Mihrimah Sultan

Mihrimah Sultan (1522 - January 25, 1578) was the daughter of the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and his wife Hürrem Sultan. She is still known and remembered today as the most politically influential Ottoman princess, and the only one to have served as Valide Sultan during her brother's reign. Her name means "The Sun and the Moon" and was named by the Valide Hafsa Sultan while the army of Suleiman dominated in Rhodes. According to her monologue, the day she was born, was a dismal and melancholy day where the women of the harem gathered to mock her mother for not having given birth to a male child.

Biography
Mihrimah grew up in a life full of luxuries and comforts, with proper education and alongside her siblings. In the beginning, she had a warm and pleasant relationship with her aunt Hatice Sultan, with whom she spent a great deal of her time until her mother was forced to seperate the aunt and niece.

As she grew older, she developed a detachment and slight hostility towards the concubines and sultanas who lived in the Topkapi, especially if they disagreed with her mother Hürrem. In her childhood innocense, she fell deeply in love with Malkoçoğlu Bali Bey, one of the men close to her father. He sails back to his country, thus withdrawing from her life.

In her teenage years, shortly after her father's return from three years of campaigning, she becomes a lady of great beauty who attracted Taslicali Yahya, a poet, and soldier loyal to her half-brother Mustafa, with whom she had secret meetings that were supported by Firuze Hatun, a concubine of Persian origin who was sent as a spy among the favorite concubines to assassinate Sultan Suleiman.

One day while Mihrimah was reading a poetry diary written by Yahya's hand, Firuze enters with a dubious expression where she pretends to tell her that she's her father's lover. In that very moment, the door of the room is bursted through with exasperation where Hürrem Sultan appears full of rage to see that her daughter maintains contact with Firuze, her worst enemy. After shouting and a big scene, Mihrimah feels empathy for her mother and irrefutably sides with her, threatening Firuze and calling her a "coward" and having many more confrontations with her former maid, while subtly getting into her father's head to tear down their romance. Following Firuze's eventual departure, she continued to contact Yahya through letters. Mihrimah, with the euphoria she felt to see her beloved, plans a meeting with him without imagining that her cunning mother was already aware of everything, and was waiting for her in the private garden where she catches them. Taslicali is threatened with death if he returns to just look into the eyes of the Sultan's daughter. Ensuing a quarrel with Hürrem, Mihrimah never saw her lover's face again, as he moved to Manisa with his master, Şehzade Mustafa.

Years later, Hatice Sultan invites her sister Şah Sultan to the capital, whose sole motive is destroying Hürrem Sultan. She brings along Esmehan Sultan, her only daughter, who makes a friendship with Mihrimah Sultan and keeps her company. To her surprise, the old general of the court Malkoçoğlu Bali Bey is summoned once again, which reawakens strong feelings for Mihrimah towards him again. However, there is a Trojan horse inside the palace that intends to conquer her, for which he ruins her plans with Bali Bey, devising dirty tricks inside the harem to keep them apart. Mihrimah thinks that it is the work of Esmehan, who was the only witness of her love. Immediately afterwards, Mihrimah realizes that her cousin wants to obtain the affection of her older brother Mehmed, and interposes between the two to humiliate Esmehan as a way of revenge. However, the person who slandered her whims was not her aunt's daughter, but Rüstem Aga, Hürrem's greatest ally, who, to her misfortune, is never discovered and her affair with Bali Bey is left pending.

Meanwhile, after the death of the Grand Vizier Ibrahim, both her mother and father are slandered by the atrocious event throughout the palace, although Hürrem Sultan ordered to stop all kinds of celebrations for the death of her sister-in-law's husband, she agrees to celebrate Eid by order of Suleiman, This party infuriated Hatice to such an extent that she burst through the harem entrances disrespecting the Haseki in front of Mihrimah, and she undoubtedly confronted her fiercely to defend her mother, making it clear to the whole society that she was not in favor of the insane insinuations of the Sultan's sisters towards her mother. Hürrem, seeing that her daughter could be loyal to her, uses her as a strategic means to bring her men to power and to have the regime and absolute control in political affairs through the ministers, so he starts planning a wedding to Rüstem, whose fiancé would end up forcing her to marry him by manipulating her father. Hürrem is also aware of her daughter's mental instability, and takes advantage of Bali Bey's rejection so that, in a fit of anger, Mihrimah agrees to marry Rüstem.

Wedding
In 1539, Mihrimah Sultan marries her mother's greatest ally, Rüstem Pasha. The ceremony was celebrated with the most beautiful eccentricities, parties, parades that lasted for weeks and processions where the bride passed inside a carriage decorated with fabrics of fine material and bright colors, passing over carpets woven from silver and gold threads. The scene is shown with the essence of Mihrimah's internal monologue reflecting on her wedding day, "This is not my wedding, this is my funeral." At the end of the day, she agrees to be with her husband and as time passes she is seen carrying a baby girl in her arms, whom the Sultan named Ayşe Humişah. The baby girl is pleasantly welcomed in the eyes of the family and Mihrimah's new joy.

But not everything went smoothly, as Nigar Kalfa, Hürrem's former ally, goes mad and kidnaps the newlyweds' young daughter, calling her "Nur", the name of the daughter she had with the late Ibrahim Pasha, and tries to flee with her to her village by half a ship. Fortunately, Rustem manages to save his daughter and orders Nigar's beheading. However, beofre it can be carried out, Nigar commits suicide by jumping off a cliff, and never reveals who she worked for: Şah Sultan.

The kidnapping of her mother
Weeks later, a mysterious letter arrives at the palace while Suleiman was away, therein stating that Şehzade Selim is seriously ill, so Hürrem departs, without the permission of Şehzade Mustafa (protector of the realm at that time), to the province her son governs. She didn't imagine that this would be a trap planned by, insane with grief, Hatice Sultan. Mihrimah, analyzing the situation, is the only one who realizes that it is a trap and to prove it, she sends a letter to her brother Selim with her seal to which he replies that he was never ill. Upon the return of her father, they have a interrogation in the Sultan's rooms where Mihrimah mercilessly accuses all the sultanas with having kidnapped her mother. As a result of this, Şehzade Mustafa is furiously berated for his negligence, and once he and Suleiman leave for the campaign, Mihrimah remains as temporary leader of the harem. During the disappearance of her mother, Suleiman and Bali Bey manage to capture one of the men who conspired in the kidnapping of the Haseki. He reveals that everything was planned by none other than Hatice Sultan. Suleiman arrives enraged to the palace of his sister where she confesses everything. This was all in result of Suleiman executing her beloved husband Ibrahim, so she decided to take Hürrem from Suleiman in retaliation. Before this confession, she drank poison that would ensure her suicide. and she took the secret of Hürrem's whereabouts to her grave.

Months later, Suleiman removes all trust towards his sister Şah, and it is then that Mihrimah Sultan seizes the opportunity to avenge her mother. She discovers a spy loyal to her aunt living in her own palace, and invites her to dinner the same day. Mihrimah shows her a letter with her seal that reads the declaration of her role as a spy, and she blackmails her that if she doesn't leave the capital she will let the entire empire know of her crimes. In passing, Mihrimah commands that she will donate all the money she has generated during the last years to her mother's foundation. Mihrimah wins and rids the palace of even the slightest enemy or person who has offended her mother.

Death of Şehzade Mehmed
After the disappearance of the Haseki Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Mihrimah was left with the burden of protecting her siblings on her own. Unfortunately, she overlooked the wicked games of Mahidevran Sultan, the mother of her older half-brother Şehzade Mustafa. She mistakenly believed that since Mahidevran had already been "exiled" to Amasya along with her son, the sultana lacked any power or influence. However, she was wrong. Mahidevran manages to get one of her men to sneak in among Şehzade Mehmed's guards. At the time, it was decreed that no şehzade shall leave the palace due to the deadly Black Plague that was spreading rapidly, of which Mahidevran took advantage by having her guard wound Hürrem and Suleiman's son with a sword, where he applied an ointment that had passed through the germs of a dead man infected by the plague, thus killing Mehmed slowly. The last scene of Mihrimah seeing Mehmed was when she heard that he was infected and went straight to Manisa to see him. Unfortunately, he had already died, and they were covering his corpse. Mihrimah is falls to the ground sobbing in sorrow and grief.

Divorce attempt
Fatma Sultan, the eldest of all Suleiman's sisters, befriends Mihrimah Sultan and begins to manipulate her, starting by making her doubt her marriage using Mirza, a very attractive military man from the Persian Empire who joins forces with the Ottomans, as a ploy. He in turn agrees to Fatma's games and they begin to exchange letters with Mihrimah, the latter believing that her letters are indications of a true relationship. Mihrimah falls in love with Mirza, and confidently approaches her mother and husband and asks for a divorce. A divorce that was never granted by the Sultan fortunately, since it was a trap for Rüstem. In reality Mirza is in love with Fatma, and is engaged to her.

Plot alliance
Mihrimah, after many attempts on her mother's part to convince her to distrust her brother Mustafa, agrees to participate with her in the trap that would end up being the end of Mustafa.

The trap consisted in taking advantage of the movements of Persia, the great enemies of the Ottomans. Due to Rüstem's movements, the leader of the Persians, Sah Tahmasp I, is provoked and thus contributes to a warlike conflict where Mustafa would evidently be on his father's side. However, Mihrimah is sent to Amasya, Mustafa's region, where she steals the şehzade's royal seal and gives it to her husband, who in turn sends a letter to the Sah posing as the sultan's son where he supposedly would be willing to fight for the Safavid side. Tahmasp accepts the alliance with Mustafa and sends a letter in reply thanking him for his betrayal, a letter that is intercepted by Hurrem's men and taken directly to Sultan Suleiman so that he no longer has any doubt that his son would overthrow him and act against him, and that is how the three manage to deceive the Ottoman Sultan and provoke the execution of his firstborn.

Although, their achievement also brings them many negative consequences, since the janissaries soldiers angry for the unjust death of their favorite prince plan a revelation where they attack Mihrimah, Rustem and their daughter; for their luck, Bayaceto appears just in full revolt and manages to save his sister and brother-in-law making it clear to the traitors that they must pay the price for trying to touch a sultana of royal blood.

Rustem's murder
Before the Great Haseki Hurrem passed away, Rustem made a pact bowing to Allah with her, where he swore that he would always protect her children at all costs. Unfortunately, Rustem doesn't keep his word, and betrays Sehzade Bayezid, leaving him in the hands of Selim, the strongest Sehzade for now. Selim's side would offer him power and notorious influence as Grand Vizier so he allows the prince's assassination. Mihrimah discovers the betrayal and weeps with grief as she realizes that one of her mother's great friends was actually a poor, power-hungry devil. She then decides to take revenge on him and gives permission to Atmaca, a knight loyal to her late brother Mustafa to assassinate the traitor. Rustem is killed by Atmaca in his chambers, and once again Mihrimah avenges her mother.

Escape from Topkapi
These are dark days in the palace, Suleiman is aging with the passing of the hours and the only heir is now Selim, his alcoholic son, who has as his greatest enemy his sister Mihrimah for having murdered their brother Bayezid. Mihrimah appears on the balcony of the late Hurrem's chambers where she talks disdainfully with Sumbul aga, ending the conversation with the last words: "We have lost, Selim has won", soon she leaves the capital to the palace of Edirne.

Personality
Mihrimah is a woman with high skills within politics, she is crafty and inflexible, though quite manipulable at times. Despite her indoctrination and good education, it is difficult for her to manage her personal life and feelings, she acts without thinking in the long term, letting herself be carried away by impulses and illusions. In her youth she behaved capricious and selfish, entering a circle where she only cared about her feelings. Although her childhood was strongly influenced by her mother, she refuses to be disloyal to her siblings, including Mustafa, she is also benevolent to the Sultan's sisters at first, but as time goes by she realizes that her mother is right about the people in the palace and becomes more reasonable. Once she begins to understand the dirty games of the harem, she is more isolated and takes refuge among only her close family, she is also protective of her loved ones, she often enters Rustem's head to protect her brother Bayaceto and is never afraid of a confrontation to cunningly expose the unjust or people who have harmed her mother

Appearance
Mihrimah Sultan is lovely with eyes of a noticeable sky blue, soft features, delicate and round lips. She has wavy brown silky hair, straight and marked eyebrows, with a small upturned snub nose, a serious smile and centered cheekbones. During the reign of Suleiman she was considered the most beautiful Ottoman princess of the dynasty.

Malkocoglu Bali Bey:
He was her first platonic love since she was a child, the Bey returns years later by will of the Sultan and Mihrimah falls in love with him once again. All their love affair ends completely when Mihrimah finally decides to marry Rustem after Malkocoglu's rejection, and although he never loved her romantically, he did love her as his sultana and confidant so he pays her all her appreciation by rescuing her mother, Sultana Hurrem from the kidnapping planned by Hatice.

Taslicali Yahya:
He was a loyal friend and permanent confidant of Şehzade Mustafa, he met Mihrimah in a hidden side of the private garden while writing poetry in solitude, which attracted the Sultana, and although Yahya at first calls her a "whimsical little girl", he ends up falling in love with her. Their relation finishes totally when Hurrem finds out everything and threatens of death to Taslicali, and although at the end this one takes pity of him it forbids Mihrimah to return to see him and at the end when they return to meet again Mihrimah already this in love with Bali Bey and it rejects it shamelessly.

Rustem Paşa:
He was the only legitimate consort of Sultana Mihrimah, had two sons with him and once he died she inherited his immeasurable fortune. From their marriage it is known that there was only affection from Rustem, however he managed to satisfy Mihrimah completely and although he always supported her there was a decline in the relationship after Rustem betrayed his mother-in-law and wife and left the side of şehzade Bayaceto.

Mr. Pedro:
Doctor hired by the dynasty to treat a strange illness that Mihrimah suffered from, this illness is cured by Mr. Pedro thanks to his herbal and medical expertise. Due to all the sessions they had to "treat his illness" an affection was born between them that later turned into love. Rustem sensed this relationship and attacked Pedro several times out of jealousy, so much so that he dared to beat him and was even forced to attend the sultana blindfolded to establish distance. Pedro finally ends up returning to his nation, without first bidding an affectionate farewell to Mihrimah.

Elkas Mirza:
A Persian prince who arrives as a refugee at the Sultan's palace, with a great physical attraction, he attracts the attention of Mihrimah and her aunt Fatma, with whom he later plans an engagement. Fatma knows that Mirza is to her niece's liking and tries to convince her that Mirza loves her so that she divorces the "demon Rustem". To make matters worse, Mihrimah discovers the love between her aunt and Mirza and is humiliated.