Kesem Sultan: children. How many children did Kesem Sultan have?

For all the time of the Ottoman state existence, not only great sultans, generals and great strategists have been immortalized in history, but also wise, clever and insidious representatives of the fair sex. Although they were behind the scenes, but this did not stop them from ruling the greatest country. Among them is the incomparable Mahdeyker, who was a beloved concubine, and later became the wife of the wise ruler Ahmed I. Many are interested in this mysterious personality and how many children Kasem Sultan gave birth to. Her life was very remarkable, so many legends and stories are composed about her even in our day.

Origin

Little things are known about the sultan's childhood, only conjectures and assumptions. Many historians believe that she was born at the end of the sixteenth century and at birth her parents called her Anastasia.

Her father was a Greek clergyman. When the girl was fifteen years old, she was captured by slavers, after which she was put up for sale at the slave market in Constantinople. The young beauty liked the eunuch of the thirteen-year-old Ahmed, so he decided to buy it for him. So she got into the harem.

Life at the court of the Sultan

In this place she received the nickname "lunolikaya". His attention to the young and charming concubine young sultan drew not immediately. But, possessing a staunch character and great willpower, the girl forbade herself to shed tears about this, as well as her home and her family. She set herself a single goal and firmly resolved, by all means take the highest position in the harem and be sure to win the heart of the Ottoman ruler.

For this, the girl began to learn foreign languages, studied the technique of seductive oriental dances, various rules of palace etiquette, as well as playing on all sorts of musical instruments. And, finally, the moment came when the concubine was supposed to go on a date with the Sultan. The young ruler was struck by her beauty, gracefulness, sharp mind, tact and ability to maintain conversation on any topic.

Sultan gave the girl a different name, which meant "the most beloved." They had deep, sincere and warm feelings. Undoubtedly, Kesem Sultan and Ahmed 1 were very happy. Their children, of course, were the direct evidence of such love.

Descendants of a great woman

She was not the mother of the first son of the ruler and heir to the throne. But Mahpeiker almost every year reproduced to the light of Ahmed the hereditary shehzadeh and princesses. In exchange for this, Kesem Sultan received his great favor. Her children appeared one after another and for the entire fourteen-year history of the union with the great ruler, she gave birth to thirteen offspring. Five of them left the world in infancy. The first child Kesem Sultan - Aysha, born in 1605.

In general, the woman had more daughters than sons. Possessing an extraordinary intelligence and wisdom, she managed to give them to Kesem Sultan in marriage. Children eventually managed to only strengthen its position at court.

Exile

When the ruler of the empire Ahmed died, the place on the throne was occupied by his brother Mustafa. A little later, a coup took place with the participation of Makhfiruz Hatidzhe, the mother of the heir. After this, the sultan was displaced and the ruler was Osman II - the son of Ahmed from his other wife.

Despite this, Kesem still continued to deal with the political affairs of the country and thus interfered with the parent of the young sultan. There is an opinion that it was on her orders that Mahdeyker was sent into exile in a place away from the palace. But Osman could not remain in power for long, and as a result of the mutiny he was killed. And, despite how many children Kesem Sultan had, who could have taken the throne, Mustafa came to power again, although he himself did not want to.

Walide Sultan

A year later, a new coup occurred in the Ottoman Empire. All this was only in the hands of Kesem Sultan. Her children could now become rulers of the country. Therefore, eleven-year-old Murad IV ascended the throne. Due to the young age, the state was ruled by his mother.

After the death of this ruler, the younger brother, Ibrahim, took the place on the throne. Therefore, the influence of Valide Sultan at the palace especially increased. During these years, the Ottoman Empire was experiencing a great crisis. This ruler was the last son of Kesem Sultan. The children who remained with Mahpeicher were representatives of only the weaker sex. Therefore, Ibrahim needed to think about continuing his kind. But this young man had a complex character and was completely not interested in relations with women.

Kesem decided to independently pursue the continuation of the dynasty. She brought healers to the ruler from all corners of the earth. Finally, such efforts were crowned with success, and the sultan had an heir.

As a result of the next coup, the ruler of the empire and the last son of Valide Sultan died, so the place on the throne was occupied by her grandson Mehmet, six. But on this the unquestioning authority of Kesem was over, as the figure of Turhan, the mother of a young ruler, appeared. There began a terrible confrontation and constant rivalry between two powerful women, lasting about three years.

Last years

Despite how many children were at Kesem Sultan, they could not give her many grandchildren, able to take the reins in their own hands. But in addition to Mehmet, she still had one offspring of her descendants, Suleiman, whom she decided to elevate to the throne during the coup. She would have been able to, if her plans had not been recognized by Turhan, who ordered to seize and execute Kesem.

Thus, this great woman was killed in 1651 and buried, according to her high position, in a mosque next to her husband.

She was an amazing and strong personality. Everyone who knew her spoke of the sultan, that she was intelligent, talented, perceptive and beautifully sang. Ahmed simply adored his Kesem and wished that she was always with him. But being a wise woman, she never talked to the sultan on political topics, so only with her could he feel happy.