NMC389 - Unit 3 Key Terms

Mahpeyker / Kösem Sultan**

Kösem Sultan, of Greek origin, was the wife of Ahmed I and the mother of Murad IV and Ibrahim I, and she became one of the most powerful women in the Ottoman court in seventeenth-century Istanbul. She exercised power first through the harem and then directly through regency, especially during the minority of Murad IV, when she and allied grand viziers effectively governed the empire. She played a crucial role in changing Ottoman succession by helping spare Mustafa from execution and supporting the seniority principle, under which the eldest male of the dynasty inherited the throne instead of the sultan’s sons automatically doing so. As the Venetian ambassador Simon Contarini noted, her intervention was both political and dynastic, and she mattered because she helped end routine fratricide and made the valide sultan one of the most powerful offices in the empire.

Nur Banu Sultan (1525–1583)

Nur Banu Sultan was of likely Venetian or Greek origin and rose from a slave concubine to become the legal wife (haseki) of Selim II and later the valide sultan of Murad III in Istanbul. She was the first woman to formally use the title valide sultan, marking a shift toward the institutionalization of maternal authority in Ottoman politics. During her son’s reign (1574–1583), she exercised significant influence over state affairs and court appointments, effectively dominating the imperial court. Foreign ambassadors actively sought her favor, recognizing her role in diplomacy and political decision-making. She is significant as a leading figure of the Sultanate of Women, demonstrating how imperial mothers could shape governance at the highest level.

Mahpeyker / Kösem Sultan (c. 1589–1651)

Kösem Sultan, of Greek origin, was the wife of Ahmed I and the mother of Murad IV and Ibrahim I, and became one of the most powerful political figures in seventeenth-century Istanbul. She exercised long-term influence as valide sultan and regent, especially during her sons’ minorities, effectively governing alongside grand viziers. She played a key role in reshaping succession by helping move the dynasty away from fratricide toward the seniority principle, in which the eldest male inherited the throne. As noted by Venetian ambassador Simon Contarini, her efforts to spare Mustafa were tied to broader dynastic strategy and the protection of her own sons. She is significant as a central figure in the Sultanate of Women, representing the peak of female political authority in the Ottoman Empire.

Turhan Sultan**

Turhan Sultan was the wife of Ibrahim I and the mother of Mehmed IV (r. 1648–1687), rising to power as valide sultan in seventeenth-century Istanbul. As the daughter-in-law of Kösem Sultan, she initially struggled for authority while Kösem continued to dominate the court after Mehmed IV’s accession. After a prolonged power struggle, Turhan arranged Kösem’s assassination in 1651, securing her own position at the center of imperial politics. She then exercised influence over governance, particularly through her support of strong grand viziers who helped restore stability to the empire. She is significant as a key figure in the later phase of the Sultanate of Women, demonstrating how power within the harem was actively contested and maintained.