Dec 24 2008
Kosem - another powerful Sultana
Last in my series about powerful women during the period of the Ottoman Empire is Kosem who lived from 1589 to 1651. Like Nurban, she was of Greek origin. Born as the daugther of a priest on the Greek island o f Tinos, Kosem, whose original name was Anastasia, came to the sultan’s harem as a slave. Like Nurban and Roxelana, she distinguished herself by her great beauty and intelligent as well as by a fierce and ruthless determination to make it to the top.
She became the wife of sultan Ahmed the first and got her first taste of power and influence over politics of the vast Empire. When her son Murad IV followed his father to the throne, he was only 13 years old. Being a minor, he needed a guardian and regent and Kosem seized her chance. She legally ruled as queeen and Valide Sultana from 1623 to 1632. However, the years of her reign were troubled ones. Kosem attended the council meetings of the Divan behind a curtain for reasons of religion and modesty, but it was she who appointed a quick succession of Grand Vizir’s and made the final decisions.
Her son was followed by her grandson Mehmet IV, who was even younger, that is to say 7 years old and Kosem had another period as queeen and regent before her. Although she distinguished herself because of her charity work and the fact that she freed her slaves after 3 years of service, her politics displeased the court and did nothing to appease the turmoil the empire found itself in.
Kosem didn’t shy away from removing enemies by whatever means she deemed fit, but finally found her master in the mother of Mehmet, named Turhan Hatice. Turhan managed to assemble a following of her own and ordered Kosem to be assassinated. The story of Kosem’s end is a gruesome one. It is reported, that courtiers and servants of Turhan chased Kosem through the palace, finally discovering her, hidden under a quilt. Then they proceeded to strangle her. However, the fierce 70 year old fought back and it took supposedly 4 men to finally choke her with a curtain. It was then reported to the Sultan, that she was dead, but the gruesome tale continued. She had only feigned her death, hoping to escape. Therefore, she was strangled and finally killed all over again.
Once she was dead however, she was honoured by three days of mourning by the people of Constantinople.
