Safiye Sultan
Encyclopedia
Safiyā Valida Sultânā
, ' onMouseout='HidePop("21565")' href="/topics/Valide_Sultan">Valida Sultânā
Aliyyetü'ş-şân Hazretleri), (Daulatlu Ismatlu Safiyā Valida Sultânā 'Aliyāt ūsh-Shān Hazrātlāri) née
Sofia Baffo, (ca. 1550 - fl. 1603), was the consort of Ottoman
Sultan
Murad III
, the Valida Sultânā
and de facto
co-regent to her son, Ottoman
Sultan
Mehmed III
.
descent. She was born in about 1550, but her date of death is uncertain between 1605 and 1619. Born as Sofia Baffo, daughter of the Venetian
Governor of Corfu
and a relative of Giorgio Baffo
, it is possible that she was also related to the mother of her future mother-in-law, Nûr-Bānū Valida Sultânā
.
Safiye was captured by corsair
s and presented to the Ottoman harem sometime in the 1560s, where she was given the name Safiye: the pure one. She became chief consort of the Sultan after the death of her mother-in-law in 1574. Following in the steps of her cousin Nûr-Bānū, Safiye Sultan played an important political role during the reigns of the next two Sultans after this year.
Upon the ascension of her son on the throne in 1595, Safiye became de facto co-regent of the Ottoman Empire. Alongside Nur Banu, Safiye Valida Sultânā
was one of the most influential Valida Sultânā
in history, a position she held between 1595 and 1603. Safiye followed Nur Banu's pro-Venetian policy. She corresponded by letter with Elizabeth I of England
; in 1599, Elizabeth I presented Safiye with a carriage. Safiye had the carriage covered, and used it on excursions to town, which was considered scandalous.
Safiye Valida Sultânā
is believed to have been strongly influenced by her kira. Kiras were typically Jewish women, who as non-Muslims could act as intermediaries between the secluded women of the harem and the outside world and performed as economic agents and secretatries. Safiye's kira was Esperanza Malchi
. Esperanza was killed by a lynch mob in 1600.
Safiye Valida Sultânā
is also famous for starting the construction of The New Mosque in Eminünü
, Istanbul
in 1598. The construction took more than half a century and was completed by another Valida Sultânā
, Turhan Hadice Valida Sultânā
, the mother of Sultan Mehmed IV
. The Al-Malika Safiyya Mosque (Malika Safiya) in Cairo
is named in her honor. All the succeeding Sultans descended from Safiye Valida Sultânā
.
Valide Sultan
Valide Sultan was the title held by the mother of a ruling Sultan in the Ottoman Empire. The Turkish pronunciation of the word Valide is . The title is sometimes translated as Queen Mother, although the position of Valide Sultan was quite different.The position was perhaps the most important...
, ' onMouseout='HidePop("21565")' href="/topics/Valide_Sultan">Valida Sultânā
Valide Sultan
Valide Sultan was the title held by the mother of a ruling Sultan in the Ottoman Empire. The Turkish pronunciation of the word Valide is . The title is sometimes translated as Queen Mother, although the position of Valide Sultan was quite different.The position was perhaps the most important...
Aliyyetü'ş-şân Hazretleri), (Daulatlu Ismatlu Safiyā Valida Sultânā 'Aliyāt ūsh-Shān Hazrātlāri) née
NEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Sofia Baffo, (ca. 1550 - fl. 1603), was the consort of Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
Murad III
Murad III
Murad III was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1574 until his death.-Biography:...
, the Valida Sultânā
Valide Sultan
Valide Sultan was the title held by the mother of a ruling Sultan in the Ottoman Empire. The Turkish pronunciation of the word Valide is . The title is sometimes translated as Queen Mother, although the position of Valide Sultan was quite different.The position was perhaps the most important...
and de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
co-regent to her son, Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
Mehmed III
Mehmed III
Mehmed III Adli was sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1595 until his death.-Biography:...
.
Biography
She was of VenetianVenice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
descent. She was born in about 1550, but her date of death is uncertain between 1605 and 1619. Born as Sofia Baffo, daughter of the Venetian
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
Governor of Corfu
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
and a relative of Giorgio Baffo
Giorgio Baffo
Zorzi Baffo was an Italian poet and senator of the Venetian Republic.Baffo was born in Venice. He was, together with Ruzante, Carlo Goldoni and Berto Barbarani one of the major writers in the Venetian language. He was a prolific author of licentious sonnets.He died in Venice in 1768....
, it is possible that she was also related to the mother of her future mother-in-law, Nûr-Bānū Valida Sultânā
Valide Sultan
Valide Sultan was the title held by the mother of a ruling Sultan in the Ottoman Empire. The Turkish pronunciation of the word Valide is . The title is sometimes translated as Queen Mother, although the position of Valide Sultan was quite different.The position was perhaps the most important...
.
Safiye was captured by corsair
Corsair
Corsairs were privateers, authorized to conduct raids on shipping of a nation at war with France, on behalf of the French Crown. Seized vessels and cargo were sold at auction, with the corsair captain entitled to a portion of the proceeds...
s and presented to the Ottoman harem sometime in the 1560s, where she was given the name Safiye: the pure one. She became chief consort of the Sultan after the death of her mother-in-law in 1574. Following in the steps of her cousin Nûr-Bānū, Safiye Sultan played an important political role during the reigns of the next two Sultans after this year.
Valide Sultan
Valide Sultan was the title held by the mother of a ruling Sultan in the Ottoman Empire. The Turkish pronunciation of the word Valide is . The title is sometimes translated as Queen Mother, although the position of Valide Sultan was quite different.The position was perhaps the most important...
was one of the most influential Valida Sultânā
Valide Sultan
Valide Sultan was the title held by the mother of a ruling Sultan in the Ottoman Empire. The Turkish pronunciation of the word Valide is . The title is sometimes translated as Queen Mother, although the position of Valide Sultan was quite different.The position was perhaps the most important...
in history, a position she held between 1595 and 1603. Safiye followed Nur Banu's pro-Venetian policy. She corresponded by letter with Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
; in 1599, Elizabeth I presented Safiye with a carriage. Safiye had the carriage covered, and used it on excursions to town, which was considered scandalous.
Safiye Valida Sultânā
Valide Sultan
Valide Sultan was the title held by the mother of a ruling Sultan in the Ottoman Empire. The Turkish pronunciation of the word Valide is . The title is sometimes translated as Queen Mother, although the position of Valide Sultan was quite different.The position was perhaps the most important...
is believed to have been strongly influenced by her kira. Kiras were typically Jewish women, who as non-Muslims could act as intermediaries between the secluded women of the harem and the outside world and performed as economic agents and secretatries. Safiye's kira was Esperanza Malchi
Esperanza Malchi
Esperanza Malchi was the kira, or economic agent, of the Valide Sultan Safiye.Due to the secluded life demanded of harem women, they carried out their financial dealings through Jewish women . As non-Muslims, Jewish women were allowed much more freedom of movement and acted as commercial agents...
. Esperanza was killed by a lynch mob in 1600.
Safiye Valida Sultânā
Valide Sultan
Valide Sultan was the title held by the mother of a ruling Sultan in the Ottoman Empire. The Turkish pronunciation of the word Valide is . The title is sometimes translated as Queen Mother, although the position of Valide Sultan was quite different.The position was perhaps the most important...
is also famous for starting the construction of The New Mosque in Eminünü
Yeni Mosque
The Yeni Camii, The New Mosque or Mosque of the Valide Sultan is an Ottoman imperial mosque located in the Eminönü district of Istanbul, Turkey. It is situated on the Golden Horn at the southern end of the Galata Bridge. It is one of the best-known sights of Istanbul.-History:The construction of...
, Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
in 1598. The construction took more than half a century and was completed by another Valida Sultânā
Valide Sultan
Valide Sultan was the title held by the mother of a ruling Sultan in the Ottoman Empire. The Turkish pronunciation of the word Valide is . The title is sometimes translated as Queen Mother, although the position of Valide Sultan was quite different.The position was perhaps the most important...
, Turhan Hadice Valida Sultânā
Turhan Hatice
Turhan Hatice Valide Sultan, Devletlu İsmetlu Turhan Hadice Valide Sultan Aliyyetü'ş-şân Hazretleri , was one of the hasekis of the Ottoman sultan Ibrahim I and the mother of his successor, Mehmed IV .Turhan Hatice is prominent for the regency of her young son and her building patronage.-From...
, the mother of Sultan Mehmed IV
Mehmed IV
Mehmed IV Modern Turkish Mehmet was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1648 to 1687...
. The Al-Malika Safiyya Mosque (Malika Safiya) in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
is named in her honor. All the succeeding Sultans descended from Safiye Valida Sultânā
Valide Sultan
Valide Sultan was the title held by the mother of a ruling Sultan in the Ottoman Empire. The Turkish pronunciation of the word Valide is . The title is sometimes translated as Queen Mother, although the position of Valide Sultan was quite different.The position was perhaps the most important...
.
See also
- Ottoman DynastyOttoman DynastyThe Ottoman Dynasty ruled the Ottoman Empire from 1299 to 1922, beginning with Osman I , though the dynasty was not proclaimed until Orhan Bey declared himself sultan...
- Line of succession to the Ottoman throneLine of succession to the Ottoman throneThe Ottoman Dynasty, which completely excluded females from the throne, had unusual succession practices compared to other monarchies. Those succession practices changed over time, and ultimately the sultanate was abolished in 1922.-Succession practices:...
- Ottoman family treeOttoman family tree-Bibliography:...
External links
- http://www.guide2womenleaders.com/womeninpower/Womeninpower1570.htm