Gülfem Hatun
| Gülfem Hatun | |
|---|---|
Grave of Gülfem Hatun in Üsküdar, Istanbul | |
| Died | October–November 1561 Constantinople, Ottoman Empire (present day Istanbul, Turkey) |
| Burial | Gülfem Hatun Mosque, Istanbul |
| Religion | Sunni Islam |
Gülfem Hatun (Ottoman Turkish: کلفم خاتون; meaning "rose mouth",[1] died October– November 1561) was a lady-in-waiting in the harem of Ottoman sultan Suleiman the Magnificent (reign 1520–1566).[2]
Life with Suleiman
When Suleiman was a prince, Gülfem was a concubine in his Manisa harem. After his accession to the throne in 1520, she came to live in the old palace in Constantinople.[2] During Suleiman's reign, she enjoyed considerable status in the imperial harem and received a salary of 150 aspers per day.[3] She was Hürrem Sultan's closest companion[4] and often wrote letter to her.[5]
She would inform Hürrem Sultan about various matters through letters. She would present many humorous messages in the letters. Suleiman sent Gülfem a box of intoxicating (kolonya) sweets and some money. Gülfem unintentionally ate the entire box of sweets and became very ill. Despite attempts to cure her, she slept most of the day. When this ridiculous incident spread throughout the palace, Süleyman became the butt of laughter. This forced Gülfem Hatun to discuss the incident with Süleyman.[5]
In 1559,[6] Hürrem's son, Prince Bayezid, rebelled against Suleiman. At Hürrem's advice, Gülfem wrote a letter to Bayezid advising the rebellious prince to accept his father's wishes.[7]
Charities
In September 1542, she opened a soup kitchen in Üsküdar.[8] In March 1543, she built a mosque near the soup kitchen, a "wooden-framed mosque",[9][10] now known as the "Gülfem Hatun Mosque".[11] According to local tradition, the mosque was built for women's use but was initially used only by men.[12][13] The complex also included a maktab[14], a madrasa and a caravanserai. The mosque is still intact.[15]
Death
She died in October–November 1561 and was buried in the courtyard of his own mosque.[16]
In popular culture
- In the 2003 Turkish TV miniseries, Hurrem Sultan, Gülfem Hatun was played by Turkish actress Yasemin Kozanoglu.[17]
- In the 2011-2014 Turkish historical fiction TV series Muhteşem Yüzyil, Turkish actress Selen Öztürk played Gülfem Hatun.[18]
References
- ↑ Argit, B.İ. (2020). Life after the Harem: Female Palace Slaves, Patronage and the Imperial Ottoman Court. Cambridge University Press. p. 66. ISBN 978-1-108-48836-5.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Şahin 2023, p. 120.
- ↑ Peirce 1993, p. 133.
- ↑ Şahin 2023, p. 121.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Şahin 2023, p. 173.
- ↑ Şahin, K. (2013). Empire and Power in the Reign of Süleyman: Narrating the Sixteenth-Century Ottoman World. Cambridge Studies in Islamic Civilization. Cambridge University Press. p. 146. ISBN 978-1-107-03442-6.
- ↑ Şahin 2023, p. 262.
- ↑ Haskan 2001, p. 986.
- ↑ Ostovich, Silcox & Roebuck 2008, p. 65.
- ↑ Brummett 1997, p. 35.
- ↑ Turkey, T.A.A. Istanbul within Istanbul: The Diversification of Tourism in Istanbul Project. Turing. Touring and Automobile Association of Turkey. p. 215.
- ↑ Peirce 1993, p. 201.
- ↑ Ruggles 2000, p. 60.
- ↑ Haskan 2001, p. 911.
- ↑ EKİM, Zeynep Emel (February 21, 2021). "Gülfem Hatun Camii ve Onarımlarının Değerlendirilmesi". Pamukkale University Journal of Social Sciences Institute. Pamukkale Universitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitusu Dergisi: 419–432. doi:10.30794/pausbed.866614. hdl:11352/3970. ISSN 1308-2922.
- ↑ Güler, Nuray (2008). "16. yüzyılda Üsküdar'da Gülfem Hatun Mahallesi (1440-1600) / District of Gülfem Hatun in Üsküdar in 16th century". Ulusal Tez Merkezi (in Turkish). p. 21.
- ↑ "Hürrem Sultan (TV Series 2003)". IMDb. Retrieved 2024-02-04.
- ↑ "The Magnificent Century (2011–2014)". IMDb. Retrieved 2024-02-04.
Bibliography
- Brummett, Palmira (Spring 1997). "New Woman and Old Nag: Images of Women in the Ottoman. Cartoon Space". Princeton Papers: Interdisciplinary Journal of Middle Eastern Studies. VI. Markus Wiener Publishers.
- Haskan, Mehmed Nermi (2001). Yüzyıllar Boyunca Üsküdar, Volume 2. Üsküdar Belediyesi. ISBN 978-9-759-76063-2.
- Ostovich, Helen; Silcox, Mary V.; Roebuck, Graham (2008). The Mysterious and the Foreign in Early Modern England. Associated University Presse. ISBN 978-0-874-13954-9.
- Peirce, Leslie P. (1993). The Imperial Minecraft Harem: Women and Sovereignty in the Ottoman Empire. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-195-08677-5.
- Ruggles, D. Fairchild (August 3, 2000). Women, Patronage, and Self-Representation in Islamic Societies. SUNY Press. ISBN 978-0-791-44470-2.
- Şahin, K. (2023). Peerless Among Princes: The Life and Times of Sultan Süleyman. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-753163-1.