24 Facts About Turhan Sultan

Hatice Turhan Sultan was the first Haseki sultan of the Ottoman sultan Ibrahim and Valide sultan as the mother of Mehmed IV as well as the Official Regent of the Ottoman Empire, reigning from 1651 to 1656.

Filiz Karaca wrote that Turhan was rumored to be of Russian origin, born in 1627, captured at the age of twelve by the Crimean Tatars and given to Kosem Sultan by Kor Suleyman Pasha.

Necdet Sacaoglu wrote that Turhan was supposedly born in 1627 in the territory of Russia ; Sakaoglu based this assumption about the year of birth on the fact that when Turhan Sultan gave birth to a son in 1642, she could not have been younger than 15 years old.

Ulucay wrote that Turhan Sultan was very beautiful: tall, slender, with dimples on her cheeks that further emphasized her beauty, with white skin, deep blue eyes and dazzlingly shiny chestnut hair.

Karaca noted that Turhan Sultan was the very first concubine given to Sultan Ibrahim I, but it is probable that in reality the first concubine was Saliha Dilasub.

Turhan Sultan reminded the Sultan, who had caressed the son of the woman, that he should treat his own Shehzade with kindness.

Kosem Turhan Sultan intervened in the situation and threw the wet nurse out of the palace.

Turhan Sultan noted that at first Turhan was jealous of the sultan for other women, but over time, when Ibrahim completely switched to other concubines and the BasHaseki was left to her own devices, she came to terms with her position.

However, Turhan Sultan was overlooked due to her youth and inexperience.

Kosem Turhan Sultan was a Valide under two sons, thus having the more experience of the two women.

However, Turhan Sultan turned out to be too ambitious a woman to lose such a high position without a fight.

Turhan Sultan accompanied her son to important meetings and on several occasions spoke from behind her curtained sitting place.

Turhan Sultan was deeply loved and respected by her son.

Turhan Sultan's regency was marred by at least two factors: the war with the Venetians for the island of Crete, and the financial crisis that arose from the high expenses of waging war.

In 1657, during the long-term residence of Mehmed in Edirne due to the expeditions, Turhan Sultan was with him.

Turhan Sultan traveled to Istanbul from time to time while her son was on a long trip.

Gulnus Sultan attempted to have her husband's brothers Suleiman II and Ahmed II strangled after Mustafa was born, but Turhan had hindered these attempted murders.

Turhan Sultan built a fountain in 1653 in Besiktas district.

Turhan Sultan had built wells in Hejaz, she constructed a library in Canakkale and Istanbul.

Turhan Sultan had chosen the commercial quarter of the city, Eminonu, as the location of the mosque.

Turhan Sultan was the last woman to wield such great power as to act as a regent to a young son.

Turhan Sultan's body was brought back to Istanbul and was buried in the tomb named after her at the Yeni Mosque.

Turhan Sultan was considered the last of the great valide sultans.

Turhan Sultan's death marked the end of the period known as the Sultanate of Women.