Mahidevran Sultan

Mahidevran Sultan  (1500-1581) was the first favorite (after Gülfem Hatun lost her children) of Süleiman the Magnificent, and was the mother of Süleiman's first heir, Şehzade Mustafa.

Biography:
Mahidevran Sultan is a concubine of a Circassian descent, and she was taken to the harem of Şehzade Süleiman to become his favorite concubine. She later becomes the Haseki Sultan (chief consort), and the mother of Şehzade Mustafa. She was loved by many of the servants and her fellow dynasty members due to her beauty, grace, elegance, and generosity. For a time, she lived a loving and joyful life with Süleiman and their son, but her joyous life comes to an end. When her love Şehzade Süleiman rises to the throne and becomes the Padishah of the Ottoman Empire, everything in her life changes dramatically. She and her son left their home at the Manisa Palace and headed for Topkapı Palace, the seat of the dynasty. Mahidevran Sultan expected to be treated like the empress here, seeing as she is the mother of the new Sultan's heir. Her son Şehzade Mustafa even believed that the palace was his, but his grandmother (Süleiman's mother), Valide Hafsa Sultan, sternly instructed them both on how things will be from now on. That evening, Valide arranges a celebration for Süleiman featuring a dance performed by the new concubines. One of the concubines is a beautiful Crimean slave girl who changes Mahidevran's life forever.

The slave girl is named Alexandra. She is tall, ivory-skinned, curvaceous, has long brilliant copper hair, and sparkling blue-grey eyes. Alexandra's striking appearance, and her seductive dancing charms the Sultan. He invites her to spend the next night with him. However, that night Mahidevran decides to sneak over to the private chamber uninvited. As Alexandra waits outside in the hall to be welcomed, Mahidevran Sultan enters the private chamber, to the shock of Sultan Süleiman, and spends the night with the Sultan instead. On Wednesday night, Alexandra is invited again to the private chamber. This time, she and Sultan Süleiman make love, and she stays in his chamber for two days. Thursday night is a sacred night in Islam normally reserved for the Sultan and his favorite lady to spend together. It is said that if a child is conceived on this night, they will be plentifully blessed. Since Mahidevran is the Haseki Sultan, these nights have always been for her and Süleiman. She is preparing for the evening when her maidservant, Gülşah Hatun, tells her that the concubine Alexandra is still in the private chamber, and has been since last night. When Mahidevran hears this, she bursts into tears. She is heartbroken as she believed that she was the Sultan's one true love, but this news is the first of many future rude awakenings for the Haseki.

Mahidevran begins to worry that she may lose the favor and love of Süleiman, which makes her feel threatened by and jealous of Alexandra. In an effort to intimidate the concubine, Mahidevran Sultan, now aware of Alexandra's dancing skills, commands her to dance for everyone in the harem. As music plays, Alexandra can do nothing but obey. Seeing everyone's admiration for Alexandra's talent, Mahidevran then commands her to stop, and feigns being complimentary towards her. Alexandra decides to publicly correct Mahidevran and announces to everyone that her name is no longer Alexandra, but it is now changed to "Hürrem". The Sultan named her himself on sacred Thursday. Mahidevran is outraged by this news as this means that Alexandra is now the Sultan's new favorite. Valide Sultan, who is also outraged at the Crimean concubine’s lack of respect, commands the guards to take Hürrem to the dungeons for disrespecting Mahidevran Sultan in front of the Harem. The next day, Mahidevran goes down to the dungeons to gloat and mock Hürrem. She tells Hürrem that to be released, all she must do is kiss the hem of Mahidevran Sultan's dress, and beg for forgiveness. Hürrem refuses as she believes she’s done nothing wrong. This insolence incenses Mahidevran, and she commands the guards to starve and dehydrate Hürrem, and to let her rot in her cell. Eventually, the Sultan requests Hürrem to be brought to his chamber, but Sümbül Ağa informs his majesty of Hürrem's whereabouts. Enraged, he commands her release, and sends Sümbül to rescue her. This is the first of many times that Hürrem is favored over Mahidevran, which breaks the latter's heart deeply.

Mahidevran cannot eat, sleep, or smile like she used to. She is full of sorrow, paranoia, and jealousy. She becomes cruel, and leaves behind her generous and loving nature. Mahidevran can only pine for Süleiman and despise Hürrem: now her greatest enemy. She makes many reckless mistakes in an effort to take Hürrem down. One day, when the Sultan invites Hürrem to his chamber, he gives to her a most precious gift; the handmade emerald ring he's been working on for months. Mahidevran believed this ring was for her, as the Sultan had started making it while they were still in the Manisa Palace together. She is readying her son for the day when he suddenly runs out the door looking for his father. On his way there he bumps into Hürrem Hatun, who introduces herself to the young Şehzade. She escorts him back to his chamber, as he cannot enter his father's chambers alone. Mahidevran Sultan and her servant Gülşah are coming down the hall toward them when Mahidevran sees her son holding her enemy's hand. She angrily and frantically tells her son to get away from her, when she notices the ring on Hürrem's hand. Shocked and furious, she accuses Hürrem of theft and tries to forcefully rip the ring off. The two briefly scuffle before Hürrem gets the upper hand and runs off. Mahidevran loudly denounces Hürrem's supposed theft before she suddenly becomes weak and collapses in her servant Gülşah's arms. Mahidevran is taken to her chambers where physicians try to uncover the reason for her fainting spell. A worried Valide Sultan, Daye Hatun (Valide Sultan's servant and companion), and Hatice Sultan( Valide’s daughter and the Sultan’s sister) anxiously press the physician for answers, to which she happily answers that Mahidevran Sultan is pregnant.

This news brings Mahidevran, Süleiman, Valide Sultan, Hatice Sultan, and her servants great joy. Süleiman, upon hearing the good news from his mother, decides to visit Mahidevran in her chambers, and brings her a beautiful necklace to show his joy and gratitude. Mahidevran, still hurt and upset at the emerald ring's new owner, asks the Sultan how he could give the ring he made to Hürrem instead of her. Annoyed at her lack of gratitude and her questioning his decisions, he tells her to respect his choices and to leave the matter alone. As time goes on Mahidevran is unable to bear how close the Sultan and Hürrem are becoming. They spend nearly every night together, while Mahidevran is largely ignored and disrespected. She retires to her chambers and weeps constantly.

Mahidevran Sultan decides to steal the emerald ring back. She conspires with her servant Gülşah and Ayşe Hatun, one of the Sultan's favorites. While the concubines are all bathing in the Hamam (bathing room), Ayşe Hatun waits until Hürrem takes off the ring, and steals it when she isn't looking. The palace is in a small uproar searching for the ring while Mahidevran keeps it hidden in her chamber. Hürrem suspects that Mahidevran Sultan has something to do with the ring's disappearance due to the way Mahidevran reacted to Hürrem wearing it. Ibrahim Ağa, the Sultan’s concierge and best friend, investigates further, and interrogates Ayşe Hatun. The concubine reveals that she was coerced into stealing it by Gülşah Hatun and Mahidevran Sultan. Ibrahim, in an effort to protect Mahidevran Sultan from Sultan Süleiman's wrath, goes to Valide Sultan to formulate a plan to secretly get the ring back. Valide summons Mahidevran to her chambers while Daye Hatun enters Mahidevran's chambers and forces Gülşah to give the ring back to her. The ring is returned to Hürrem, but not before the theft is placed on an innocent concubine who is taken away to be punished for the crime. Later that night, Valide Sultan enters Mahidevran's chambers and berates her for her reckless behavior, as it's not befitting of her status as the Haseki Sultan. Mahidevran cries herself to sleep that night, having lost the ring and Valide Sultan's respect.

The next morning she awakens to a pain in her abdomen, and discovers she is lying in a pool of her own blood. She realizes with growing horror that she has suffered a miscarriage. She wails in sorrow and grief at her terrible loss while Gülşah frantically summons physicians. Shortly afterwards, in somewhat of a trance, Mahidevran Sultan stumbles towards the private chamber to inform the Sultan that they've lost their unborn child. Suddenly she sees Hürrem leaving the private chamber, having just been with the Sultan herself. Unstable from her grief and pain, Mahidevran suddenly begins to violently assault Hürrem. She beats the concubine bloody and unconscious, all while accusing her of murdering her unborn child. Gülşah Hatun is able to drag the deranged Sultan away from the scene of the crime before anyone can catch her in the act. Daye Hatun and Sümbül Ağa hear the screaming, and discover Hürrem Hatun's battered form on the ground. They frantically scoop her up and get her back to the favorite's floor before anyone can notice what's happened. Mahidevran is back in her chambers lying down when Süleiman (having heard the bad news from Ibrahim Ağa) comes to comfort her. Later on, Hatice Sultan comes to comfort Mahidevran as well. Valide Sultan, having gotten wind of Mahidevran's attack on Hürrem, bursts into Mahidevran's chambers and dismisses her daughter Hatice. Valide then furiously berates Mahidevran once again for her reckless and thoughtless actions against Hürrem, and again Mahidevran only offers hollow excuses. Süleiman asks for Hürrem later that evening, but Hürrem is indisposed and refuses to come to him. When he barges into Hürrem's room to confront her, he sees her battered face and is stunned into silence. Hürrem then tells the Sultan that it was Mahidevran Sultan who attacked her. Süleiman flies into a rage, commands Daye Hatun to bring Hürrem to the private chamber to be cared for by physicians, and he storms off to confront Mahidevran for her offense. Mahidevran doesn't accept accountability for her actions and believes that Hürrem has lied to everyone about what really happened. Suddenly the Sultan enters her chambers, and dismisses her servants. He coldly condemns her for what she's done, and tells her he never wants to see her face or hear her voice again. Overwhelmed with all that she's lost in such a short amount of time, Mahidevran sinks to the floor and sobs painfully. Her actions nearly caused her to be banished from the palace without her son, but Ibrahim Ağa and Valide Sultan manage to convince Süleiman to keep her at Topkapı Palace for Mustafa's sake.

Since this latest egregious act, Mahidevran Sultan has been largely shunned by the Sultan. While the Sultan is away on a military campaign, both Mahidevran and Valide Sultan try to marry Hürrem off to a Paşa's son to get rid of her, but Hürrem declares suddenly that she is pregnant with the Sultan's child. To Mahidevran's horror, this is later confirmed by physicians, and as such Hürrem cannot leave the palace. Now that she is carrying a member of the dynasty, Hürrem is treated with a little more respect. The Sultan finds out from Ibrahim Ağa that his favorite is carrying his child, and he is overjoyed. Some months into Hürrem's pregnancy, the Sultan returns from the campaign. He greets his mother, sister, and son happily. He barely greets Mahidevran Sultan. He then summons Hürrem to his chambers, and greets her joyously. He gifts her a beautiful necklace, and admires her growing belly.

Mahidevran, once again full of sorrow at Hürrem and Süleiman's growing bond, is driven to another terrible act: she decides to poison Hürrem. She once again conspires with her maidservant Gülşah Hatun, and invovles another concubine as well, Hasibe Hatun. Gülşah instructs Hasibe to put the poison in Hürrem Hatun's dessert, telling her that the poison will only make Hürrem sick and unable to lie with the Sultan that night. Though deeply apprehensive, Hasibe Hatun does as she's told. The Sultan and Hürrem are dining together happily when Hürrem suddenly cries out in pain, and then collapses. All the while, Mahidevran Sultan is in her chamber desperately praying to Allah to forgive her terrible sin, and is trying to justify to Allah, but mostly herself, that her actions are out of love for the Sultan and her son. That all will be well for her again after Hürrem Hatun is out of their lives. Hürrem is fighting for her life, and a horrified Hasibe Hatun finds out. She is terrified and upset at what she's done, and begins to panic. Afraid that she would give them away, Gülşah smothers the poor concubine to death. She then decides to stage the murder as a suicide, and strings the concubine up on a rope. The Sultan, who is boiling with anger that poison was able to make it into his chamber, furiously tasks Ibrahim Ağa with finding the would-be murderer. After much investigation, as planned, the dead concubine Hasibe Hatun is pinned with the poisoning attempt, but since she is dead there can be no further punishment. Ibrahim, however, believes that something isn't right. The concubine didn't have the motive to murder Hürrem or the Sultan, so he deduces that someone put her up to it. He decides to follow a hunch that he has, and interrogates Gülşah Hatun. She, at first, denies any wrongdoing, but Ibrahim threatens and beats the servant until she finally admits her involvement. She claims she's commited no sin as she was ordered to do so by her master, Mahidevran Sultan. Ibrahim orders the servant to not breathe a word of this to anyone, or the consequences for her will be fatal.

The next morning, Mahidevran is in unusually good spirits, having heard that last night Hürrem was on her supposed death bed. She believes that her sinister plan worked. Sümbül Ağa enters her chamber and informs her that Ibrahim Ağa has summoned her to his chamber. She inquires about Hürrem's condition on the way, and Sümbül Ağa informs her that while matters weren't looking good, the physicians were able to save Hürrem and her unborn child. Filled with dread and anger, she enters Ibrahim's chamber. He informs her that he is aware that she was behind the poisoning, and that the dead concubine was merely a tool in her scheme. He warns her that if she continues to make these dangerous mistakes, he cannot protect her and Mustafa anymore. He views them as his own family and has always done everything in his power to care for and protect them. He also tells her that if the Sultan had been the one to eat the poisoned dessert, the consequences would've been most grave. Mahidevran hears the lilt of the Sultan's and Hürrem's laughter in the private chamber next door, and she is suddenly belligerent and angry. She maintains that Ibrahim cannot possibly protect her when the Sultan doesn't care for her at all. She refuses to accept accountability for her actions once again, and maintains that the Sultan is already poisoned with the presence of Hürrem Hatun. The two agree that Hürrem must be destroyed, but that Mahidevran must follow Ibrahim's lead.

Hürrem Hatun eventually goes into labor, and Mahidevran prays that the child is either a girl, or stillborn. It is then revealed to be a healthy boy. She is summoned to the naming ceremony by Valide Sultan, as it is custom for the Sultans to be present at the birth of another heir. She initially refuses to show, but begrudgingly shows up in the end. Valide is please by her attendance, as it befits Mahidevran's status as the Haseki Sultan. The newborn heir is named Şehzade Mehmet by his father Sultan Süleiman. While Mehmet is asleep in his Mother of Pearl cradle, Şehzade Mustafa comes to meet his little brother. He wonders aloud if his father doesn't love him anymore since his father has a new son. Hatice Sultan, who is visiting Şehzade Mehmet herself, adoringly tells Mustafa that his father will always love him, and that Mehmet is still so tiny so Mustafa will help to raise him.

When her son was fully grown, she mostly lived in peace and joy but she still had to face Hürrem. Mahidevran's peace and joy didn't last, she learned that her only child and son Mustafa was murdered by Mustafa's own father, Suleiman. Mahidevran was in great sorrow and pain, she was even much more sorrowful than before. No one could explain her great sorrows and pain for the death of her beloved Mustafa, she cried for days, she asked Allah why he would bring such pain into her life. After all the war and hatred between she and Hürrem, they finally forgave each other and she once again lived in peace.

Appearance:

Mahidevran Sultan is a gorgeous woman. She has a delicate and slender figure, a glowing peachy complexion, long, wavy, dark sable hair, luminous grey-blue eyes, and a warm and elegant smile. In her youth, she would often let her long dark hair cascade down her back in elegant waves or curls. As she aged, she would more often wear her hair in graceful updos while wearing beautiful crowns and veils. Mahidevran always wears luxurious gowns, and fine jewelry as one of the highest ranking women in the Harem. She was among the most beautiful women in Topkapı Palace. After the assassination of her son Mustafa, she is sent to Bursa all alone, and withers away into a sickly old woman.

Personality:

Mahidevran Sultan was once a kindhearted and generous Sultan. She was known for giving gifts to the concubines, and she was also a very protective and caring mother to Mustafa. She also had a respectful demeanor, and always showed great reverence for the dynasty. This was largely why her in-laws loved her so much. Mahidevran was a very bright person with a joyful heart. Her personality took a dark turn when Hürrem Sultan came along. Mahidevran became full of spite, bitterness, jealousy, arrogance, cruelty, and sorrow. She wasn't able to smile as she once did, and she didn't show much generosity towards her loyal servants. Mahidevran Sultan was constantly depressed, and she would cry silently and painfully almost everyday. When she wasn’t weeping, she was instigating fights with Hürrem Sultan, Sultan Süleiman, Ibrahim Paşa and Valide Sultan. As her son grew of age, Mahidevran became more desperate and hungry for power. She no longer respected her fellow dynasty members, and viewed herself above them at times. She would always look for ways to separate Mustafa from his siblings, and she discouraged him having relationships with them as they were his rivals for the throne. The only one of Mustafa‘s siblings she showed remote affection for was Hürrem’s only daughter, Mihrimah Sultan. This largely had to do with the fact that as a girl, Mihrimah is not a rival for the throne, and consequently not a threat to Mustafa.

Religion:

Mahidevran is a devout Sunni Muslim. She was raised in a very religious household, and when she was taken to Süleiman’s harem, she settled into an even more devout Muslim family. She believes that the one and only true God is Allah, and she served and worshiped him with all her heart. She also had deep reverence for the Quran, and the prophet Muhammad. She tries to change her evil nature for the sake of Allah, but her hatred for Hürrem is even stronger than her faith in Allah. This alone caused her to make terrible mistakes all while begging for the forgiveness of Allah. Mahidevran would pray to Allah for her joy to return, and she also prayed that Hürrem and her children would be gone. Mahidevran may pray for forgiveness, but she shows no true remorse for her transgressions.

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