#meleki hatun

[magnificentlyreused]

This pink and grey kaftan was first worn by Mahidevran Sultan in the first episode of the third season of Magnificent Century. It appeared again three times in the fourth season, first on Melek Kalfa in the thirteenth episode, then on an unnamed harem member in the twenty-third episode and lastly on Fidan Kalfa in the twenty-sixth episode.

Magnificent Century: Kösem removed the sleeves and used the kaftan on Menekşe Hatun in the first episode of the first season and on Meleki Hatun in the sixth episode of the second season.

[womenoftheottomanempire]

Sidecharacters from MC/MCK that existed

[redrosecut]

That is how they wrote Meleki out of the series? How lazy for a character that supposedly served Kösem loyally since she was a child. Like at least say Kösem send her somewhere else, married her off or asked her to retire to some estate she gifted her but just handing Lalezar the job and saying it is hers now feels not enough.

[reusedaccessoriesjewellery]

This Green Cloak is worn on Hatice Sultan in Magnificent Century in Season 2 Episode 11 (2011) and worn again on Meleki Hatun in Magnificent Century: Kösem Season 2 Episode 4 (2016) and for last time worn on Woman in Mehmed The Conqueror Season 1 Episode 15 (2018)

[1533-secrets-from-history]

10 most Influential women in the Ottoman Empire (plus five non- sultans)

I must say in advance, this is purely my opinion and it doesn't include legal power,but general influence. For example if one woman had more legal power but still was limited to some actions, that another woman could get away with, I will rank her higher. Let's start with non sultans.

Part I: Non-Sultans

Number 5: Çevri kalfa

Çevri kalfa was a woman of Georgian origin and previously loyal servant to Nakşidili Sultan (also Georgian). She became mistress head treasurer( Baş hazindar usta) after accession of Mahmud II, who she saved from executioners by throwing them hot coals and sneaking the prince out. After becoming Head treasurer, she attained so much wealth that she could afford expensive clothes not even sultans wore. A girls school, built in her name, is one of the first schools for girls and the biggest primary school in Istanbul. She remained in her office until her death and was Sultan's trusted and favoured advisor.

Number 4: Meleki Kalfa

Meleki kalfa was a servant of Kösem and Ibrahim, however following the deposition of the sultan, she secretly switched sides as an agent of Turhan. Meleki played an important role in Turhan's rebellion by giving her information about Kösem's plan to dethrone Mehmed. After Kösem's death and Turhan's accession, she became an important person in Valide Sultan's court, was freed and married to Şaban Khalife. The couple built a residence in Istanbul, where Meleki not only conditioned her line of information to Turhan, but also acted as a negotiator in the palace on behalf of people. The political influence of her and her husband grew so much and they were murdered in 1656 for abuse of power.

Number 3: Gulfem Hatun

I have spoken about her in my previous posts

Number 2: Mahidevran Hatun

I have thought a lot about where to put her. People would expect her to be Number 1,mostly because they are used to her being sultan. That is what I first thought,for other reasons,but here we are. She has several significant influences that not many other women had:

1. She was popular with janissaries and people

2. Had a spy network, allowing her to hear major events happening in the capital.

3. She had strong allies. Ibrahim Paşa supported her and Mustafa later in his life, Hatice and her husband were supporting her openly or indirectly.

4. She was a considerable rival to the first and one of the most powerful women in the ottoman empire.

5. She had powerful characteristics: Was an intelligent, educated woman. Could mask her resentment towards Hürrem and act calmly around him.

6. She was a trusted advisor to her son. Actually, she supported the idea of Mustafa revolting against Suleiman,but only after she received information about his imminent execution, through her spy network.

Number 1: Çanfeda Kalfa

Çanfeda was the woman of Circassian origin, who served as second in command of Nurbanu for 18 years and the ruler of harem for another 11, so we can say she was de-facto Valide sultan.

In her almost three decades of service, she acquired wealth, so great that it attracted negative attention of Janissaries and even the grand Vizier. Although she collected such affluence through her salary(that was extraordinarily high consisting of 200 akches a day, it was the average salary of an imperial princess) and bribery, she used it for selfless purposes. She built three mosques, fountains, hamams, two schools, irrigation systems and fixed the roads, costing her several million akches, still she remained as one of the wealthiest people in the empire. In 1595, when Safiye exiled her, she needed dozens of carriages to carry her holdings, which apparently did not consist of much of the furniture, because she bought it from Venice the next year. It's also considerable that as an exiled person, she had to give up some of her wealth to imperial treasury.

Apart from her vital involvements in harem management in which she dominated Safiye, she had considerable influence over state matters as well. Çanfeda used her connections to install her not so bright brothers as paşas and after the series of mistakes,they were imprisoned, Çanfeda not only defied Grand viziers orders and had them set free,but restored them to their offices as well. Her power, wealth and influence came to the attention of Janissaries, who demanded her dead, but she got away with this as well. Another indication of her power, was her attempt to free the second son of sultan Murad. Even though she was caught red handed, the power it would take to infiltrate the prison is still considerable.

P.S. I did not list Halime and Handan,because after becoming Valide Sultans and regents they reached a whole different level, leagues above almost every single woman in ottoman history, however their power and influence was immense even when they were Hatuns.

As there is only 10 images/Gif limit. I will speak about 10 most powerful women in second posts.

[awkward-sultana]

(Almost) Every Costume Per Episode + Cariye’s costumes in 2x07, Part 1 (Part 2)

[magnificent-sultana]

Blonde Characters in period dramas- Reign, Kalbimin Sultani, Muhtesem Yuzyil: Kosem, The Tudors

[zenginolucam]

Koruyucu melekler, iyi ki varlar 😭🙏

[palaceoftears]

Meleki, Meleksima and Mahfiruz wallpappers

[kosemsultanim]

(requested by anonymous)

[magnificentlyreused]

This brown and red kaftan was first worn by Mahidevran Sultan in the first episode of the third season of Magnificent Century. The kaftan was used three times in the fourth season where it was worn by Nazenin Hatun in the fourth episode, by Canfeda Hatun in the twenty-first episode and by Fahriye Kalfa in the twenty-sixth episode.

It also appeared in the spin-off Magnificent Century: Kösem where it can be seen on Menekşe Hatun in the seventh episode of the first season. The kaftan was also worn by Meleki Hatun in the first episode of the second season as well as by an unnamed harem member in the twenty-fourth episode.

[incorrect-kosem]

So I’m rewatching S1 and I remember when I was watching it first time around, I was really hoping that Kosem would kinda take Meleki in as her own daughter and there would be really cute Meleki, Kosem + Ahmet moments and everything but alas, that didn’t happen...

[ottomanladies]

Could you tell me influential kalfas? I saw the gif but I want some information from them please!

Canfeda Hatun: most probably the first official harem stewardess (kethüda hatun) of the harem in Topkapi Palace, she was called from the Old Palace by Nurbanu Valide Sultan. After her death, Canfeda assumed the full management of the harem — as Nurbanu wanted — and even endowed two mosques: one in Istanbul and another in a village outside the city. She also built two schools, a public fountain, a fountain and a public bath. At its highest, her stipend was 200 aspers a day, almost the stipend of a princess.

Meleki Hatun: chief administrative office of the harem (kahya kadın) during Sultan Ibrahim's reign, she was a trusted servant of Kösem Sultan's until she "betrayed" her when she told Turhan Hatice Sultan of her plan to depose Mehmed IV for his younger brother, Suleyman II. After Kösem Sultan's death, Meleki became Turhan Sultan's "loyal and favored retainer". She eventually married Şâ'bân Halîfe and the two used to receive petitioners in their Istanbul house. She reportedly dressed more magnificently than the sultan himself, who would call her "aunt" in public. Her political influence was such that she was killed by a mob in 1656 and her body strung up on a tree.

Cevri Usta: harem treasurer of Mahmud II, she was one of his mother's kalfas. During Mustafa IV's deposition, she burned her own hands throwing hot coals to executioners who wanted to kill Mahmud (and therefore nullify Mustafa IV's deposition, as he would become the only male alive). Mahmud II never forgot what she did and promoted her to the rank of harem treasurer during his reign. In her honour, he built a fountain and a school in Sultanhamet.

Şehsüvar Usta: better known as Şekerpare Hatun, she was a high-ranking servant in Kösem Sultan's retinue until she became one of Sultan Ibrahim's female companions (musahibe). As such, she became highly influential and advanced the careers of several people, among whom her husband, Musa Paşa.

I know that technically ustas are not kalfas but ustas are more high-ranking than kalfas so it's more likely that they were influential.

[fauzhee10069]

Watching MYK episode 54 (S2E24), another surprise by TIMS. Madam Margaret (prenses Farya’s nanny) now converted to muslim, it’s funny that she cared to convert whereas her prenses never bothered to convert and change her name at all (LOL). On top of that, she is renamed as Melek now, welcome Melek kalfa.

BUT WAIT!!! Does this mean that Meleki hatun got replaced by her, remember this girl from season 1?:

And her grown up version:

The girl named Meleki, she was a little girl saved by Kösem sultan when her mother died by illness and later she saved Kösem back by hiding her during Safiye’s coup d’etat, since then she became Kösem’s loyal servant until she had been sent away from the palace (iirc because Kösem thought that she was incompetent) in episode 38 (S2E8). You know, this Meleki hatun was famous enough as Kösem’s loyal servant who betrayed her in the end by exploiting Kösem’s plan to Turhan Hatice that she would replace Mehmed by another grandson, removing Turhan Hatice as Valide Sultan with another sultana who could easily be controlled, leading to Kösem’s death by murder.

I mean, will this girl Meleki hatun back and continue her role? Or will she be magically gone and replaced by the old Melek kalfa?? If so, what is the reason?

Could it be the last woman played as Meleki hatun has left the show for specific reason and madam has to replace her? With the similar situation that have happened before in Mahfiruz’s role. Remember this Mahfiruz hatun who got infected by smallpox and died:

And later came Rasha hatun who became Mahfiruze Hatice Sultan:

Or could it be another favoritism for Farya since her fans demand that her death by Kösem to be avenged? Will Kösem die by Turhan with Melek kalfa’s help? If so, I wonder why this favoritism has not ended yet even when the actress has stopped playing in this show and is currently busy shooting for her next drama?

I wish this is not the case, I hope Melek kalfa is a separated and different individual and the previous Meleki hatun will come back soon. Because I don’t want another favoritism for Farya when it only caused the disruption and confusion to the story that has been built and established before.

I think it’s enough for Farya became Murad’s legal wife without converting and changing her name, became a sultana without having a sehzade first in Episode 40 (S2E10), ditching the fact that Ayşe Haseki Sultan was the most beloved and held the highest position as Murad IV’s consort, twisted Ayşe Haseki Sultan’s role as Mahidevran 2.0 and died as traitor in Murad’s eyes. It’s enough for Farya had dramatic miscarriage in episode 39 (S2E9) only to have miracle twins sehzade in episode 52 (S2E22). Please, don’t force the story to have madam (as Melek kalfa) avenges Farya’s death by killing Kösem and abandon/defying previous Meleki’s existence like she is never existed, though I’m sure it will happen soon.

Honestly, I prefer a random woman appears and comes to Turhan that she is Meleki hatun, a loyal servant of  Kösem sultan that had been sent away from the palace by Kösem and felt betrayed by her then decided to help Turhan instead than madam Margaret as Melek kalfa who suddenly replaces Meleki hatun’s role.

I wish TIMS had planned their story better from season 1 to season 2 (or 3 from their initial planning), perhaps I will be okay with madam becomes Melek kalfa if only little Meleki hatun from season 1 never existed.

[fy-magnificentcentury]

♔ "He [Iskender] is a very good man. I want to marry him when I grow up!... I mean, someone like him" 

Meleki Hatun's crush on Iskender - requested by @jaylahve

[awkward-sultana]

(Almost) Every Costume Per Episode + Cariye costumes in 2x05