Freshest posts

Ayşe Hafsa represented a kind of transition between the old and new Ottoman worlds. This is no coincidence, as she stands out among her predecessors as the first (unofficial) Valide Sultan, though her influence cannot be compared to that of her successors. Why was she not an official Valide Sultan? Because she was the first concubine of slave...

Grand Vizier İbrahim is perhaps one of the most versatile and talented figures in the early modern history of the Ottoman Empire. He was not only an unparalleled politician and military leader, but he was also the confidant and best friend of the greatest ruler of the time, Süleyman I. His career went up at an amazing rate,...

419 years ago, exactly on this day, Sultan Ahmet I. and Kösem Sultan's (then still Mahpeyker Hatun) first child, Mehmet was born. The first son of the popular sultana was predicted to have a great life and there were those who expected that he would take over the position of Sultan of the Ottoman Empire after Ahmet's death, but life...

Mahidevran Hatun died on this day, February 3, 1581. Considering the statistics of the time, it is incredible that she lived 81/83 years, and her life story was not uneventful: she was the most popular female figure of her time, who was considered the most beautiful Ottoman woman, but her life was characterized by struggles and then a fall after...