Nefise Melek Sultan Hatun (; - ''post'' 1403) was an Ottoman princess, daughter of Sultan
Murad I
Murad I (; ), nicknamed ''Hüdavendigâr'' (from – meaning "Head of state, sovereign" in this context; 29 June 1326 – 15 June 1389) was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1362 to 1389. He was the son of Orhan Gazi and Nilüfer Hatun. Mura ...
Mehmed II of Karaman
Nasiraeddin Mehmed II of Karaman, also Mehmed Beg (), Mehmed Beg II or Nasir al-Din Mehmed Beg (1379 - 1423) was the ''Bey'' ruler of Karaman. His mother was Nefise Hatun, a daughter of Ottoman Sultan Murad I.
Karamanids
Karamanid was a ...
Bursa
Bursa () is a city in northwestern Turkey and the administrative center of Bursa Province. The fourth-most populous city in Turkey and second-most populous in the Marmara Region, Bursa is one of the industrial centers of the country. Most of ...
around 1363. Her father was the Ottoman sultan
Murad I
Murad I (; ), nicknamed ''Hüdavendigâr'' (from – meaning "Head of state, sovereign" in this context; 29 June 1326 – 15 June 1389) was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1362 to 1389. He was the son of Orhan Gazi and Nilüfer Hatun. Mura ...
, while it is unknown who her mother was.
Marriage
In 1378, Nefise's brother
Bayezid Bayezid (also spelled Beyazıt, Beyazid, Bayazid, Bajazet, Beyazit, Bejazid or Bayazit), an Arabic, Persian, Bengali, Pashto and Turkish name, from the Arabic , meaning "a devoted saint", may refer to:
People
* Bayazid Bastami (804–874 or 877/7 ...
married DevletÅŸah Sultan Hatun, princess of Germiniyan. During the wedding reception, Nefise's father Murad I negotiated with the representatives of
Karaman
Karaman is a city in south central Turkey, located in Central Anatolia, north of the Taurus Mountains, about south of Konya. It is the seat of Karaman Province and Karaman District.Alaeddin Ali (ruler of Karaman, grandson of Ali and brother of Davud). Karaman was one of the most powerful beyliks and, at the time, the main opponent of the Ottomans. The marriage was supposed to be the basis of an alliance between the two states, that were at that time adversaries.
Nefise's dowry included 100,000 gold coins, one hundred horses, ten herds of camels, nine carpets, nine chests of jewels, gold, and precious stones, and more than fifty rolls of silk, velvet, and gold fabrics from France, Syria, Egypt, and Turkey. Her dowry in case of divorce consisted of the territories of Aksehir and
Aksaray
Aksaray () is a city in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey. It is the seat of Aksaray Province and Aksaray District.
, including the neighboring villages and all income. At that point, the marriage was announced in both the states during
Friday prayers
Friday prayer, or congregational prayer (), is the meeting together of Muslims for communal prayer and service at midday every Friday. In Islam, the day itself is called ''Yawm al-Jum'ah'' (shortened to ''Jum'ah''), which translated from Arabic me ...
.
The wedding ceremony was held in Bursa, with Candarli Kara Halil as the bride's representative and Mevlana Muslihiddin as the groom's. Soon after, Nefise set out for
Karaman
Karaman is a city in south central Turkey, located in Central Anatolia, north of the Taurus Mountains, about south of Konya. It is the seat of Karaman Province and Karaman District.Mongol
Mongols are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, China (Inner Mongolia and other 11 autonomous territories), as well as the republics of Buryatia and Kalmykia in Russia. The Mongols are the principal member of the large family of M ...
raiders, who were, however, put to flight by the cavalry units escorting the princess. In Karaman, the wedding ceremony was repeated, this time in the presence of both bride and groom. Among the guests were the rulers of Saruhan, Aydin, MenteÅŸe and Eshrefoglu. In Karaman, Nefise became known as Sultan Hatun (''Lady Sultana'') in reference to her birth status. By their marriage was birth at least three children, three sons.
Political activity
Contrary to expectations, the marriage between Nefise and Alaeddin did not produce any lasting peace, but thanks to Nefise's intercession Alaeddin managed to obtain forgiveness several times first from Murad I and then from Bayezid I.
In 1386, while Murad was busy elsewhere, Alaeddin occupied the territories along the Ottoman-Karaman border, which were considered Ottoman protectorates. Murad reacted to this faster than expected and forced Alaeddin to retreat to a besieged
Konya
Konya is a major city in central Turkey, on the southwestern edge of the Central Anatolian Plateau, and is the capital of Konya Province. During antiquity and into Seljuk times it was known as Iconium. In 19th-century accounts of the city in En ...
. For twelve days, Alaeddin sent Murad peace proposals, which were rejected. At that point, Nefise secretly left Konya with her three sons and went to her father, pleading on behalf of her husband. Nefise's embassy was successful and Alaeddin was pardoned in exchange for a formal act of submission and the cession of the territories of Beysehir.
Alaeddin rebelled a second time between 1390 and 1391, immediately after the death of Murad and the accession of his son
Bayezid I
Bayezid I (; ), also known as Bayezid the Thunderbolt (; ; – 8 March 1403), was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1389 to 1402. He adopted the title of ''Sultan-i Rûm'', ''Rûm'' being the Arabic name for the Eastern Roman Empire. In 139 ...
. Once again, he was defeated within a few weeks and again only managed to save his life through the mediation of Nefise.
Widowhood
Alaeddin's third and final rebellion was in late 1396, when he occupied
Ankara
Ankara is the capital city of Turkey and List of national capitals by area, the largest capital by area in the world. Located in the Central Anatolia Region, central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5,290,822 in its urban center ( ...
and took the governor, Sari Temirtash Pasha, prisoner. This time, Nefise remained in Karaman with her sons. Bayezid was fighting in
Nicopolis
Nicopolis () or Actia Nicopolis was the capital city of the Roman province of Epirus (Roman province), Epirus. Its site, near Preveza, Greece, still contains impressive ruins. The city was founded in 29 BC by Octavian in commemoration of his ...
, but he reached Ankara in a very short time, with an army of 150,000 men, more than double that of Alaedddin. Alaeddin released the governor and sent him to Bayezid with an offer of peace, which was rejected. Alaeddin died in 1397, but versions differ: according to one, Bayezid declared that he would spare anyone who would deliver Alaeddin's head, who was then betrayed by his own army. According to others, Alaeddin was delivered alive and Bayezid himself executed him. Finally, other sources say he died in battle, during the last attempt to break the siege.
Bayezid sent Alaeddin's head to Karaman with orders to wait and open the gates to the Ottoman army. While the people, the government and Alaeddin's sons wanted to resist, Nefise, who was entrusted with the regency, decided to surrender. She then went to Bayezid with her sons and surrendered unconditionally, on the condition that he spare the city. Bayezid accepted, but imposed that Nefise and her sons return to live in Bursa, where mother and sons lived in luxury but strictly separated.
Mustafa Çelebi
Mustafa Çelebi ( — May 1422), also called Mustafa the Impostor ( or ''Düzme Mustafa''), was an Ottoman prince who struggled to gain the throne of the Ottoman Empire in the early 15th century. He ruled parts of Rumelia twice between January ...
, son of Bayezid, became governor of Karaman in place of
Mehmed
Mehmed or Mehmet is the most common Turkish form of the Arabic male name Muhammad () (''Muhammed'' and ''Muhammet'' are also used, though considerably less) and gains its significance from being the name of Muhammad, the prophet of Islam. Origina ...
, eldest son of Alaeddin and Nefise.
Death
Nefise remained in
Bursa
Bursa () is a city in northwestern Turkey and the administrative center of Bursa Province. The fourth-most populous city in Turkey and second-most populous in the Marmara Region, Bursa is one of the industrial centers of the country. Most of ...
until, in 1403, she was reached by the news of the death of
Bayezid I
Bayezid I (; ), also known as Bayezid the Thunderbolt (; ; – 8 March 1403), was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1389 to 1402. He adopted the title of ''Sultan-i Rûm'', ''Rûm'' being the Arabic name for the Eastern Roman Empire. In 139 ...
(who died in
AkÅŸehir
AkÅŸehir is a municipality and Districts of Turkey, district of Konya Province, Turkey. Its area is , and its population is 93,965 (2022). It was known historically as Philomelium.
The town is situated at the edge of a fertile plain, on the north ...
as a prisoner of
Timur
Timur, also known as Tamerlane (1320s17/18 February 1405), was a Turco-Mongol conqueror who founded the Timurid Empire in and around modern-day Afghanistan, Iran, and Central Asia, becoming the first ruler of the Timurid dynasty. An undefeat ...
). At that point, she and her sons immediately returned to
Karaman
Karaman is a city in south central Turkey, located in Central Anatolia, north of the Taurus Mountains, about south of Konya. It is the seat of Karaman Province and Karaman District.Mehmed
Mehmed or Mehmet is the most common Turkish form of the Arabic male name Muhammad () (''Muhammed'' and ''Muhammet'' are also used, though considerably less) and gains its significance from being the name of Muhammad, the prophet of Islam. Origina ...
, who became the new Karamanids ruler (Mustafa Çelebi fought with his father and disappeared after the battle). She died on an unknown date and was buried in the
mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the burial chamber of a deceased person or people. A mausoleum without the person's remains is called a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type o ...
that she built in the city, now lost, although it is believed to have been located in the Khatuniye
hammam
A hammam (), also often called a Turkish bath by Westerners, is a type of steam bath or a place of public bathing associated with the Islamic world. It is a prominent feature in the culture of the Muslim world and was inherited from the model ...
, the revenues from which were used to finance the construction of her
mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the burial chamber of a deceased person or people. A mausoleum without the person's remains is called a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type o ...
.
Legacy
Nefise Hatun was the first Ottoman princess known to have actively participated in politics. She was defined as "a predatory bird" and "in everything equal to a man". Much has been written about her unswerving loyalty to her husband and sons rather than to her father (
Murad I
Murad I (; ), nicknamed ''Hüdavendigâr'' (from – meaning "Head of state, sovereign" in this context; 29 June 1326 – 15 June 1389) was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1362 to 1389. He was the son of Orhan Gazi and Nilüfer Hatun. Mura ...
) and brother (
Bayezid I
Bayezid I (; ), also known as Bayezid the Thunderbolt (; ; – 8 March 1403), was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1389 to 1402. He adopted the title of ''Sultan-i Rûm'', ''Rûm'' being the Arabic name for the Eastern Roman Empire. In 139 ...
), but judgments on this are matter of speech, ranging from praise to blame.