Kösem Sultan

Kösem Sultan (c. 1589 – 3 September 1651) was a consort of Sultan Ahmed I, She was the mother of Sultans Murad IV and Ibrahim I, she was a prominent figure during the sultanate of the women and became the most powerful woman in Ottoman history.

Kösem was of Greek ethnic origin[1] , the daughter of a priest from the island of Tinos. She was transferred to the old Place on the death of Sultan Ahmed in 1617, but returned as Valide Sultan, when Murad IV was installed in 1623.

She was appointed not only Valide Sultan but also, as her son was a minor, as official regent during his minority; between 1623 and 1632 she became one of the women in history who ruled a muslim empire officially and alone. During most of the reign of Murad IV she effectively ran the empire attending meetings of the Divan (cabinet) from behind a curtain, even after she was not longer official regent.

When Ibrahim succeeded his brother, he proved too mentally unstable to rule. This enabled Kösem to continue in power. Eventually Ibrahim was deposed and Kösem presented her seven year old grandson Mehmed IV to the divan with the words "Here he is!, see what you can do with him!" Thus, she declared herself official queen regnant for the second time, and ruled openly again between 1648 and 1651.

It was Mehmed's mother Turhan Hatice that proved to be Kösem's nemesis. Turhan ordered Kösem's assassination when she heard that Kösem was said to be plotting Mehmed's removal and replacement by another grandson with a more pliant mother. Kösem was strangled with a curtain by a palace guard.

Kösem was renowned for her charity work and for freeing her slaves after 3 years of service. When she died the people of Istanbul observed 3 days mourning.

References

• Philip Mansel. Constantinople City of the World's Desire, Penguin Books, 1997.