni, egyik ilyen divan vita során hangzott el a jól ismert beszéde is. Ekkor Köszem megvádolta a nagyvezír Sofu Ahmed Pasát azzal, hogy meg akarta őt öletni, majd így folytatta: “Istennek hála négy uralkodót segítettem és én magam is hosszú ideig uralkodtam. A világ nem fog sem összeomlani sem megreformálódni a halálommal.”

Köszem azonban nem elégedett meg a pasák megalázásával, tanácsaik el nem fogadásával. Még csak nem is neki tetsző más pasákra cserélte le őket, hanem janicsárokat kezdett vezíri rangra emelni. A janicsárok Köszem első régenssége óta hűséggel szolgálták az asszonyt, amiért az mindenkivel szembe menve 1623-ban hatalmas trónralépési jussot adott a janicsároknak IV. Murad trónralépése után. Bár voltak lázadások és egyet nem értések, alapvetően a janicsárok - de legalábbis néhány hadtestük - hűségesek voltak Köszemhez. A janicsárok képviselete évszázadok óta működött, azonban az, hogy janicsárokat - vagy egyszerűen katonákat - tegyenek vezírré a kitanult államférfiak helyett, több volt a soknál. Mindenki úgy érezte a divanban, hogy Köszem egy katonai uralmat kíván kiépíteni, hogy a neki tetsző módon vezethesse a birodalmat. Így Köszem oldalán 1651-re tulajdonképpen csak a janicsárok néhány hadteste állt politikai értelemben. Bár a nép továbbra is szerette őt bőkezű jótékonykodása miatt, politikai értelemben az ő támogatásuk nem jelentett sokat.

Amellett, hogy a pasákkal egyre nőtt a feszültség, Köszem a háremben is riválisra akadt. Bár a legtöbb forrás tényként kezeli, hogy Köszem és menye, Turhan viszonya tragikus volt, nincs erre utaló bizonyíték. Kettejük viszonya csak az idő előrehaladtával kezdett megromlani, általánosan azonban inkább az mondható el, hogy Köszem egyáltalán nem foglalkozott menyével. Mindenbizonnyal lenézte és nem tartotta sokra Turhant, így komolyan sem vette a nőt. Köszemnek bár megvolt a saját hárem személyzete, a legbefolyásosabb eunuch nem volt a kezében. Mindemellett egyesek szerint szolgálói nagyrésze is méltatlannak találta, ahogy Köszem Turhannal bánt. Talán nem véletlen, hogy oly sok forrás említi a Meleki Hatun nevű szolgálót, aki híresen oldalt váltott és Köszemet elárulva Turhan oldalát kezdte erősíteni.

Turhan Hatice oldala

Turhan Hatice a háremben jobban állt, mint Köszem. Segítséget kapott egy befolyásos eunuchtól, Szulejmán agától. Szulejmán aga volt a hárem agák vezetője, aki nagy hatalommal és kapcsolatrendszerrel rendelkező, ambíciózus eunuch volt, jelentős politikai befolyással. A hárem tulajdonképpen két oldalra szakadt, Köszem és Turhan Hatice támogatóira. Mind a két oldalnak megvolt a saját főeunuchja, ami hatalmas káoszt okozott a háremen belül, az emberek nem tudták, kinek az utasításait kövessék. És bár a valide szultána titulus a szultán anyjaként Turhan Haticét illette meg, a köznyelv csak “kis valide”-ként hivatkozott rá, míg Köszem volt a “nagy valide”. Szulejmán Aga támogatása ugyanakkor aranyat ért. Az eunuch első sorban a saját érdekeit nézte egész élete során, azonban remekül értett ahhoz, hogyan használjon ki és vezessen meg embereket. Épp emiatt felmerül annak a lehetősége is, hogy Szulejmán volt az, aki Turhant felbújtotta és Köszem ellen hangolta. Talán Szulejmán volt az, aki saját felemelkedését remélve a fiatal validétől, meggyőzte arról, hogy vegye el ami a saját jussa. Emellett Szulejmán Aga az ifjú szultánnal is megkedveltette magát, egyfajta apafigurává vált a fiú számára. Természetesen nem célom alábecsülni Turhan szerepét az eseményekben, ugyanakkor úgy érzem, hogy Szulejmán Aga szerepe ténylegesen alábecsült és ezt szeretném mindneképpen érzékeltetni. Nem azt mondom, hogy Turhan egy naíva volt, akit megvezetett a csúf, rossz Szulejmán Aga, csupán azt gondolom, hogy Szulejmán támogatása és felbújtása nélkül, Turhan valószínűleg nem, vagy sokkal később szállt volna szembe Köszemmel.

Szulejmán mellett három másik jelentősebb eunuch is Turhan oldalán állt, Hoca Reyhan Aga, Lala Hajji Ibrahim Aga és Ali Aga. Hoca Reyhan Aga állt legközelebb Turhanhoz, mint társalkodója és vallási vezetője, de Lala Hajji Aga is hosszútávú partner volt Turhan életében. Az eunuchok mellett meg kell említenünk Meleki Hatunt is, akinek legendája jól ismert. Eszerint ő volt az, aki Köszem tervét elárulta Turhannak, ezzel megmentve a kis Mehmed szultánt a haláltól és trónfosztástól. A valóság azonban valószínűleg kevésbé romantikus. Valószínűtlen, hogy egy korábban sosem említett, jelentéktelen szolgáló, mint Meleki tudott volna Köszem terveiről és el tudta volna árulni. Minden bizonnyal Melekit csupán oldalváltása miatt ruházták fel nagyobb szereppel, mint ami valójában volt. Talán Meleki elvállalta, hogy lesz bűnbak, tanúskodik Köszem ellen, ha cserébe javakat kap. Legalábbis tekintettel arra, hogy Meleki milyen hatalmas vagyonra tett szert Köszem halála után, nem zárhatjuk ki ezt az opciót sem. Meleki ha a háremen belül hozott is támogatókat Turhan számára, az egész eseményre meglehetősen kevés ráhatása lehetett. A kulcs figura Turhan mellett Szulejmán aga volt, akinek komoly kapcsolata volt a divánnal is, így könnyedén tudta csapatukhoz kapcsolni a divan Köszemmel elégedetlen tagjait is. A legbefolyásosabb támogató nem volt más, mint a Nagyvezír, Siyavuş Pasa, de gyakorlatilag szinte a teljes divan Köszem ellen fordult eddigre. Azt is meg kell említeni, hogy bár a jancsiárok legtöbb alakulata pártatlan vagy Köszem párti volt, a szpáhik inkább húztak a Turhan támogatói csoport felé.

Mi vezetett a tragikus éjszakához?

Mielőtt a közvetlen okokra rátérnék, kicsit vissza kell ugranunk az időben, hogy jobban megérthessük Köszem viselkedését. Mint ismert, trónfosztása után, I. Ibrahimot a trónon fia, az alig 6 éves Mehmed követte, aki mellett szükség volt egy régensre. Az államférfiak Köszemet kérték fel a megtisztelő feladatra. Ugyanakkor a felkérés meglehetősen furcsa volt. Miért is? A régensi pozíciót általában tanítók, pasák vagy édesanyák látták el, Köszem pedig egyik sem volt. Sőt, Köszem a felkérést először elutasította arra hivatkozva, hogy már nincs ereje tovább uralkodni.

Miért vállalta el Köszem mégis a feladatot? Valóban vissza akart vonulni?

Ahhoz, hogy megértsük Köszem gondolatait, még egy kicsit visszább kell ugranunk az időben. Köszem Ibrahim uralkodása során száműzetésben volt éveken át. Száműzetéséből pedig többször kísérelt meg puccsot saját fia ellen. Egyik száműzetésben írt levele alapján egyértelmű, hogy részese volt a puccsnak, mely végül fiát trónfosztotta. Kifelé azonban egészen más képet mutatott. Miután Ibrahimot elzárták, trónra szerették volna léptetni fiát, Mehmedet. Köszem szultána ekkor találkozott a Topkapi Palotában az államférfiakkal, hogy megvitassa velük mi legyen Ibrahim sorsa. Órákon át tárgyaltak, Köszem azonban végig megtagadta, hogy kiadja Ibrahim legidősebb fiát, Mehmedet. Így pedig nem lehetett őt kikiáltani szultánnak. Az államférfiaknak órákon keresztül kellett nyilvánsoan győzködniük Köszemet. Az a Köszem, aki korábban mindent elkövetett fia trónfosztásáért, most fia mellett állt ki. Miért? Természetesen sosem fogjuk megtudni, hogy Köszem fejében pontosan mi játszódott le. Valószínűnek tűnik azonban, hogy Köszem szerette volna megtartani a katonák és nép előtt a szerető anya képét, melybe nem fért bele saját fiának trónfosztása. Ezért egy álvitát tartott a pasákkal, hogy ne veszítse el a nép szimpátiáját, de ugyanakkor a birodalomnak is jót tegyen. Köszem tapasztalt politikus volt, aki éveken át tudott vezető szerepben maradni, ehhez pedig nélkülözhetetlen volt az imázs is. Így végül Köszem beleegyezésével elzárták Ibrahim szultánt, Mehmedet pedig új szultánjukká kiáltották ki. Talán a régensség első elutasítása is egy ehhez hasonló színjáték része volt. Köszem talán úgy érezte, hogy a nép ezt várja tőle, ezért felajánlotta visszavonulását, miközben talán a háttérben már régen megegyezett a pasákkal.

És a divan tagjai miért hagyták, hogy Köszem legyen a régens? Hiszen a divan tagjai közül akárki vagy akár Mehmed tanítója is jelentkezhetett volna a feladatra. Ez pedig hatalmas befolyást tett volna a férfiak kezébe. Miért engedték hát akkor át ezt a lehetőséget Köszemnek?

I. Ibrahimot 1648. augusztus 18-án kivégezték. Egyesek szerint Köszem szultána beleegyezését adta fia kivégzésébe, ám az sem zárható ki, hogy a kivégzés a háta mögött történt meg. Mint már fentebb említettem a trónfosztott vagy meggyilkolt szultánok édesanyja a tradíció szerint a Régi Palotába vonult vissza, ahol politikamentesen élték hátralévő éveiket. Köszem esetében azonban nem ez történt. Ez felveti annak eshetőségét, hogy Köszem nem tudott Ibrahim kivégzéséről és a pasák ezzel a gesztussal igyekeztek kiengesztelni az összetört nőt. De akkor ki rendelte el Ibrahim kivégzését? Gyakorlatilag bárki megtehette az államférfiak közül, de akár Szulejmán aga vagy Turhan is aláírathatta a fetwa kérvényt a kis szultánnal, melyet aztán a Seyhülislam teljes joggal engedélyezett, hiszen Ibrahim nagyon kártékony volt a birodalomra nézve. Akárhogyan is, Köszem a kivégzés után megváltozott. Vagy azért fordult a pasák ellen - akikkel korábban mindig együttműködő volt -, mert azok átverték őt Ibrahim kivégzésével kapcsolatban; vagy egyszerűen anyai szíve nem bírta elviselni, hogy beleegyezését adta fia kivégzésébe és megbomlott az elméje. Bármelyik verzió is igaz, azt tisztán látjuk, hogy az a Köszem, aki IV. Mehmed mellett régens lett, már nem ugyanaz az ember volt, akit korábban a birodalom imádott anyjának tekintettek.

A gyilkosság

Ahogy a fenti összefoglalásból is kiderül, Köszem egyeduralmat próbált kiépíteni, melyben néhány janicsár hadtesten kívül senki nem támogatta, így hatalmas csapat gyűlt össze ellene. A jól ismert verzió szerint, idővel a viszály Köszem és az államférfiak között odáig fajtult, hogy Turhan Hatice támogatásával az államférfiak megpróbálták Köszemet eltávolítani pozíciójából. Köszem válaszul erre azt tervezte, hogy trónfosztja IV. Mehmed szultánt és helyette másik unokáját ülteti a trónra. Ehhez a janicsárokat be kívánta engedni a palotába, hogy azok az éj leple alatt elvégezzék a puccsot, emiatt nyitva hagyatta éjszakára a hárem bejáratát. Köszem terve azonban ellenségei fülébe jutott, egyesek szerint egy Meleki nevű szolgáló által. Így amint Köszem emberei 1651. szeptember 2-án, kinyitották a kaput, Turhan Hatice emberei, a főeunuch Szulejmán Aga vezetésével bezáratták azt és kivégzőosztagot küldtek Köszem szultána lakrészébe. Mikor emberei Köszem lakrészéhez érve bekopogtak az ajtón, Köszem azt hitte, hogy saját emberei jöttek, ezért kikiabált nekik, hogy “Megjöttetek?”. Erre azonban a janicsárok hangja helyett Köszem az eunuch Szulejmán Aga hangját hallotta meg, amitől bepánikolt és menekülni kezdett. Nem pontosan tudni, hogy hogy jutott ki lakrészéből vagy ki jutott e egyáltalán, mert a leírások nem egyeznek. Egyesek szerint lakrészén belül bújt el egy szekrényben, mások szerint megpróbált kijutni a janicsárokhoz, azonban a zárt kapun keresztül nem tudott, így végül a kapu melletti szobában bújt el. A kivégzőosztag, amely több eunuchból (Szulejmán Aga, Hoca Reyhan Aga, Lala Hajji Ibrahim Aga és Ali Aga, valamint néhány ismeretlen eunuch) állt folytatta a keresést. Köszem egy szekrényben rejtőzött el, melyből ruhájának széle kilógott, ezzel felfedve rejtekhelyét. Amikor megtalálták, kivégzői elé pénzt dobott, ezzel próbálva lefizetni őket, ám esélye sem volt Turhan hű embereivel szemben. A legenda szerint a férfiak próbálták lefogni a validét, miközben füléből kitépték gyémánt fülbevalóit, melyeket Ahmed szultántól kapott; ruháját is megtépkedték, ahogy próbálták leszedni róla az értékes díszeket. Köszem túl a hatvanon is erősen ellenállt kivégzőinek, ám végül felülkerekedtek rajta. Egyesek szerint saját hajával, mások szerint egy függönnyel fojtották meg. Az első fojtogatási kísérlet után még magához tért, a másodikat azonban már nem élte túl.

Van azonban több olyan pont a fenti történetben, ami kétségeket ébreszt:

- Köszem problémája nem Mehmed volt, hanem a pasák, Turhan és Szulejmán Aga. Miért nem tőlük szabadult meg? Nem lett volna egyszerűbb és jogszerűbb meggyilkoltatni ezeket az embereket, mint trónfosztani az egyik gyermek szultánt egy másik gyermek javára? Természetesen megindokolhatjuk annyival a dolgot, hogy Köszem nem volt már épelméjű, így ne is keressünk logikát cselekedeteiben. Ugyanakkor felmerülhet az is, hogy talán Köszem teljesen vagy legalább részben ártatlan volt az egész eseménysorozatban. Elképzelhető, hogy nem tervezett semmit a janicsárokkal, az egész terv csak Turhan és emberei által lett kitalálva, hogy legitimizálják saját tetteiket. Ennek azonban ellent mond, hogy a janicsárok a tragikus éjszakán valóban gyülekezni készültek, az pedig nem valószínű, hogy Turhan és csapata sikerrel vezette meg a janicsárokat úgy, hogy Köszem erről ne szerzett volna tudomást. Lehetséges, hogy Köszem valóban készült egy kisebb puccsra, de az talán nem Mehmed ellen irányult. Köszemnek látnia kellett, hogy a pasák mellett Szulejmán Aga a fő felbújtó Turhan és Mehmed "rebellis" viselkedése mögött. Úgy vélem, Köszem egy kisebb puccsot tervezett, melyben megszabadult volna a neki nem tetsző eunuchoktól, szolgálóktól és ráijesztett volna Mehmedre és Turhanra. Ezzel biztosíthatta volna saját hatalmát és azt, hogy többé se Turhan se Mehmed ne kérdőjelezze őt meg.

- Miért gyilkolták meg Köszemet ilyen furcsa módon? Hiszen a jogszerű, szokásos kivégzési mód kivégző osztag által, Seyhülislami fetwával és selyemzsinórral történt. (Fontos ugyanakkor megjegyezni, hogy a dinasztia nő tagjain nem alkalmaztak korábban kivégzést, a nőket jellemzően száműzetéssel büntették.) Köszemet ezzel szemben képzetlen eunuchokkal, hamis fetwával és a saját hajával vagy egy függönnyel gyilkolták meg. Felmerül a kérdés, hogy talán Köszem kivégzése nem is volt eltervezve. Ha a kivégzés el lett volna tervezve, könnyedén tudtak volna kivégzőket szerezni selyemzsinórral és a fetwa kikérésének körülményei is egyértelműek lennének. Volt természetesen fetwa, de az időbeliséget kissé megzavarja a tény, hogy a régi Seyhülislamot ugyanakkor váltották le Turhan egyik megbízható emberére, mikor a kivégzés zajlott. Épp emiatt, és a kivégzés szokásostól eltérő brutalitása miatt, felmerülhet annak a lehetősége is, hogy talán Köszem kivégzése nem volt eredetileg eltervezve, csupán menet közben csúszott ki az irányítás Turhan kezéből és a pillanat hevében az eunuchok kivégezték Köszemet. Utólag pedig, hogy legalizálják az eseményeket gyártattak egy fetwát az új Seyhülislámmal.

- De akkor ki és miért döntött végül úgy, hogy Köszemnek meg kell halnia? Turhan nem volt jelen az események során, és mivel a gyilkosság nem volt előre eltervezve, őt kihúznám a gyanúsítottak listájáról. Természetesen az nem zárható ki, hogy Szulejmán Agával beszéltek erről az eshetőségről is. Valószínűbb azonban, hogy eredtileg csupán rá akartak ijeszteni Köszemre, megmutatni neki, hogy leleplezték, eljárt felette az idő. Véleményem szerint Turhan azt remélte, hogy Köszem beismeri vereségét és egyszerűen visszavonul a Régi Palotába. Túl kockázatos lett volna megölni egy ennyire tisztelt és szeretett validét, úgy, hogy korábban sosem végezték ki a dinasztia egyik nőtagját sem. Nem vall épelmére szánt szándékkal előrekitervelten, ilyen módon megölni Köszemet. Valószínűleg le akarták mondatni, Köszemnek azonban eddigre már nem volt vesztenivalója. Az egyetlen dolog, ami még éltette az a hatalom volt, így minden bizonnyal ellenkezett a kényszer visszavonulás gondolatától. Mikor Szulejmán Aga felismerte, hogy Köszem nem hallgat rájuk, talán félelemből úgy döntött meg kell őt ölniük. Hiszen ha a felbőszített Köszem kijutott volna a palotából Szulejmán és a többi eunuch azon nyomban fej nélkül találta volna magát. Bár nem utal rá bizonyíték, de személyes véleményem az, hogy Szulejmán talán az első perctől kezdve ezt akarta, hiszen tudta jól, hogy Köszem sosem fog visszavonulni. Akárhogyan is az eunuchok végül professzionálisnak egyáltalán nem mondható módon legyűrték az idős validét és kivégezték.

- Teljesen kizárható, hogy legális fetwa és kivégző osztag végzett Köszemmel? Sajnos ezt sem zárhatjuk ki. Az angol követ például arról számolt be, hogy kivégző osztag ölte meg Köszemet, az ifjú szultán által kért fetwa után, Mehmed szeme láttára. Igaz, hogy az angol követ nem a legjobban informáltak közé tartozott. Valószínű, hogy mindenki úgy hitte akkoriban, hogy a fetwa előre volt kiadva, csak később, a történészek kutatásai világítottak rá arra, hogy a fetwa feltehetőleg Köszem kivégzése után készült el. Azt pedig, hogy Köszemet a 10 éves Mehmed szeme láttára végezték volna ki, nem tartom valószínűnek. Turhan nagyon erősen igyekezett óvni fiát, nem valószínű, hogy kitette volna őt egy ilyen traumának. Mustafa Naima abban egyetért az angol követtel, hogy a kivégzés előre megtervezett volt, ám szerinte nem eunuchok, hanem kivégző osztag végzett a valide szultánával. Azonban akkor miért volt brutális a kivégzés? Miért nem volt selyemzsinór? Miért alkalmatlan eunuchok vitték véghez?

A gyilkosság utóhatása

Hogy megakadályozzanak bármiféle ellenállást, Turhan Hatice és emberei az éjszaka folyamán minden olyan államférfit eltávolítottak posztjáról, aki veszélyeztette volna őket. Az első ember, akit kineveztek akkor éjjel, az Ebu Said Efendi lett, az új Seyhülislam. Ő volt az, aki végül kiadta a fetwát Köszem kivégzésére (utólagosan). Ezekután Turhan megüzente az összes államférfinak és katonának, hogy azonnal menjenek audienciára, ahol hűséget fogadnak Mehmed szultánnak. A legtöbben félelemből vagy őszinte érzések által vezérelve, azonnal a szultán elé járultak, akik pedig nem, azokra az új Seyhülislám fetwat adott ki. Így vált jogszerűvé Köszem támogatóinak kivégzése is, hiszen ők sem jelentek meg a szultán előtt. A lázadó janicsárok pedig így árulóként lettek megbélyegezve és legálisan kivégezték őket. A nép szemében végül ők lettek bűnbaknak kikiáltva Köszem haláláért. Köszemet a gyilkosság után a Régi Palotába szállították, ahol előkészítették testét a temetésre. Birodalmi temetést kapott, Isztambul népe pedig önkéntesen 3 napos gyászt tartott, bezárva minden boltot és üzletet. Köszem mindig népszerű volt az emberek között, ám érdekes módon ugyanaz a nép, nem fordult Turhan ellen Köszem halála miatt, sőt, Turhan hasonlóan szeretett és tisztelt valide szultána lett, mint amilyen Köszem volt.

Mi történt a valódi bűnösökkel? Turhan és Mehmed természetesen megúszták, ugyanakkor kérdéses, hogy a gyilkosságban egyáltalán volt e részük. Igaz egy 1656-os lázadás komolyan megrengette hatalmukat, de végül nem veszítették el azt. A lázadásnak a legnagyobb oka a gyenge nagyvezírek, az újjáéledő Celali lázadás és a velenceiekkel vívott háború voltak. A körülmények miatt nem jutott elég gabona a fővárosba, a katonák nem kaptak rendesen fizetést, de az egyszerű emberek is egyre elégedetlenebbek voltak, különösen dühítette őket a szultánhoz közelállók extrém gazdagsága. Végül a janicsárok és szpáhik vezetésével a nép fellázadt 1656 március negyedikén. A lázadás során a szultánhoz közelállók közül többeket brutálisan kivégeztek, az egész fővárost feldúlták. A csőcselék Mehmed 31 közeli emberét a Kék Mecset mellett akasztotta fel egy egy fára. Köztük volt Meleki Hatun is, akit a szultán különösen szeretett. Bár korábban is rázták meg lázadások a fővárost, ehhez fogható még sosem történt. Nem csak a katonák lázadtak fel, a nép is egy emberként állt ki a katonák mellett és állt be mögéjük. Mindenki bezárta boltjait, általános sztrájk lépett érvénybe a lázadás idejére.

Szulejmán Aga már nem volt hatalmon amikor a lázadás megtörtént és talán ez tartotta helyén a fejét. Szulejmán Köszem meggyilkolása után a fő hárem eunuch lett, ám a pozíciót csupán 1652 júliusáig élvezhette. Szulejmán tovább nyújtózkodott, mint a takarója ért, olyan politikai témákba is igyekezett beleszólni, amihez semmi köze nem volt. Turhan Hatice is kezdte felismerni, hogy Szulejmán egyáltalán nem az ő oldalukon áll, hanem csak a saját magáén. Külön érdekesség, hogy az a Lala Ibrahim Aga győzte meg erről Turhant, aki maga is részt vett Köszem kivégzésében. Lala Ibrahim Aga Turhan személyes eunuchja volt és maga sosem vágyott (vagy bölcsen nem mutatta ki) ennél magasabb pozícióra. Turhan így végül 1652-ben megfosztotta pozíciójától Szulejmán Agát és száműzte Egyiptomba. A rafinált eunuch még a száműzetésben is feltalálta magát, befolyásos személlyé nőtte ki magát, aki Kairó helyi politikájának egyik főszereplője lett. 1676/7-ben halt meg.

Epilógus

Valószínűleg sosem fogjuk pontosan megtudni, hogy mi vezetett a kivégzéshez és hogyan zajlott az le. A poszttal nem is az volt a célom, hogy egy tökéletes megoldást mutassak be Hercule Poirot módjára, csupán szerettem volna rávilágítani arra, hogy az általánosan ismert és elfogadott teória, inkább megszokásból tekintendő a legáltalánosabban elfogadottnak, nem pedig alapossága miatt. Rengeteg a kérdőjel, kétes információ és helyzet a kivégzés körülményei között, ami egyértelműsíti, hogy ez az egész helyzet bonyolultabb volt annál, minthogy két nő harcot vívott a hárem feletti uralomért.

Köszem volt az a szultána, aki a legmagasabbra tört, aki sokáig lehetett a csúcson, azonban a nagy magasságból zuhant végül alá és vált az egyetlen meggyilkolt valide szultánává. Élete során több címet is kapott: Naib-i Sultanat (az Oszmán Birodalom régense), Umin al-Mu'minin (minden muszlimok anyja), Büyük Valide Sultan (nagy valide szultána), Valide-i Sehide (a mártír anya), Valide-i Maktule (a meggyilkolt anya), Valide-i Muazzama (a csodálatos anya).

Felhasznált források: M. Kocaaslan - IV. Mehmed Saltanatında Topkapı Sarayı Haremi: İktidar, Sınırlar ve Mimari; L. Peirce - The Imperial Harem; Ö. Kumrular - Kösem Sultan: iktidar, hırs, entrika; C. Finkel - Osman’s Dream: the History of the Ottoman Empire; M. P. Pedani - Relazioni inedite; N. Sakaoğlu - Bu Mülkün Kadın Sultanları; G. Börekçi - Factions and Favorites at the Courts of Sultan Ahmed I and His Immediate Predecessors; F. Davis - The Palace of Topkapi in Istanbul; Faroqhi - The Ottoman Empire and the World; C. Imber - The Ottoman Empire 1300-1650; F. Suraiya, K. Fleet - The Cambridge History of Turkey 1453-1603; F. Suraiya - The Cambridge History of Turkey, The Later Ottoman Empire, 1603–1839; Ö. Düzbakar - Charitable Women And Their Pious Foundations In The Ottoman; G. Junne - The black eunuchs of the Ottoman Empire, Networks of Power in the Court of the Sultan.

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fymagnificentwomcn · 4 years

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Leyla Feray was a perfect "Ayşe Sultan", Farah Zeynep is not that pretty plus the role of a sultana didn't suit her and of course Farya as a character sucks ! Still bitter about Tims's casting for Turhan Hatice and for how they portrayed her and she only appeared in 3 episodes Ibrahim's reign deserved its own season

I agree Anon. Harem didn’t play an important role during Murad’s reign, so to be honest I would be satisfied with having only Ayşe as a developed character. Harem during Ibrahim’s role played a HUGE role and the fact that we didn’t get all the harem dynamics of that period explored properly is my huge regret and I can bet show’s creators feel the same because they obviously planned for Season 3 devoted wholly to Ibrahim’s reign.. but such is Turkish TV market now and they still delivered a story of Kösem’s life that made sense, which is more you can tell of many TV shows nowadays, even those with huge budget and safe position like Game of Thrones that HBO would have likely prolonged as much as they could, but D&D were certain they had enough time to wrap everything up properly lol. So in those conditions,not knowing when they may get axed (and Turkish shows are filmed like two weeks in advance only), I still appreciate what they did… Now that my initial expectations about whole season of Turhan/Kösem rivalry, Ibrahim’s harem, Turhan of my dreams are more in past, I’m more able to appreciate what we got in that conditions eh.

Devoting so much time to Farya and Murya was HUGE mistake, since it didn’t save the ratings by bringing FZA’s fanbase etc., and it truly stole a lot of precious screentime later. The pacing issues are in MYK from start – back in S1 they introduced Beren earlier than planned and then rushed to end S1 with Kösem becoming regent because they weren’t sure they would get renewed. Maybe it’s crying over spilt milk now, especially since they are obviously aware that they had made a huge mistake – Farya’s screentime was clearly strongly reduced after 10 episodes and after she was removed, she was practically never mentioned again, like they pretended she had never existed lol.

Mhm I don’t think actresses’ appearance is of importance here, sultanas were normal girls, I know it is often assumed that they had to be pretty to captivate the padişah, but it was not always the case - Hürrem apparently wasn’t that conventionally pretty, but managed to charm Suleiman so much regardless. And each sultan had his own preferences. There isn’t something like “a sultana look”. I hear people talking “this actress is too pretty to play a subject, not a sultana” and I’m like ???? Royal blood doesn’t make you pretty either.

I think Leyla was absolutely fine. I liked her cutesy image in contrast to Murad’s violent nature. You can see why this girl “brought him peace” and why he ultimately destroyed her… just episode before she makes the big mistake and helps Gülbahar out, Murad threatens her to become her nightmare after Farya told him about her suspicions. She was soo scared, she was willing to do everything just not to face Mu/rat’s /spelling intentional/ wrath. And then she regretted what had done so much when she heard about people who suffered in the fire and wanted to fight Gülbahar as mother of Murad’s kids and his woman… and poor thing ultimately got exposed for wanting to fix things… #AyseDeservedBetter

I’m not satisifed with the Turhan we got, but after reading more stuff about Kösem vs Turhan conflict I’m now against the “Turhan was innocent cookie, who only jumped to her son’s defence” thing – it’s a clear example of “history being written by winners” thing. Turhan was definitely very good at propaganda – relationship between her and Ibrahim was surely tense and full of mutual dislike, and Mehmed ascending the throne and Ibrahim being dethroned surely was a good thing for her – yet in correspondence to statesmen that she wanted to bring to her side she described herself “as poor suffering widow, who just wants to punish those who killed her beloved husband”, among which she meant Kösem. There was even an occurrence when one of statesmen supporting Turhan went to Kösem to accuse her of killing Sultan Ibrahim and putting all blame on her, which reportedly shook Kösem very much. While Kösem likely did make moves to dethrone Mehmed, it’s very possible that the poisoning thing was invented by Turhan and her people to rally support. Reports put blame on “misinformation” on Suleiman Aga, who was treated as person inciting the showdown, but we know Suleiman Aga served Turhan, and it was a natural thing that servants of Imperial figures were blamed because nobody dared to accuse the actual Valide.

Turhan as Valide Sultan did not only manage harem, but was involved in state matters and the double rule often made it harder for Kösem to stabilise Empire. Turhan wasn’t deprived of being Valide Sultan; Kosem’s position was simply new & unprecedented and allowed her to be regent. While mothers began to play the role of regent recently (Kösem for Murad, Halime unofficially for Mustafa, Handan as co-regent together with Ahmed’s lala, even Mehmed III leaving the affairs in Safiye’s hands when he went on campaign to Hungary), there was no law on this and previously e.g. there was more inclination for Grand Vizier in this role.

In the end, they were both morally grey because while Kösem likely didn’t plan to poison Mehmed, of course there was always risk of him losing his life if any problems ensued following deposition, as the Ibrahim case showed.

Still, the innocent cookie defender of her son Turhan vs. evil hag Kösem narrative is not the true one.

We also must remember that:

Discretion prevented Ottoman writers from criticizing royal mothers (they did not record the hostile barbs directed by Ottoman statesmen at queen mothers and favorites which made their way into European accounts), but they did not hesitate to employ invective in he case of lesser women of the sultan’s harem. Naima, so careful to defend the young queen mother Turhan, criticized other concubines of the “mad” İbrahim with relish.

Taken from: Leslie Peirce, The Imperial Harem: Women and Sovereignty in the Otoman Empire.

I’ve found some evidence for Turhan being groomed by Kösem and Turhan’s involvement in politics even during Ibrahim’s reign (namely in connection with the Crete war), so while we don’t know much about the relationship between the two women before Mehmed’s reign, there is some evidence supporting MYK’s direction. Leslie Peirce states that Kösem groomed Turhan and Thys-Senocak mentions that Atike chose and trained her.

However, as a new slave woman in the palace, a gift of Kör Süleyman Pasha to the valide sultan Kösem, she had been trained by Atike Sultan, a sister of Murad IV, and groomed by Kösem, who presented her to her son.

Taken from: Leslie Peirce, The Imperial Harem: Women and Sovereignty in the Otoman Empire. Peirce also reiterates that Kösem groomed Turhan in her short article entitled Gender and Sexual Propriety in Ottoman Royal Women’s Patronage.

Training by Atike could be also on Kösem’s request, though we cannot say for certain Atike was Kösem’s daughter, but yet again Kösem seemed to pretty much take care of whole dynasty, not only her own children. It is interesting because the position of the mother of eldest son’s gained importance due to switch to seniority and we know for certain Turhan wasn’t Ibrahim’s favourite consort – but maybe again he was attracted to her at first and the relationship deteriorated later. Due to her being mother of eldest son, Turhan had to be aware that being Valide is in store for her, and Kösem also had to accept the fact.

The fact is that with four episodes the showrunners decided to focus more on the already established characters and Turhan got pretty much sacrificed for it – after all, it was Kösem’s story. I get what they did for abridged story purposes, but what I saw on screen did not reflect my imaginations of historical Turhan.

In the end, MYK Turhan represented an extreme version of a person brought up in Ottoman harem. She was completely cold and almost entirely devoid of human emotions, save in some scenes with her children or her sadness upon Ibrahim preferring other concubines. She was truly unscrupulous and desperate to get to the highest top aka becoming regent for her son, which meant he had to become padişah while he was still a minor. She truly wanted to have it all, even if she had a lot compared to other harem girls – she was a chief haseki with high position given to her by her mother-in-law, who truly treated her exceptionally compared to other Valides we saw – she shared her power with her, taught her political stuff and introduced her to political world, involving her in her own affairs and even taking her to secret councils with her. Kösem was undoubtedly aware that in light of Ibrahim’s illness she had to keep the mother of eldest prince satisifed&feeling safe because padişah like Ibrahim was an easy target for deposition. Not only Turhan had safe position due to seniority succession rules – Kösem clearly supported her and wanted her to be her successor, e.g. backed her up in the Zarife conflict. Yes, Ibrahim had other favourites, but he was a weak sultan and he wasn’t interested in this stuff at all – he just wanted to have fun with other girls and ignored Turhan, but he wasn’t politically involved enough to try to prevent Turhan from becoming next Valide because he simply didn’t give a damn most of the time.

Turhan’s going against Kösem was a huge & risky gamble, also for her son. It’s one thing to never trust anyone fully and be on your guard, and another to go on removing everyone, so whole rule is in your hands. While we know that relations between Ibrahim&Turhan were tense, there wasn’t any repeated pattern of abuse against her or their son – Ibrahim’s outburst and throwing Mehmed justifiably shook Turhan up, but it was clear it was one-time incident that stemmed more from Ibrahim’s illness than any sort of malice or sadism. He mostly simply ignored Turhan and didn’t want to spend time in her company. Perhaps Ibrahim being a weak padişah was also why Turhan looked at him with contempt because she couldn’t accept how this man stood higher in hierarchy than her, which wounded her pride additionally. Thus said, if her primary motive had been as she said fear of Ibrahim, I don’t think she would have gone against Kösem. Kösem was after all the person who defended her to Ibrahim, tried to calm him down with regards to Turhan and she obviously supported Turhan as next Valide. Additionally, when Kösem actually controlled Ibrahim and his behaviour – later Atike didn’t care, people who were trying to use him and make him crazier for their purposes achieved their goal. Turhan purposefully wanted to make him crazier and crazier to dethrone him and now she was in the palace without her biggest former supporter. Ibrahim was definitely in far worse mental condition after Kösem’s exile and Kemankeş’ removal. We got the taste of the danger when Ibrahim threatened to strangle Mehmed during the coup – and then we finally saw fear in Turhan’s eyes. But it was she who allowed the situation to boil down to this. Turhan’s backstabbing to Kösem wasn’t only a betrayal to a person who always supported her&did a lot to her (and it was something even Ibrahim highlighted after Kemankeş’ “execution” and since he also had beef with his mother at that point, it’s hard to take his words as biased), but also her sacrificing whole nation due to striving to make Ibrahim’s reign fail so much that he would be undoubtedly deposed.

Turhan’s final win isn’t so much a triumph of very well-thought-out long-term strategy, but luck, totally unscrupulous nature, not taking into account that any bystanders might be harmed, and Kösem making a fatal mistake in the end. Until the last stand, Kösem always managed to ultimately outsmart her, and Turhan’s final victory is only due to raw force, Kösem making a fatal mistake&Kuşçu’s betrayal for reasons Kösem didn’t deserve.

In the end, Turhan and her people represented raw power which adheres to no rules or honour. Not only did they kill so many innocent people, but also showed no rules in the final stand – Kösem is strangled on the harem floor and her body is plundered (a historical fact, sadly), and Turhan only stays on balcony with devilish smile over the slaughtered palace. Köprülü does not face the elderly Kemankeş himself, but waits until his people defeat him to slice his throat. Haci is also murdered in unnecessarily cruel way by having his neck twisted in front of Tuhan bearing her stone cold face as she usually does. Turhan was presented as pretty much extreme product of that system – someone who is always coldly calculating, showing little human emotions (maybe only towards her kids) and only focused on achieving one’s goal without any scruples, and is unable to bond with anyone other than her kids. Same with people surrounding her, there are no strong, touching & genuine relationships like in Kösem’s team, which is based on loyalty that may mean even paying with death for it. There’s strong friendship between Haci & Kösem, same with Kemankeş and Deli Hüseyin, Kösem and Kemankeş deeply and truly love each other until the end, Hüseyin also prefers to die than to support Turhan. Even Lalezar’s “betrayal” is only about not letting an innocent child die, not wanting to support Turhan or switch sides for her personal gain. In a way, Turhan functions as some symbol of end of Empire, same with the depressing final shots, which is also accentuated in Kösem’s final monologue: ‘The lights have gone out, no right, no left, no death, no back, no forward, no top, no bottom (…) ” . I can see the rationale – it was first and foremost Kösem’s story, moreover a story that needed to be abridged.

However, as I said, Turhan is a real-life historical figure that actually did good things for the Empire, continued Kösem’s legacy and had her achievements, that’s why historical Turhan can never be simply a destructive force in my mind, and it’s probably the highest divergence between historical figure and show figure I have in my mind as far as MY&MYK are concerned.

We see some glimpses of Turhan actually taking her responsibilities seriously in the final episode – she decides to spare Mehmed’s brothers (which actually serves pretty much as plot twist taking into account how her character has been portrayed) and declares she intends to take care of the state. Ironically, while Kösem paid for politically training Turhan & introducing her to political world with her life, at least even her ultimate enemy wanted to honour her legacy & obey anti-fratricide law & was prepared for ruling. It was a posthumous win for Kösem here.

Of course the way historical Turhan took power from Kösem was questionable – it was full of brutality, purges, and it’s hard to imagine it was all without knowledge of her and her closest associates. /Still we know that Turhan likely didn’t kill harem girls that served Kösem, but got them married off instead as Kumrular writes in her Kösem biography/. However, she also proved capable in taking care of state and dynasty and since Mehmed was pretty much an obedient momma’s boy, she had much easier task than Kösem to for example persuade him not to kill his brothers.. honestly, try to control someone like Murad, it was a huge success Kösem managed to save Ibrahim.

I think that the portrayal of Turhan and her people may stem from not only brutal purges that followed Kösem’s death, but also from the period after Turhan appointed Köprülü the Grand Vizier – Peirce compares some of his methods to Murad’s and this period to Murad’s reign. While it was Köprülü who used bloody methods, we can guess that Turhan would have not let him stay GV if she had not accepted it. It is curious how Turhan/Murad emerged a pretty popular crackship in MYK… I was always like “they gave us Turhan who seems like a perfect match for Murad”.. just that her ruthlessness does not stem from anger, but more from cold detachment (fire and ice LMAO). I know some like to refer to Turhan as “Iron Lady”, so I suppose it was what MYK creators intended. /There is of course some anger in her too - when Ibrahim told her that she was just a coward hiding under his mother’s skirts… you just knew she would NEVER let it slide and prove to him & the rest of the world she didn’t need Kösem to stay on top./

The more I think the more I’d really love to see Müge Boz as Turhan, since Turhan wasdescribed as pretty unassuming and that was also why she was able to rally supporters. It would be cool to see Kösem facing a girl looking like young her, but not innocent… yet using her innocent image. And again we should have seen more of her showing care for state. I’m actually glad we didn’t get the simple Kösem turns into Safye and encounters an innocent Anastasia that we all expected. Now I think we needed something more complex, and as I mentioned it Kösem truly didn’t turn into Safiye, while many of Turhan’s actions (like mass slaughter in harem) resemble Safiye more – yet later her son is truly in danger, so there’s some rationale in that and we see some of Kösem’s legacy in her declaration to spare Mehmed’s brothers and take care of the state.

Likely it was intentional to make Turhan so much like the opposite of innocent Nasya.

But in the end, while there are hints of Kösem legacy being preserved (Turhan clearly wants to obey anti-fratricide law), Turhan pretty much served as a symbol of future fall of Empire because the final images of slaughtered people and her smirking on balcony in her slay kween (pretty pretentious) attire, accompanied by the above mentioned monologue, pretty much give a glimpse of apocalypse. /And LBR she claimed she had started the whole conflict for her son… then why the fuck she stands shouting to “bend the knee or die” & “show no mercy” or grins on the balcony instead of sitting with her son or at least checking up on him?/

It’s kinda fitting end for Kösem story, where she was the protagonist, especially when we see how yellow filter & fairytale elements from first episodes of MYK (which gradually become less bright) to the total darkness and atmosphere of doom of final episode. Still, as I said, Turhan Sultan is a historical figure that deserves more.

In a way, we were by default robbed of a satisfying depiction of Turhan by the mere fact that Ibrahim’s regin was abridged to 4 episodes – we should have got her early days in harem, her growing up etc., but I think at this point I decided to stop crying over spilt milk, I think, even though the mere fact that some fake princess got 22 episodes and Turhan 4 is always gonna hurt.

- Joanna

#turhan hatice sultan #magnificent century kosem #muhteşem yüzyıl kösem #muhtesem yuzyil kosem #ottoman history #kosem sultan #history #answered #mods opinions

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ottomanladies · 5 years

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Do we have a describtion of the protests that took place after Turhan became regent?

“Though the characters changed, the plot remained about the same. Turhan Sultan and her supporters now dominated the government in alliance with the chief eunuch of the Porte (dar üs-saade ağası), Lala Süleyman Ağa, who had played an important role in ending the rule of the military agas. The aged and weak Gürcü Mehmet Paşa was made the new grand vezir (November 30, 1651), but he was entirely under the control of the ruling duumverate. Inflation spread while the Celalis dominated the countryside. The Venetian blockade of the Dardanelles not only interrupted the dispatch of supplies to Crete but also prevented the shipment of badly needed grains to Istanbul from Egypt and Syria. Once again the mob of Istanbul was becoming restive, with the Janissaries again joining the Sipahis in resenting a situation in which their wages were worth less and came late. Süleyman Ağa and Turhan Sultan realized that strong leadership was needed if the empire that supported them was to be saved.”“Finally, the Janissaries and Sipahis joined in a major revolt in Istanbul (March 4, 1656) to protest the payment of their salaries in base copper coins, forcing the sultan to turn over 30 key palace and government officials, hanging each one in front of the Sultan Ahmet Mosque, and forcing the entire populace of the city to close their shops and stay home in a kind of general strike in support of the military demands.While Ottoman officials had been hung or torn apart by dissidents in the past, nothing of this magnitude had ever occurred. But despite the tremendous difficulties the sultan and his entourage were not ready to act and adopt new measures. Part of the reason was the old belief in the superiority of Ottoman ways and institutions developed in the centuries of greatness and the feeling that the only solution was to restore them.” -- Stanford J Shaw, History of the Ottoman Empire and Modern Turkey (volume I)

“Köprülü Mehmed Pasha’s first action on the domestic front was taken against the Kadızadelis, currently enjoying a revival. Their puritanical message had once more fallen on receptive ears during the bitter factionalism of Mehmed IV’s early years, and their potential for disrupting the public order which it was the Grand Vezir’s aim to re-establish was such as could not be ignored. [...] Within a week of Köprülü Mehmed Pasha’s assumption of office the Kadızadelis threw down the gauntlet, in the form of a multi-point programme for a return to the fundamental tenets of the faith. As they gathered at the mosque of Mehmed II to plan how to put their programme into effect, Köprülü Mehmed made plain his determination to rely on the ‘official’ institutions of the state, seeking the advice of the clerical establishment, whose position as the religious wing of the state apparatus was threatened by Kadızadeli influence in high places. Perhaps out of fear of public sentiment the new grand vezir did not execute the Kadızadeli leaders whom he rounded up, but banished them, the powerful Üstüvani Mehmed Efendi included, to Cyprus.Other victims of the purge against those Köprülü Mehmed feared or those he held responsible for fomenting unrest were not so lucky. The hanging of the Orthodox Patriarch on the grounds that he had encouraged the Christians of Wallachia to rebel against Ottoman rule was wholly unprecedented. Deli Hüseyin Pasha, accused of misappropriating funds intended for the Cretan war, was initially saved from death by the intervention of Köprülü Mehmed’s patrons in the Queen-mother’s circle on the grounds that it was an inadmissible fate for one who had given such distinguished service for so long, and the incumbent Sheikhulislam refused to issue a juridical opinion recommending his execution. But Deli Hüseyin’s supporters were soon outwitted; two years later Köprülü Mehmed invited him to Istanbul, and was able to prevail on the Sultan to order the summary despatch of his rival.” -- Caroline Finkel, Osman's Dream: The History of the Ottoman Empire

#anon #ask post #ask: ottoman history #mehmed iv

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shipperisi · 2 years

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@karsikomsununcocugu

affet laaaannn

Aga be EGE NAPTIN AFFETSENE KIZLAR AĞLİYO ALXLAMXMA

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brookstonalmanac · 3 years

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Events 7.11

472 – After being besieged in Rome by his own generals, Western Roman Emperor Anthemius is captured in St. Peter's Basilica and put to death. 813 – Byzantine emperor Michael I, under threat by conspiracies, abdicates in favor of his general Leo the Armenian, and becomes a monk (under the name Athanasius). 911 – Signing of the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte between Charles the Simple and Rollo of Normandy. 1174 – Baldwin IV, 13, becomes King of Jerusalem, with Raymond III, Count of Tripoli as regent and William of Tyre as chancellor. 1302 – Battle of the Golden Spurs (Guldensporenslag in Dutch): A coalition around the Flemish cities defeats the king of France's royal army. 1346 – Charles IV, Count of Luxembourg and King of Bohemia, is elected King of the Romans. 1405 – Ming admiral Zheng He sets sail to explore the world for the first time. 1410 – Ottoman Interregnum: Süleyman Çelebi defeats his brother Musa Çelebi outside the Ottoman capital, Edirne. 1476 – Giuliano della Rovere is appointed bishop of Coutances. 1576 – While exploring the North Atlantic Ocean in an attempt to find the Northwest Passage, Martin Frobisher sights Greenland, mistaking it for the hypothesized (but non-existent) island of "Frisland". 1616 – Samuel de Champlain returns to Quebec. 1735 – Mathematical calculations suggest that it is on this day that dwarf planet Pluto moved inside the orbit of Neptune for the last time before 1979. 1789 – Jacques Necker is dismissed as France's Finance Minister sparking the Storming of the Bastille. 1796 – The United States takes possession of Detroit from Great Britain under terms of the Jay Treaty. 1798 – The United States Marine Corps is re-established; they had been disbanded after the American Revolutionary War. 1801 – French astronomer Jean-Louis Pons makes his first comet discovery. In the next 27 years he discovers another 36 comets, more than any other person in history. 1804 – A duel occurs in which the Vice President of the United States Aaron Burr mortally wounds former Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton. 1833 – Noongar Australian aboriginal warrior Yagan, wanted for the murder of white colonists in Western Australia, is killed. 1848 – Waterloo railway station in London opens. 1864 – American Civil War: Battle of Fort Stevens; Confederate forces attempt to invade Washington, D.C. 1882 – The British Mediterranean Fleet begins the Bombardment of Alexandria in Egypt as part of the Anglo-Egyptian War. 1889 – Tijuana, Mexico, is founded. 1893 – The first cultured pearl is obtained by Kōkichi Mikimoto. 1893 – A revolution led by the liberal general and politician José Santos Zelaya takes over state power in Nicaragua. 1897 – Salomon August Andrée leaves Spitsbergen to attempt to reach the North Pole by balloon. 1899 – Fiat founded by Giovanni Agnelli in Turin, Italy. 1906 – Murder of Grace Brown by Chester Gillette in the United States, inspiration for Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy. 1914 – Babe Ruth makes his debut in Major League Baseball. 1914 – USS Nevada (BB-36) is launched. 1919 – The eight-hour day and free Sunday become law for workers in the Netherlands. 1920 – In the East Prussian plebiscite the local populace decides to remain with Weimar Germany. 1921 – A truce in the Irish War of Independence comes into effect. 1921 – The Red Army captures Mongolia from the White Army and establishes the Mongolian People's Republic. 1921 – Former president of the United States William Howard Taft is sworn in as 10th chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, becoming the only person ever to hold both offices. 1922 – The Hollywood Bowl opens. 1924 – Eric Liddell won the gold medal in 400m at the 1924 Paris Olympics, after refusing to run in the heats for 100m, his favoured distance, on the Sunday. 1934 – Engelbert Zaschka of Germany flies his large human-powered aircraft, the Zaschka Human-Power Aircraft, about 20 meters at Berlin Tempelhof Airport without assisted take-off. 1936 – The Triborough Bridge in New York City is opened to traffic. 1940 – World War II: Vichy France regime is formally established. Philippe Pétain becomes Chief of the French State. 1941 – The Northern Rhodesian Labour Party holds its first congress in Nkana. 1943 – Massacres of Poles in Volhynia and Eastern Galicia by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army within the Reichskommissariat Ukraine (Volhynia) peak. 1943 – World War II: Allied invasion of Sicily: German and Italian troops launch a counter-attack on Allied forces in Sicily. 1947 – The Exodus 1947 heads to Palestine from France. 1950 – Pakistan joins the International Monetary Fund and the International Bank. 1957 – Prince Karim Husseini Aga Khan IV inherits the office of Imamat as the 49th Imam of Shia Imami Ismai'li worldwide, after the death of Sir Sultan Mahommed Shah Aga Khan III. 1960 – France legislates for the independence of Dahomey (later Benin), Upper Volta (later Burkina) and Niger. 1960 – Congo Crisis: The State of Katanga breaks away from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 1960 – To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is first published, in the United States. 1962 – First transatlantic satellite television transmission. 1962 – Project Apollo: At a press conference, NASA announces lunar orbit rendezvous as the means to land astronauts on the Moon, and return them to Earth. 1971 – Copper mines in Chile are nationalized. 1972 – The first game of the World Chess Championship 1972 between challenger Bobby Fischer and defending champion Boris Spassky starts. 1973 – Varig Flight 820 crashes near Paris, France on approach to Orly Airport, killing 123 of the 134 on board. In response, the FAA bans smoking in airplane lavatories. 1977 – Martin Luther King Jr., assassinated in 1968, is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. 1978 – Los Alfaques disaster: A truck carrying liquid gas crashes and explodes at a coastal campsite in Tarragona, Spain killing 216 tourists. 1979 – America's first space station, Skylab, is destroyed as it re-enters the Earth's atmosphere over the Indian Ocean. 1983 – A TAME airline Boeing 737-200 crashes near Cuenca, Ecuador, killing all 119 passengers and crew on board. 1990 – Oka Crisis: First Nations land dispute in Quebec, Canada begins. 1991 – Nigeria Airways Flight 2120 crashes in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia killing all 261 passengers and crew on board. 1995 – Yugoslav Wars: Srebrenica massacre begins; lasts until 22 July. 2006 – Mumbai train bombings: Two hundred nine people are killed in a series of bomb attacks in Mumbai, India. 2010 – The Islamist militia group Al-Shabaab carried out multiple suicide bombings in Kampala, Uganda, killing 74 people and injuring 85 others. 2011 – Ninety-eight containers of explosives self-detonate killing 13 people in Zygi, Cyprus. 2015 – Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán escapes from the maximum security prison in Altiplano, in Mexico. It's his second escape.

#Events

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merzifontarihi · 4 years

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Kayıtlarda Geçen Fakat Günümüze Ulasamayan Eserler Merzifon Kalesi Merzifon'un antik iç kalesi, sehrin ortasinda yer alan tek tepe üzerinde-dir. Dis kale ise, tepenin eteklerinde olup bugün herhangi bir izi kalmamistir. Aslinda Çelebi Sultan Mehmet devrinden itibaren sehir dis kale surlarinin dısına tasinmistir. Evliya Çelebi, Seyahatnamesinde Merzifon Kalesinin özelliklerini söyle anlatir: “Danismendîlerin binasidir. Hâlâ Sivas eyaletinde, Amasya Sancagi hâkinde kerpiç bir Kal'ayi rânadir. Içinde asla evleri yoktur. Mühimmat ve levazim için muhafizlari vardir.” ^Ulu Camii Merzifon, Türkler tarafindan fethedildigi zaman, ilk ulu camisinin nerede bulundugunu bilmiyoruz. Ancak Halil Edhem Eldem'in Tarihi Osmani Encümeni Mecmuasi'nin 43. sayisinda yayinladigi “Merzifon'da Pervane Muîniddin Süleyman Namina bir Kitabe” konulu kisa yazisinda; 1264-65 tarihinde Pervane Süleyman'in bir cami yaptirdigi bilinmektedir. Ancak cami 1904 yilinda çikan yanginda tamamen yanmis, 1906 yilinda yeniden insa edilmek istenmisse de mümkün olmamis ve arsasi 1927-28 yillarindaki vakif arazi satisi furyasinda satilmistir. Günümüzde Belediye'nin mülkü durumunda olan arsa baraka tarzinda dükkanlarla çevrelenmistir. ^ Dürrüzade Medresesi Yeri bilinmemektedir. Ahmet Agazade Haci Hasan Aga Medresesi1798 yilinda Ahmed Agazade Hacihasan Aga ile diger hayir sahipleri tarafindan yaptirilmis olup yeri hakkinda bilgi yoktur. Muallimhaneler Ilkokul seviyesindeki ögretimin yapildigi bu okullarin sayisini Evliya Çelebi yetmis civarinda diye belirtmis olmasina ragmen kaynaklarda sekiz tanesi ancak tespit edilebilmistir.^ Devlet Hatun Vakfi1419 yilinda Çelebi Sultan Mehmet'in annesi Devlet Hatun tarafindan bir cami ile bir zaviye için yapilmistir. Kapan HanÇelebi Sultan Mehmet Vakfindan olan hanin yeri bilinmemektedir.Deve HaniTacettin Ibrahim Camiinin doğusunda bulunan kesme tastan insa edilmis Deve Hani 1949 yilinda harabe halinde iken, 1970'li yillarda Belediye tarafindan istimlak edilerek Taceddin Camiinin etrafi açılmak amacıyla yıkılmıs ve sebze hali yapılmıstır. https://www.instagram.com/p/B_sC-9xpnM8/?igshid=18i2l3fxqx5sj

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sananeulen · 4 years

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Ata'mızın en sevdiği türkülerden birisidir Selanik Türküsü ve her türkünün de bir hikâyesi vardır.Okumanız dileğiyle... ÖYKÜSÜ: Bir yanda davullar çalar öte yanda mezar kazılır mı hiç? Hangi kentin hangi yörenin töresinde var bu? Böyle bir yöreye böyle bir kente halkımız o güzel türküleri yaratan halkımız ilenmez mi? “Viran olasınıssız kalasın” demez mi? Der elbette. Tarihini düşemediğimiz ama 1893-94 yıllarında Rumeli’deki kolera salgını nedeniyle 1800’lü yılların sonu diye varsaydığımız dönemde geçer olay. Halkımızın ilendiği kent de Rumeli’nin incisi Selanik kentidir. O dönemin Selanik’i dillere destan. Şundan ki; Osmanlının hoşgörülü yönetimi altındaki Selanik’te yetmiş iki millet bir arada yaşıyor. İlkin Bizans ve kısa bir dönem de Venedik yönetiminde kalan Selanik daha sonra İkinci Murat döneminde Osmanlı topraklarına katılmış.1912 yılına kadar 500 yıla yakın Osmanlı yönetiminde kalmış. Kolkide ve Olimpos Dağları arasındaki Vardar Vadisi’nin ağzında kurulmuş olan Selanik; deniziyle dağıylaçiçek bahçeleriyle tablo gibi bir kentti o zamanlar. Bu kenti güzelleştiren bir tek doğası değildi elbette. Çarşısında pazarında dükkânında mağazasında kentin toplumsal yapısına uygun bin bir dil konuşulur halk birbirini anlardı. Sevgi saygı Selanik’in simgesi olmuştu. Rum’u Ermeni’siPomak’ı Arnavut’u Türk’ü kardeş gibi geçinip giderlerdi. Museviler Müslümanlar Hristiyanlar kentin çeşitli yörelerinde özgürce kendi ibadetlerini yapacakları cami kilise havralarını kullanır; kimse kimseyi rahatsız etmezdi. 15’ci yüzyılda Kraliçe İsabella ile Kral Ferdinand döneminde Musevilere “Ya Hristiyan olacaksınız ya da on ay içinde İspanyayı terk edeceksiniz” deniyor. Sultan İkinci Beyazıt İspanyol Musevilerine sahip çıkıyor. Kaptan-ı Derya Hasan Paşayı donanması ile birlikte İspanya’ya gönderiyor. Bir grup Musevi’nin kurtulmasını sağlıyor. Ve onları İstanbul’a getiriyor. Bu gelen gruptan 2000 kadarını da daha sonra Selanik’e gönderiyor. Böylelikle Selanik’in yaşamına yeni bir grup giriyor. Ve ticaret birden bire canlanıyor. Yeni mağazalar bankalar oteller açılıyor. Yollar caddeler limanlar yapılıyor. Musevilerin kent yaşamına kattığı ticari canlılıktan; diğer etnik gruplar da nasibini alıyor. Hamdi BeyKapancılar gibi Müslüman iş adamları da çeşitli iş kollarında yatırımlar yapıyorlar. Sözün özü SelanikOsmanlının Avrupa’daki merkezi haline geliyor. Bu gelişmeler insanlar arasındaki geleneksel dostluğu hiç bozmuyor. Herkes birbirine saygısını sürdürüyor. Sabahın erinde siga siga kürek çekip balığa çıkan Rum kayıkçılara hep birlikte “Kalipsarya” diyerek bol balık dileniyor; akşam dönüşlerinde meraklı gözlerle kayıkların yüklerini boşaltmaları gözleniyor. Akşamüstü çingene kadınların sattığı renk renk çiçekler kokinolar caddelere apayrı bir güzellik veriyor. Gelişen ticari yaşama ayak uydurup tekstil iş kolunda mağaza açan Müslümanlardan biri de Renda’lı Rüstem Ağa’ydı. Kentin eski merkezindeŞadırvan Mahallesi’nde Hortacı Süleyman Efendi Camii civarında büyük bir kumaş mağazası vardı Rüstem Ağa’nın. Mağazasında dallı güllü basmalarağır kadifeler Şam işi ipekliler Selanik dokumaları top top dururdu raflarda. Selanik’in o günkü sosyetesi Rüstem Ağa’nın mağazasından giyinirdi. Rumeli kızlarının sırtındaki zarif elbiselerin renk renk feracelerin üç eteklerin kumaşları Rüstem Ağa’nın mağazasından çıkardı. Belindeki Trablus kuşağından sarkan gümüş saat kordonuyla; bir yana eğik fesiyle kara pala bıyıklarıyla yörük esmeri babacan bir adamdı Rüstem Aga. Boş zamanlarını Hortacı Camii’nin önündeki Asmalı Sokak Kahvesi’nde nargilesini fokurdatarakköpüklü kahvesini yudumla*** geçirirdi. Rüstem Ağa gözü gönlü tok çayı içilir yemeği yenir bir kişiydi. Anlı şanlı konağında kumaş mağazasında onlarca insan çalışır ekmek yerdi. Ne ki Rüstem Ağa’nın da kendince derdi vardı. Şundan ki dört kız babası olan Rüstem Ağa’ya Allah bir oğlan evlat vermemiş kendinden sonra mala mülke sahip çıkacak soyunu sürdürecek bir oğlu olmamıştı. Kahvedeki konuşmalar döner dolaşır bu konuya gelir; Rüstem Aga’nın içi burkulur malı mülkü varlığı konağı bir anda sıfıra inerdi gözünde. Olsa ne olmasa ne ölüp gittikten sonra el eline kalacaktı tümü. Kızları bir bir evermiş yuvadan uçurmuştu. Bir tek Fitnat kalmıştı evde. Daha on altısındaydı Fitnat. Gözü gibi seviyordu Fitnat’ı Rüstem Ağa. Akşam olup eve geldiğinde babasını kapıda karşılıyan Fitnat yüzünde gülücüklerle sarılıyordu boynuna. Elindekileri alıp sırtındakileri çıkarmasına yardım ediyor elini ayağını yıkaması için ibrikle su döküyorhavlusunu uzatıyordu babasına. Güzelliği de dilden dile dolaşıp dünürleri çoğalıyordu Fitnat’ın. Ama babası verimkar değildi kimseye:”Daha çocuk sayılır Fitnat’ım. Feracesini atalı kaç yıl oldu ki” deyip savıyordu gelenleri. Günlerden bir gün Selanik yakınlarındaki Mazganlı Köyü’nden Mehmet adlı bir genç alış veriş için Rüstem Ağa’nın mağazasına geldi. Eline aldığı kumaşları yumaklayıp denetliyor fiyatlarını soruyordu kumaşların. Sonunda elbiselikgömleklik kumaşlardan seçip kuşağından çıkardığı kesesinden ödedi parasını. Rüstem Ağa ilk kez mağazasında gördüğü bu gencin nereli olduğunu ne iş yaptığını sordu. “Mazganlı’danım. Celeplik yapıyorum. Selanik pazarına bir kaç mal getirdik arkadaşlarla . Sattık. Üç beş parça ihtiyacı alıp köye döneceğim. Niyetim burada kalıp bir iş tutmaktı ama zor “ dedi. Gencin bu içten saf anlatımı hoşuna gitti Rüstem Ağa’nın. Kendisinin de hesap kitaptan anlayan alış veriş bilen birine ihtiyacı vardı. “Delikanlı adın ne? Kimin kimsen var mı köyde. Ne tür iş ararsın?” deyince delikanlı:”Adım Memet. Dört erkek kardeşiz. Anam babam da köyde yaşıyor.Hesaba kitaba aklım erer. Alış-verişten anlarım” deyince içinde kımıl kımıl bir şeyler kaynadı Rüstem Ağa’nın “Benim de böyle bir oğlum olsaydı” diye geçirdi içinden. Sonra da;”Gel çalış bu dükkanda. Ekmeğin aşın yatacak yerin benden. Giysini içeceğin kadar tütünü verir emeğinin de hakkını öderim”. Delikanlı hiç beklemediği bu öneri karşısında alnında biriken terleri mendiliyle silip;”Daha ne isteyim ağam; sen münasip gördüysen biz de layık olmaya çalışırız” diyerek ellerine sarıldı Rüstem Ağa’nın. Gün o gün; saat o saat işe başladı Memet. Her geçen gün daha da ısındı işine. Rüstem Ağa’nın da günden güne gözüne daha çok girdi. Lep demeden leblebiyi anlıyor; işe kendi işi gibi sarılıyordu Memet. İlkin kumaş toplarını indirip kaldırmakla başladı işe;sonra mağazanın tüm işlerine el attı. Rüstem Ağa ona baktıkça “Ah şu Memet gibi benim de bir oğlum olsa soyumu sopumu sürdürse” diye iç geçiriyordu. Akşam olunca tütün denklerinin arasına serdiği şiltelerin üstünde uyuyan Memet bir tek mağaza işleriyle değil gerektiğinde konağın işlerine de koşturuyordu. Mağazaya gelen müşterilere ve çevre esnafa da kendini sevdiren Memet’i Rüstem Ağa zamanlı zamansız eve de yolluyor ya aldığı yemeklikleri gönderiyor; ya da unuttuğu bir şeyi alıp getirmesini istiyordu. İşte bu gidiş gelişlerin birinde olan oldu… Memet’le Fitnat göz göze geldi. Elleri ellerine deydi. Çok geçmeden de kimsenin görmediği bir köşede buluşup fısıldaşır oldular. Memet bir türlü durumu Rüstem Ağa’ya açamıyor içine kapandıkça kapanıyordu. Sonra Fitnat’ın davranışlarındaki değişikliği sezen anası sorguladı kızını. Durumu öğrenince de babasına açtı meseleyi. Rüstem Ağa’nın da zaman zaman aklından geçen Fitnat’ı Memet’le everme işi kendiliğinden gelişince hoşuna gitti. Gülümsemeye başladı. “Öteki kızları nasıl yuvadan uçurduysak Fitnat da bir gün gidecekti. Memet’ten iyisi mi olacak. Efendi çocuk. Eli işe yatkın. Namuslu çocuk. Mal mülk dediğin ne ki. Hepsi geçici. Biz dünyadan el çekecek olsakgözümüz arkada kalmaz” deyince anası haberi Fitnat’a uçurdu. Çok geçmeden de Memet işinden izin alarak köyüne gidip ana-babasına açtı durumu. Onların da rızasını alarak üç beş armağan yetirip kentin yolunu tuttular. Rüstem Ağa’nın Hortacı’daki evinin kapısını çaldıklarında Fitnat’ın yüreği duracak gibiydi. Al yanakları biraz daha kızarmış olarak elleri titreyerek açtı konağın kapısını. Konukları anası babası da kapıda karşıladı. Konağın büyük salonuna aldılar. Şuradan buradan konuşup kahvelerini içerken “Allahın emriyle “ diye başladı Memet’in babası. Sonra da “Kısmetse olur. Hele bir de kızımıza danışalmı. Lakin Fitnat bizim evimizin şenliği. Onsuz bu konağın tadı kalmaz. Biz isteriz ki oğlunuz bizimle olsun. Evimizde kalsın. Bize evlat olsun. Kızımız da bizden kopmamış olur” deyince Memet’in babası; niyetimiz sizinle akraba olmak. Memet zaten kent yaşamına alıştı. Kızınızı köye getirip de ne iş tutacak. Bizim zaten üç tane gelinimiz var köyde. Sizin dediğiniz gibi olsun. Yeter ki mutlu olsunlar” deyip söz kestiler. Fitnat kız kapı aralığından konuşulanları dinlerken sevinçten uçuyordu. Usulen kızlarıyla konuşup sonucu bildireceklerini söylediler. Konukları yolcu ettiler. İlkin Fitnat’la konuştu babası. Ne desin Fitnat’cık.”Siz bilirsiniz baba. Siz uygun görürseniz ben de evet derim” diye görüşünü bildirdi. İç güveyi alacakları için fazla beklemeyip düğünü bir an önce yapmaya karar verdiler. Nasıriç’teki çiftlik evlerinde davulları çaldırıp anlı şanlı bir düğün yapacaklardı. Gençler heyecanla o günü beklerken Selanik’i kabus gibi bir hastalık kasıp kavurmaya başladı. Kolera dedikleri illet bir çok canı alıp *ürmeye başlamıştı. Kenti karabulutlar gibi sarmıştı kolera. Yalnızca Selanik’i değil; tüm Rumeli’yi sarmıştı. Kimine göre Selanik limanlarındaki yabancı gemilerden bulaşmıştı; kimine göre de Balkanlar’daki savaştan kaçıp Selanik’e sığınan göçmenler taşımıştı kolerayı. Şu…Bu…Tevatür çeşit çeşit. Ama yaşam sürüyor bir yandan. Çok geçmeden iki aile yeniden bir araya gelip düğün gününü kararlaştırdılar. Üç hafta içinde hazırlıklar tamamlanıp düğün yapılacak gençler baş göz olacaktı. Konu komşudan bazıları varsıl saygın Rüstem Aga’nın kızını yoksul bir gence iç güveysi olarak vermesini hoş karşılamıyordu. Ama Memet’in dürüst ve çalışkan olduğunu bir evlat gibi aileye gireceğini söyleyenler çoğunluktaydı. Artık günleri sayıyorlardı. On beş… On dört… On üç. Ama koleranın sarstığı Selanikte camilerde durmadan sela okunuyor cenazeler ard arda kaldırılıyordu. Kolera olmadık yerlerde olmadık kişilerde uç gösteriyor. İlkin ateş kusma ishal; çok geçmeden de bir yatak bir yorgan çaput gibi halsiz bırakıpsuyunu emdikten sonra da alıp *ürüyordu hastayı. On iki on bir. Ama Fitnat’ın hali hal değil. Hastanede doktor fısıldadı kulağına babasının. “KOLERA”. Dokuz sekiz yedi üç. Düğüne üç gün kala sizlere ömür! İlkin ateş kusma sonra da kesiksiz ishal ve halsizlik. Aman yaman doktor ilaç… Boş! Bir kuş yavrusu gibi babasının kollarında can verdi Fitnat. Hortacı Camiinde selası okunurken üç gün sonraki düğüne izin vermeyen ölüme ilenen Memet caminin bir kenarına çekilmiş bir yandan hüngür hüngür ağlıyor; öte yandan kınası yakılmamış geline bu illeti bulaştıran Selanik’e ileniyordu.

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themuseumwithoutwalls · 7 years

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MWW Artwork of the Day (10/21/17) Ottoman miniaturist (fl. early 18th c.) A Musical Gathering (c. 1703-30) Ink, opaque watercolor & gold on paper, 38.2 x 24.8 cm. The Aga Khan Museum, Toronto

This colorful ensemble of musicians and entertainers illustrates the royal taste for music and dance in the Ottoman world, an interest shared with other Islamic and European courts. While single-page paintings had been introduced to the artist’s repertoire over a century before, the formation of the figures and the fact that they appear to direct their performance to an audience at their right suggests that this image formed one half of a double-page manuscript painting. Falling in line with earlier princely images depicted in Persian illustrated manuscripts, the audience would probably have consisted of a king and his attendants or courtly lovers enjoying a musical interlude in the country. Three women stand next to the musicians, dressed in peach- and crimson-coloured robes, while a fourth sits on her knees to play the ektar, a one-stringed lute. Meanwhile, a young boy sits to the left of the lute player and taps his tambourine to the music. The painting, once mounted on an album, retains part of a margin that was decorated in gold vegetal scrolls. While illustrated Ottoman manuscripts first tended to emphasize history and geography -- sieges and battles and maps of conquered territories -- this painting seems to fit into a later interest in the more peaceful aspects of courtly life. It probably dates to the early eighteenth century, during the reign of Sultan Ahmad III (r. 1703-30 CE), when war was not at the forefront of the political agenda and the sultan could refine his artistic taste, inspired by seventeenth-century Persian painting. Yet Ottoman features also abound: the cypress trees and cherry blossoms surrounding the musicians are reminiscent of such depictions on Iznik tiles made for the Ottoman court in the mid-sixteenth century under Süleyman the Magnificent (r. 1520-66 CE).

(from the Museum website)

#Ottoman miniaturist #A Musical Gathering #non-western painting #islamic art

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minetteskvareninova · 3 years

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Magnificent Century AU: A harem anime

(this was absolutely inspired by @redxluna and her posts about yanderes in this show, which made me think about who might be the rest of the tropes, and it just unraveled from there)

- our dumbass male protagonist: Süleyman obviously

- his yandere: Mahidevran AND Hürrem, two for a price for one!

- his tsundere: Ibrahim

- the one-night-stand who thinks she’s the tsundere: Ayşe hatun

- his genki girl: Firuze

- his himedere: Isabella Fortuna

- his (involuntary) sadodere: Sadika

- the third wheel in a love triangle subplot with the tsundere: Hatice

- the third wheel in a love triangle subplot with the tsundere no.2: Nigar kalfa

- the third wheel in a love triangle subplot with one of the yandere: Gülşah

- the unlucky childhood friend pining after the other yandere: Leo AND Gülnihal

- the third wheel who manages to get the sadodere off the protagonist’s back: Matrakçi Nasuh

- the nosy parent who plays the role of a harem nanny, badly: Ayşe Hafsa

- loyal retainer who also plays the role of a harem nanny and also sucks at it: Sümbül

- the sister who had to be sent away to prevent this from becoming one of THOSE harem anime for her own amusement: Fatma

- the sister who is Done With This Shit: Şah

- the one person who saw that PSA from The Mother’s Basement and knows where this is heading: Daye

- local protagonist x tsundere shipper: Gül aga

- local protagonist x genki girl shipper: Afife

- local creep whose appearance marks the transition to the Next Gen: Bali Bey

#magnificent century #harem anime au #crack fic

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reallifesultanas · 4 years

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Portrait of Pargali Ibrahim Pasha/Pargali Ibrahim pasa portréja

Of the many particularly colorful individuals who surrounded Suleiman I, Ibrahim Pasa, nicknamed “makbul” (favorite) and “maktul” (executed), was one of the most interesting characters.

Origin and life as a slave

Ibrahim was around the same age as Suleiman, so most probably he was born around 1495 in Parga, Northeastern Greece. However he was most probably not a typical greek, because he spoke a slavic dialect, near to croatian. This is not surprising, since in the Parga territories a lot os slav family lived. Maybe Ibrahim's family was one of them, or maybe he came from a mixed slav and greek family. Some sources even suggest he was an Albanian. We don’t know too many things on his natural family, except that his father was a sailor or fisherman.

It is not known surely when and how was he captured. There are old legends, without any valide evidence. One of these stories says that he was captured by Türks and then he found himself at the slave market, where a widow from Manisa bought him. This woman raised him very well, educated him, taught him how to play violin. They say when Süleyman arrived to Manisa as a governor he heard the violin play of Ibrahim. He immediatelly started to search for the source of music, when find Ibrahim. He was charmed by his musical and as well as other talents and took him into his princely household. There with time a strong, life-long friendship formed between the two youngster. It sounds very nice, but doesn't really seems plausible.

There is another story, which seems more accurate and there are second-hand evidences to support this theory. It says that Ibrahim was captured during Sultan Bayezid’s reign (somewhere between 1499-1502), by his Bosnian governor, Iskender pasha. This governor and his daughters (Hafsa and Mihrişah) raised and educated him. The pasha's daughter, Mihrişah, nicknamed Ms. Haci, was the one who raised Ibrahim. In his later letters, Ibrahim also often refers to the woman with love: "the crown of good deeds and the infinity and purity of good things last until the day of judgment." The woman eventually died in 1527, and Ibrahim said plenty of prayers for her soul.

The friend of Şehzade Suleiman

Ibrahim's life turned upside down, when he met with Prince Süleyman in Edirne. Ibrahim stayed there with the daughter of Iskender Pasha, while Suleiman was sent to Edirne by his father to took care of the western border of the Empire, until he returns from campaign. This meeting most probably took place around 1514. Iskender Pasha's family was very influential, so it is not surprising that they could met with the prince during his stay in Edirne. It is not known that Ibrahim and Suleiman were simply became friends in Edirne, so he held his departure with Suleiman; or the family of Iskender Pasha gave the talented and educated Ibrahim to the prince as a gift.

Either way, Ibrahim went with Prince Suleiman to his Manisa province, where their long and close friendship developed over time. They were both ambitious, intelligent youngsters, so they certainly woven their dreams together about the future of the empire. Suleiman lived difficult times as a prince, in vain was he the only heir, his father watched him with sly eyes, waiting for his son to made some mistake. The young prince desperately needed a trustworthy and understanding friend. It may have been this vulnerable period and interdependence that led to such a close friendship between them. Ibrahim’s salary at this time was 3 asper for a day according to one of the Manisa records. He is listed in this record as the fifth slave, “Ibrahim the Albanian”.

The friend of Sultan Suleiman

When Suleiman ascended the throne in 1520, all positions were filled in the divan by his father's old pashas. This did not make it easy for Suleiman to start his own reign, as the pashas did not accept the young man as a monarch. Previously for years, Suleiman had to hide his interest in politics and desire to the throne in order to survive, which is why the pashas thought he was not capable to rule. In the meantime, however, Suleiman and Ibrahim very cleverly devised how they could take control of the empire. Suleiman was not strong enough to simply dismiss the pashas he didn't like, so he took advantage of the fight between them, disintegrating them from within.

Meanwhile, he appointed Ibrahim as the head of his quarters, who could thus have been with the sultan on a permanent basis. It is likely that Suleiman relied heavily on his friend in this early period, and they certainly discussed together the current political situation. In addition, Suleiman publicly acknowledged and introduced his friend, with whom he shared everything. The Venetian ambassador then wrote of Ibrahim that he is like the heart and breath of the Sultan. Moreover he reported Ibrahim’s appearance also: “Ibrahim was a thin man, with small face, pale, not very tall, and graceful”.

In June of 1523, Suleiman was finally able to dismiss Piri Pasa, the Grand Vizier, who caused him the most trouble. Everyone expected Suleiman to appoint Ahmed Pasa, who he otherwise liked, to replace Piri Pasa, but to everyone’s astonishment, Ibrahim Aga was appointed to hold the highest office in the empire.

The new Grand Vizier

Ibrahim had been a close friend and confidant of Suleiman but his appointment was clearly due to Suleiman's desire to get rid of his father's old pashas so he could play by his own rules. Suleiman was also fed up with the political struggles within the divan, as the battles between the pashas were at the expense of the rise of the empire. Ibrahim's rise prevented members of the political elite - which Suleiman hated so much - from getting close to the sultan at all. Not only did all the pashas lose their special status - thus becoming equal to the others - but they could no longer share their thoughts and views directly with the sultan, but could only communicate with the ruler through Ibrahim. By making Ibrahim his liaison, Suleiman hoped to be able to isolate himself from the political games between the pashas and at the same time make the figure of the sultan even more formidable and inaccessible.

Nevertheless, Ibrahim was a unprecedented Grand Vizier in many other ways. First, the relationship between the Grand Vizier and the Sultan has been only formal since Mehmed II. Especially after the creation of the new palace (Topkapi), the meeting of the two became even more ceremonial. Because Mehmed's new palace further increased the distance between the Sultan and his men. The second court was the one that accommodated the divan council, so the pashas could enter there under the leadership of the Grand Vizier, but the third, innermost court was the private area of the Sultan, and no official of the council could enter, not even the Grand Vizier. Council members could meet with the sultan in a separate room only at the border of the two courtyards, on certain days after council discussions. In contrast, after Ibrahim's appointment, he was still free to enter to the inner court, to the sultan's private territory, just as previosuly, when he was in charge of the sultan's residence.

However, Ibrahim's appointment was also unusual in other respects. Ibrahim had not previously held any military or administrative duties, so he rose to the highest position without any experience. Although he took part in Suleiman's first two campaigns, he never held any responsible position, be it logistical, strategic or military, he was only with Suleiman during the campaign as his close friend. Since it was essential until the early 16th century that all positions could only be worn by experienced, fit people, Ibrahim’s sudden rise was shocking. Although surprising appointments have been made in the past too, they have always been preceded by marriage. If the sultan wanted to elevate a relatively low-ranking pasha to a high rank, he married off one of his sisters or daughters to the man. Ibrahim's rise in this aspect was also exceptional. He became a Grand Vizier, without a dynastic marriage. Never before had there been a Grand Vizier who won the position solely and exclusively for the love of the Sultan. It is precisely for this reason that the appointment of Ibrahim was sharply criticized by both the common people and the elite, and was even regarded as a bad and fatal omen for the Ottoman House. Suleiman could not let people to think like this, so he devised a clever plan to made them accept Ibrahim as his grand-vezir.

The contradictory marriage of Ibrahim Pasha

Suleiman’s ingenious plan consisted in preparing a marriage for Ibrahim that would force people to accept him as a Grand Vizier and as member of the political elite. The way to do this could not be to marry one of his sisters to Ibrahim. This would only have further increased the hatred of the people towards Ibrahim. That is why - and of course for other reasons - the theory that Ibrahim married to Hatice Sultan, Suleiman's sister is not true. This misunderstanding may be due to the fact that the wedding was followed by a very lavish ceremony that lasted for two weeks in Hippodrome Square. The event was also honored by the Sultan himself. Suleiman, his personal entourage, his court and the Janissaries were all present, and the whole city celebrated Ibrahim’s wedding. The splendor that characterized the wedding and the personal presence of the Sultan, prompting modern historians to believe that Ibrahim had married one of Suleiman’s sisters. However, for today this theory has been 100% refuted. So the reason for the huge celebration was not a princess bride, but the persuasion of the people.

The selection of the bride was also done with great care. Suleiman eventually chose a woman named Muhsine Hatun, who was none other than the granddaughter of Iskender pasha. Muhsine was the daughter of Mihrişah Hatun's sister. Mihrişah was who raised Ibrahim. So the two youngsters must have known each other long before the wedding. Because of this, of course, the question also arose in many people's minds that perhaps the two fall in love in their youth? And maybe Ibrahim finally get a good rank, so he could marry his beloved woman? The answer is a clear no. If there would have been love between the two, Suleiman would have arranged the marriage immediately after his accession to the throne, since Ibrahim already had great wealth and palaces, even before his appointment as Grand Vizier. On the other hand, there is evidence that Muhsine did not agree to the marriage at first. It was degrading for her to marry a former slave of her family. Eventually, of course, they convinced the woman that the wedding would bring great glory to their family, so in October 1523 the wedding was announced. At the same time, preparations began, for example, Suleiman ordered a huge amount of sugar from Cyprus for the ceremony.

So it seems that the wedding was planned from the first minute as a grand event and was deliberately held in the spring, as the weather by then certainly allowed to celebrate at outside venue, so the people of Istanbul could celebrate with them. The fact that the wedding was planned with such immense public attention, as well as the exceptional splendor that characterized the entire wedding, and the dynasty’s so committed support for it all suggest that Ibrahim’s marriage was a huge event of political significance.

But why was this marriage so needed for Ibrahim?

Because Iskender Pasha’s family had tremendous political influence. Thus, the acceptance of such an influential family clearly indicates that Ibrahim is worthy to be a member of the political elite. So the wedding became one of the most important days of Ibrahim’s life and by then maybe Muhsine’s heart had softened towards her future husband. Ibrahim's happiness was heightened by the fact that his parents and two siblings could also be present at his wedding, as he brought them to Istanbul after his appointment as Grand Vizier. This act was considered relatively novel, but later several pashas acted in a similar way: they brought their families to Istanbul where they converted Islam.

After the bride’s first rejection, Ibrahim and Muhsine’s marriage eventually turned into a love marriage over the years. The phrases in their letters, such as “my dear, my love,” and “your lover Ibrahim, who is yearn for you,” all suggest that a sincere, loving relationship has finally developed between them. They also had a child, Mehmedşah. The couple remained married until the execution of the pasha. Contrary to legends, Suleiman did not execute the little son of Ibrahim Pasha, the child died of an illness a few years after his father, in 1539. Muhsine lived the rest of her life as a widow. She had a small mosque built in the Kumkapi district of Istanbul, known as the “Mosque of Ibrahim Pasa’s wife”.

Ibrahim Pasha, the Grand Vizier

Soon after his wedding, Ibrahim had to embark on a long journey to Egypt, where Ahmed Pasha, the beylerbey rebelled against the sultan and declared himself the sultan of Egypt. There was also a personal contrast between Ibrahim and Ahmed, as everyone expected Ahmed to be appointed grand-vezier after Piri Pasha's retirement. Certainly the rebellion was caused by the fact that Ibrahim became the Grand Vizier instead of Ahmed. Eventually, Ibrahim triumphed and executed Ahmed's pasha. However, he did not go home immediately, but traveled across the province, reforming the very backward military and administrative system of the province. Thus Ibrahim essentially modernized the Egyptian province.

As Grand-Vezier, Ibrahim was very open to Western culture and sought to reach a peaceful agreement with Western states. Because of this, a great many have condemned the pasha and suspected that in vain he had converted to Islam, he never denied his roots. This was certainly the case, but it is a fact that the interests of the empire coincided with those of Ibrahim. The empire was not in such a material, military, or political position that it should have been at war with the Western states. Of course, the common people did not understand this and extremely hated Ibrahim for it.

Ibrahim had an extraordinary yearly income: 150 000 ducat and Suleiman increased this over the years. With this money he could easily do building projects. He built mosques, schools, dervish lodges, hamams all over the Empire from Mecca to the Balkan. He had a special talent for architecture. One of Suleiman’s first activities as Sultan was to order the renovation of Topkapi Palace. In this, Ibrahim in particular took part and most of the renovation was carried out on the basis of his ideas. Moreover as a very cultured man he was devoted to arts, this is why he was the patron of poets and writers.

Ibrahim could not keep himself out from the fight between the mothers of Suleiman's sons. Since his relationship with Hürrem, Suleiman's favorite consort, was notoriously bad, it was clear that he supported Mahidevran Hatun and her son against Hürrem and her children. As a close friend of Suleiman, he already knew Mahidevran from Manisa, and he was also present in the times around the birth of Mustafa, and was involved in the education of the prince. It was natural that he was on Mustafa's side. However, the alliance between the two was not always clear. As a child, Mustafa was extremly jealous on Ibrahim for spending so much time with his father. There is a known case when the Sultan first gave a spoon to Ibrahim at a communal meal, which made Mustafa furious. According to another story, the sultan sent a seddle with jewels to Ibrahim, but Mustafa also loved it, so he ordered Ibrahim to make the same seddle for him. Ibrahim, understanding the situation, gifted the saddle to the prince. The Grand Vizier's excellent situational awareness and intelligent conflict management softened Prince Mustafa and eventually their relationship was settled. It is difficult to say whether this alliance was also politically active. It was quite natural that, as Grand Vizier, Ibrahim sought to maintain a close relationship with the eldest prince.

Downfall

Ibrahim was never really popular, but after a while no one dared to speak out against him because they saw how much the Sultan liked him. As early as 1525, during a Janissary revolt, his palace was also targeted. And in 1526, this was repeated, but then, in addition to the Janissaries, simple people also revolted against him for placing bronze statues from Buda, which was forbidden in Islam, in the garden of his palace. He regularly gave more and more examples of his love and admiaration for Western culture. In addition, it was constant during his Grand-Vezirate that someone accused him of secretly continuing to live as a Christian.

Unfortunately, Ibrahim thought he was on an equal footing with the sultan. He regularly referred to himself in diplomatic meetings as "the real power behind the Ottoman Empire." Also, despite Ibrahim's best efforts, he was unable to fill the imperial treasury sufficiently, but rather he emptied it. In addition Hürrem Sultan, who already the wedded wife of the Sultan, the mother of six of his children, certainly sought to make the sultan aware of all Ibrahim's mistakes. The sultan may have had a hard time recognizing the situation and seeing what his loyal friend had become, so he was probably complaining about it to his wife, who was trying to convince him that Ibrahim had no place in the political life of the empire anymore.

We do not know what was the last drop in Sultan Suleiman’s glass, but finally in 1536, during Ramadan, he invited Ibrahim to a feast. The pasha unsuspectingly accepted the invitation. He wanted to return home to his palace after the dinner, however, Suleiman persuaded him to stay in his old room in Topkapi Palace that night. Ibrahim agreed. Soon after, the executioners went into his room and strangled him. This method of execution was a custom for members of the dynasty, the pashas were not usually executed in this way, but by beheading. Suleiman must wanted to execute Ibrahim quietly, quickly and, as an old friend, he gave him "clean" death.

Ibrahim's body was secretly taken away from the palace and was buried in an unmarked grave, probably near a dervish lodge. This is how the Sultan's old friend, his ally died. The man for whom, Suleiman broke several traditions.

Used sources: E. Turan - Marriage of Ibrahim Pasha; L. Peirce - The Imperial Harem; C. Imber - The Ottoman Empire 1300-1650; S. Faroqhi - The Ottoman Empire and the world around it; L. Peirce - Empress of the East

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A sok különösen színes egyéniség közül, akik I. Szulejmánt vették körül, a „makbul” (kedvenc) és „maktul” (kivégzett) becenevekkel jelzett Ibrahim Pasa volt az egyik legérdekesebb karakter.

Eredete és korai élete rabszolgaként

Ibrahim nagyjából egyidős lehetett Szulejmánnal, 1495 körül születhetett Parga-ban, a mai Északkelet-Görögország területén. Valószínű azonban, hogy nem görög volt, hiszen egy a horváthoz közeli szláv dialektust beszélt. Ez nem meglepő, ugyanis a területen rengeteg szláv kisebbség élt, így az is lehet, hogy Ibrahim közülük származott, vagy kevert családból. Egyes források szerint albán volt. Családi hátteréről nem tudunk sokat, csupán annyit, hogy édesapja halász vagy tengerész volt.

Az, hogy mikor és hogyan szakították el családjától a mai napig vitatárgyát képezi. Vannak régi legendák, melyek erősen tartják magukat, pedig semmi bizonyíték nincs rájuk. Az egyik ilyen történet szerint török kalózok ejtették fogságba (esetleg a devsirme rendszeren keresztül), majd a rabszolgapiacon találta magát. Ott egy maniszai özvegyasszony vette meg, majd kiemelkedő oktatásban részesítve felnevelte és megtanította hangszeren játszani. Hamarosan Szulejmán herceg az erdőben sétálva meghallotta Ibrahim hegedűjátékát és azonnal elcsábult tőle, összeismerkedett a hasonló korú fiúval és magával vitte hercegi udvartartásába. Ott aztán idővel szoros barátság szövődött a két fiatal között. Bár igen kedves történet, valószínűleg nem igaz.

Van egy másik történet, mely sokkal hihetőbb és több közvetett bizonyíték is utal erre. Eszerint Ibrahim Bayezid szultán uralkodása alatt egy háború során (valamikor 1499 és 1502 között) esett török fogságba, nem máséba, mint a bosnyák beglerbég, Iszkender pasa fogságába. A pasa később lányainak adta a fiút, akik felnevelték és megfelelő oktatásban részesítették szolgájukat. A pasa lánya, Mihrişah, becenevén Haci asszony volt az, aki felnevelte Ibrahimot. Ibrahim későbbi leveleiben is gyakran utal az asszonyra szeretettel: „a jócselekedetek koronája és a jó dolgok végtelensége, tisztasága tartson az ítélet napjáig”. A nő végül 1527-ben hunyt el, Ibrahim pedig rengeteg imát mondatott a lelki üdvéért.

Szulejmán herceg barátjaként

Ibrahim élete fenekestül felfordult, amikor - feltehetőleg 1514-ben - találkozott Szulejmán herceggel Edirnében. Ibrahim éppen Iszkender pasa lányának kíséretében tartózkodott Edirnében, míg Szulejmán herceget apja küldte oda, hogy vigyázza a birodalom nyugati határát, amíg ő keleten háborúzik. Iszkender pasa családja igen befolyásos volt, így nem meglepő, hogy találkoztak a herceggel edirnei tartózkodása idején. Azt nem tudni, hogy Ibrahim és Szulejmán egyszerűen barátságot kötöttek e Edirnében, ezért tartott távozásakor Szulejmánnal; vagy Iszkender pasa családja ajándékként adta a tanult és művelt Ibrahimot a hercegnek.

Akárhogyan is, Ibrahim, Szulejmán herceggel tartott annak manisai tartományába, ahol hosszú és szoros barátságuk idővel kialakult. Mindketten ambíciózus, intelligens fiatalok voltak, így minden bizonnyal együtt szövögették álmaikat a birodalom jövőjéről. Szulejmán nehéz időket élt hercegként, hiába volt egyetlen örökös, apja árgus szemekkel figyelte, fia mikor követ el valamilyen hibát. A fiatal hercegnek nagy szüksége volt egy megbízható és megértő barátra. Ez a kiszolgáltatott időszak és egymásrautaltság lehetett az, amelynek következtében ilyen szoros barátság alakulhatott ki közöttük. Ibrahim fizetése ebben az időben 3 asper volt egy napra az egyik maniszai jegyzőkönyv szerint. Ebben a jegyzőkönyvben úgy szerepel, mint az ötödik rabszolga, “Ibrahim az albán”.

Szulejmán szultán barátjaként

Amikor Szulejmán 1520-ban trónra lépett, minden pozíciót apja öreg pasái töltöttek be a divánban. Ez nem tette egyszerűvé a hatalomátvételt Szulejmán számára, hiszen a pasák nem fogadták el a fiatalt, mint egyeduralkodó. Szulejmánnak ugyanis éveken keresztül el kellett rejtse érdeklődését a politika és trón iránt, hogy életben maradhasson, emiatt pedig a pasák alkalmatlannak gondolták. Mindeközben azonban Szulejmán és Ibrahim nagyon okosan kitervelték, hogyan vehetik át az irányítást a birodalom fölött. Szulejmán nem volt elég erős ahhoz, hogy egyszerűen elküldje a neki nem tetsző pasákat, emiatt kihasználta a közöttük lévő ellentétet, ezzel belülről bomlasztva őket.

Mindeközben Ibrahimot kinevezte lakrészének fejévé, aki így állandó jelleggel a szultán mellett lehetett. Valószínűleg Szulejmán ebben a korai időszakban nagyban támaszkodott barátjára és minden bizonnyal közösen tárgyalták meg az éppen aktuális politikai helyzetet is. Emellett Szulejmán nyilvánosan is elismerte és bemutatta barátját, akivel mindenét megosztotta. A velencei követ úgy írt ekkor Ibrahimról, mint a szultán szíve és lélegzete. Emellett beszámolt Ibrahim külleméről is: “Ibrahim vékony, alacsony ember, kis arccal, igen sápatag”.

1523 júniusában végül Szulejmán képes volt nyugdíjazni Piri Pasát, a nagyvezírt, aki a legtöbb gondot okozta számára. Szulejmántól mindenki azt várta, hogy az általa egyébként kedvelt, Ahmed Pasát fogja kinevezni Piri Pasa helyére, azonban mindenki megdöbbenésére Ibrahim Agát nevezte ki a birodalom legmagasabb hivatalának betöltésére.

Az új nagyvezír

Ibrahim közeli barátja és bizalmasa volt Szulejmánnak hercegsége óta és kinevezése egyértelműen annak volt köszönhető, hogy Szulejmán szabadulni akart apja embereitől és saját szabályai szerint játszani. Szulejmánnak emellett elege volt a divánon belül dúló politikai harcokból, hiszen a pasák egymással való csatározása a birodalom felemelkedésének rovására ment. Ezért meg akarta állítani a versengést, Ibrahim felemelkedése pedig meggátolta, hogy az elit tagjai egyáltalán a szultán közelébe juthassanak. Ezzel nem csak, hogy minden pasa elveszítette a kegyenci státuszát – ezzel egyenlővé válva a többiekkel –, de a gondolatait, nézeteit sem oszthatta meg többé közvetlenül a szultánnal, hanem Ibrahimon keresztül tudott csupán kommunikálni az uralkodóval. Azzal, hogy Ibrahimot tette meg kapcsolattartójává, Szulejmán azt remélte, hogy el tudja magát szigetelni a pasák közti politikai játszmáktól és ugyanakkor még félelmetesebbé és elérhetetlenebbé teheti a szultán figuráját.

Mindazonáltal sok más szempontból is formabontó nagyvezír volt Ibrahim. Először is, a nagyvezír és a szultán kapcsolata II. Mehmed óta csupán formális volt. Főleg az új palota (Topkapi) létrehozása után vált még ceremoniálisabbá a két személy találkozása. Mehmed új palotája ugyanis még tovább növelte a távolságot a szultán és emberei között. A második udvar volt az, mely helyt adott a tanácsnak, így ide a nagyvezír vezetése alatt beléphettek vezírei is, ám a harmadik – legbelső – udvar a szultán privát területét képezte, ide pedig a tanács egyetlen hivatalnoka sem léphetett be, még a nagyvezír sem. A tanács tagjai egy külön szobában találkozhattak csupán a szultánnal a két udvar határán, bizonyos napokon a tanács megbeszélések után. Ezzel szemben Ibrahim nagyvezírsége után, továbbra is szabadon bejárhatott a belső udvarba – a szultán privát területére –, épp úgy, mint kinevezése előtt a szultán lakrészének felelőseként.

Azonban Ibrahim kinevezése más szempontból is rendhagyó volt. Ibrahimnak nem volt korábban semmilyen katonai vagy adminisztratív feladata, így minden tapasztalat nélkül emelkedett a legmagasabb pozícióba. Részt vett ugyan Szulejmán első két hadjáratán, de sosem viselt semmilyen felelősségteljes pozíciót, legyen az logisztikai, stratégiai vagy hadászati, csak Szulejmán mellett volt a hadjárat alatt, mint közeli barátja. Mivel a kora 16. századig alapvető volt, hogy minden pozíciót csak tapasztalt, rátermett emberek viselhettek, Ibrahim hirtelen felemelkedése sokkoló volt. Ugyan korábban is történtek meglepő kinevezések, ezeket mindig megelőzte egy házasság. Ha a szultán egy viszonylag alacsony rangú pasát akart magas rangra emelni, hozzáadta a férfihoz valamely lánytestvérét vagy lánygyermekét. Ibrahim felemelkedése e téren is kivételes volt. Egyenesen a lakrész felügyelőből lett nagyvezír, dinasztikus házasság nélkül. Korábban soha nem volt nagyvezír, aki csak és kizárólag a szultán szeretete miatt nyerte el a pozíciót. Ibrahim kinevezését éppen emiatt mind a köznép, mint az elit élesen kritizálta, sőt rossz és végzetes ómenként tekintettek rá az Oszmán Ház szempontjából. Ezt nem hagyhatta Szulejmán, így fondorlatos tervet eszelt ki Ibrahim elfogadtatására.

Ibrahim Pasa ellentmodásokkal teli házassága

Szulejmán zseniális terve abból állt, hogy olyan házasságot készít elő Ibrahim számára, amivel az emberek kénytelenek lesznek őt elfogadni, mint nagyvezír. Ennek módja nem lehetett az, hogy egyik testvérét adja Ibrahimhoz. Ez csak tovább növelte volna az emberek gyűlöletét Ibrahim irányába. Épp ezért - és természetesen más okok miatt is - az az elmélet, miszerint Ibrahim Hatice szultánát vette volna feleségül, nem igaz. Ez a félreértés abból eredhet, hogy az esküvőt nagyon pazar ünnepség követte, mely két hétig tartott a Hippodrom téren. Az eseményt maga a szultán is megtisztelte jelenlétével, egy, az Ibrahim Hippodromon lévő palotájában külön neki épített kioskból figyelve azt. Ott volt Szulejmán, személyes kísérete, udvara és a janicsárok, valamint az egész város, így mindenki Ibrahim esküvőjét ünnepelte. A pompa, mely az esküvőt jellemezte, az, hogy a szultán személyesen is jelen volt rajta, a modern történészeket arra buzdította, hogy azt higgyék, Ibrahim Szulejmán egyik testvérét vette el nőül. Azonban mára ez 100%-ban megcáfolódott. A hatalmas ünnepség oka tehát nem egy hercegnői menyasszony volt, hanem az emberek meggyőzése.

A menyasszony kiválasztása is nagy gonddal zajlott. Szulejmán végül egy Muhsine Hatun nevű nőt választott, aki nem volt más, mint Iszkender pasa - Ibrahim elfogójának - unokája. Muhsine az Ibrahimot felnevelő Mihrişah asszony testvérének lánya volt. Így a két fiatal minden bizonnyal ismerte egymást, már jóval az esküvő előtt. Emiatt természetesen felmerült sokakban az a kérdés is, hogy talán még fiatalkorukban szerelem szövődhetett kettejük között? Ibrahim pedig végre a megfelelő rang birtokában feleségül kérhette őt? A válasz egyértelmű nem. Ha szerelem lett volna kettejük között, Szulejmán trónralépése után azonnal elrendezte volna a házasságot közöttük, hiszen Ibrahim már nagyvezíri kinevezése előtt is nagy vagyonnal, palotákkal rendelkezett a szultán jóvoltából. Másrészről pedig bizonyítékok vannak arra, hogy Muhsine eleinte nem egyezett bele a házasságba. Degradált ugyanis neki, hogy egy korábbi rabszolgájukhoz menjen nőül. Végül természetesen meggyőzték a nőt, hogy az esküvő nagy dicsőséget fog hozni a családjuknak, így 1523 októberében bejelentették az esküvőt. Ezzel együtt pedig az előkészületek is megkezdődtek, így például Szulejmán hatalmas mennyiségű cukrot rendelt Ciprusról az ünnepségre.

Úgy tűnik tehát, hogy az esküvő az első perctől kezdve grandiózus eseménynek volt tervezve és szándékosan tavasszal került megrendezésre, hiszen az időjárás ekkorra biztosan megengedte a külső helyszínen való ünneplést, így pedig Isztambul népe velük együtt ünnepelhetett. Az, hogy ilyen hatalmas nyilvános odafigyeléssel zajlott az esküvő tervezése, valamint a kivételes pompa, ami jellemezte az egész esküvőt, illetve az, hogy a dinasztia ilyen elkötelezetten támogatta azt, mind mind arra utalnak, hogy Ibrahim házassága egy hatalmas, politikai jelentőséggel bíró esemény volt.

Na de miért volt jó Ibrahimnak ez a házasság?

Azért, mert Iszkender Pasa családja hatalmas politikai befolyással rendelkezett. Így az, ha egy ilyen befolyásos család elfogadja Ibrahimot vejeként, egyértelműen jelzi, hogy Ibrahim méltó arra, hogy a politikai elit tagja legyen. Az esküvő Ibrahim életének egyik legfontosabb napja lett tehát és addigra talán Muhsine szíve is megenyhült leendő férje irányába. Ibrahim boldogságát tetézte, hogy szülei és két testvére is jelen lehetett az esküvőjén, őket ugyanis nagyvezírré való kinevezése után Isztambulba hozatta, ahol áttértek az iszlámra. Ez a cselekedet viszonylag újszerűenek számított, később azonban több pasa is hasonló módon járt el.

A menyasszony első elutasítása után végül Ibrahim és Muhsine házassága az évek alatt szerelmi házassággá alakult. A leveleikben előforduló szófordulatok, mint a „kedvesem, szerelmem” és a „szeretőd Ibrahim, aki epekedik érted”, mind mind arra utal, hogy végül őszinte, szerető kapcsolat alakult ki közöttük. Egy gyermekük is született, Mehmedşah. A pár házas maradt egészen a pasa kivégzéséig. A legendákkal ellentétben, Szulejmán nem végeztette ki Ibrahim Pasa kisfiát, a gyermek néhány évvel később, 1539-ben betegségben hunyt el. Muhsine asszony özvegyként élte le élete hátralévő részét. Muhsine asszony egy kis mecsetet építtetett Isztambul Kumkapi kerületben, mely mecset úgy ismert, mint „Ibrahim Pasa feleségének mecsete”, és épp azon a környéken van, amelyet később róla neveztek el.

Ibrahim Pasa, a nagyvezír

Esküvője után Ibrahimnak hamarosan hosszú útra kellett indulnia, ugyanis Egyiptom beglerbégje, Ahmed pasa fellázadt a szultán ellen és kinvezte magát Egyiptom szultánjává. Ibrahim és Ahmed között személyes ellentét is húzódott, hiszen mindenki Ahmed pasa kinevezésére számított Piri pasa nyugdíjazása után. Minden bizonnyal az a tény okozta a lázadást, hogy Ahmed helyett Ibrahim lett a nagyvezír. Végül Ibrahim győzedelmeskedett és kivégeztette Ahmed pasát. Azonban nem indult haza azonnal, hanem körbeutazta a tartományt, megreformálta az igen elmaradt katonai és adminisztrációs megoldásokat. Így Ibrahim lényegében korszerűsítette az egyiptomi tartományt.

Ibrahim nagyvezírsége alatt igen nyitott volt a nyugati kultúrára és igyekezett békés megállapodást kötni a nyugati államokkal. Emiatt nagyon sokan elítélték a pasát és azzal gyanúsították, hogy hiába tért át az iszlámra, sosem tagadta meg gyökereit. Ez minden bizonnyal így is volt, ám tény, hogy a birodalom érdekei egyeztek Ibrahim érdekeivel. Nem volt olyan anyagi, katonai és politikai helyzetben a birodalom, hogy háborúskodnia kellett volna a nyugati államokkal. A közemberek azonban természetesen ezt nem így látták és rendkívül gyűlölték Ibrahimot ezért.

Ibrahim rendkívüli éves jövedelmet tudhatott magáénak: 150 000 ducatot, melyet Szulejmán évente emelt. Ennyi pénzzel könnyedén tudott építkezési projekteket végrehajtani. Többek között építtetett mecseteket, iskolákat, dervis szállásokat, fürdőket a birodalom egész területén Mekkától a Balkánig. Különös tehetsége volt az építészethez, melyet jövedelmeztetni tudott Isztambulban is. Szulejmán egyik első tevékenysége szultánként az volt, hogy parancsot adott a Topkapi Palota felújítására. Ebben pedig Ibrahim különösen kivette részét és a felújítás nagyrésze az ő ötletei alapján valósult meg. Emellett mint igen művelt férfi, különösen elkötelezett volt a művészetek iránt, így a költők és írók támogatójának is számított.

Nagyvezírsége alatt nem tudott kimaradni a Szulejmán fiainak anyjai között dúló harcokból sem. Mivel Hürremmel, Szulejmán kedvencével köztudottan rossz volt a viszonya, egyértelmű volt, hogy vele és gyermekeivel szemben Mahidevran Hatunt támogatta. Szulejmán közeli barátjaként már Manisából is ismerhette Mahidevrant, emellett jelen volt a Musztafa születése körüli időkben is, részt vett a herceg nevelésében. Természetes volt, hogy Musztafa pártján volt. Azonban kettejük szövetsége nem volt mindig egyértelmű. Gyermekként Musztafa kifejezetten féltékeny volt Ibrahimra, amiért az olyan sok időt tölt apjával. Ismert egy eset, amikor egy közös étkezésnél a szultán Ibrahimnak nyújtott először kanalat, ettől Musztafa feldühödött. Egy másik történet szerint pedig a szultán egy díszes, ékköves nyerget küldött Ibrahimnak, ami Musztafa tetszését is igen elnyerte. Musztafa herceg megparancsolta Ibrahimnak, hogy csináltasson számára egy ugyanilyet. Ibrahim megértve a helyzetet, a nyereget a hercegnek ajándékozta. A nagyvezír remek helyzetfelismerése és intelligens konfliktuskezelése meglágyította Musztafa herceget és végül viszonyuk rendeződött. Nehéz megmondani, hogy politikailag is aktív volt-e ez a szövetség. Az ugyanis teljesen természetes volt, hogy nagyvezírként Ibrahim igyekezett közeli viszonyt fenntartani a legidősebb herceggel.

A hanyatlás

Ibrahim sosem volt igazán népszerű, egy idő után senki sem mert szót emelni ellene, mert látták a szultán mennyire kedveli, azonban továbbra sem szerették. Már 1525-ben is egy janicsár lázadás során palotája is a célkeresztbe került. 1526-ban pedig ez megismétlődött, ekkor azonban a janicsárok mellett egyszerű emberek is fellázadtak ellene, amiért az iszlámban tiltott Budáról származó bronz szobrokat helyezett ki palotájának kertjében. Túlzott nyugatiasságára rendszeresen adott újabb és újabb példákat. Emellett pedig nagyvezírsége alatt állandó volt, hogy megvádolta valaki, miszerint titokban továbbra is keresztényként él, az iszlám vallástcsupán alcaként vette fel.

Sajnálatos módon úgy gondolta, hogy egyenrangú a szultánnal. A diplomáciai találkozókon rendszeresen úgy hivatkozott magára, mint a "valódi hatalom az Oszmán Birodalom mögött". Valamint, Ibrahim legnagyobb igyekezete ellenére sem tudta kellőképpen megtölteni a birodalmi kincstárat, inkább ürítette azt. Emellett minden bizonnyal Hürrem szultána, aki eddigre már a szultán hites felesége volt, hat gyermekének anyja, is igyekezett elérni, hogy a szultán Ibrahim minden ballépéséről tudomást szerezzen. A szultánnak nehéz lehetett felismerni a helyzetet és látnia, hogy hűséges barátja mivé lett, így valószínűleg nejének panaszkodott erről, aki igyekezett őt meggyőzni arról, hogy Ibrahimnak nincs helye tovább a birodalom politikai életében.

Nem tudhatjuk, hogy mi volt az utolsó csepp Szulejmán szultán poharában, de végül 1536-ban, a Ramadán idején magához hívta Ibrahim pasát lakomázni. A pasa gyanútlanul elfogadta a meghívást, majd a vacsora után haza kívánt térni palotájába. Szulejmán azonban meggyőzte, hogy maradjon régi szobájában aznap éjjel. Ibrahim beleegyezett. Nemsokkal később a kivégzők bementek szobájába és megfojtották. Ez a kivégzési mód a dinasztia tagjai számára volt szokás, a pasákat általában nem ilyen módon végezték ki, hanem lefejezéssel. Szulejmán minden bizonnyal csendben, gyorsan akarta kivégeztetni Ibrahimot és mint régi barátnak megadta neki a "tiszta" halált.

Ibrahim testét titokban vitték el a palotából és temették el egy jelöletlen sírban, valószínűleg egy dervis szállás közelében. Így végezte tehát a szultán régi barátja, szövetségese, aki miatt több tradíciót is megtört.

Felhasznált források: E. Turan - Marriage of Ibrahim Pasha; L. Peirce - The Imperial Harem; C. Imber - The Ottoman Empire 1300-1650; S. Faroqhi - The Ottoman Empire and the world around it; L. Peirce - Empress of the East

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