Aşubcan Kadın (; "''Queen bee's spirit''"; 1793 – 10 June 1870), called also Aşubican Kadin, was a consort of Sultan

Mahmud II Mahmud II (, ; 20 July 1785 – 1 July 1839) was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1808 until his death in 1839. Often described as the "Peter the Great of Turkey", Mahmud instituted extensive administrative, military, and fiscal reforms ...

of the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

Life

Daughter of a Bulgarian delegate and born in 1793, Aşubcan, called also Aşubican, entered in Mahmud II's harem on 1808, and was given the title of "Fifth Kadin" (consorts). On 5 July 1809 she gave birth her first daughter, Ayşe Sultan, Who died in February 1810. On 16 June 1811 she gave birth to her second daughter Saliha Sultan in the

Topkapı Palace The Topkapı Palace (; ), or the Seraglio, is a large museum and library in the east of the Fatih List of districts of Istanbul, district of Istanbul in Turkey. From the 1460s to the completion of Dolmabahçe Palace in 1856, it served as the ad ...

. Traditional birth ceremony was arranged in the imperial harem, which was attended by Mahmud's mother, wives, and sisters. On this occasion

Valide sultan Valide Sultan (, lit. "Sultana mother") was the title held by the mother of a ruling sultan of the Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans first formally used the title in the 16th century as an epithet of Hafsa Sultan (died 1534), mother of Sultan Suleima ...

Nakşidil Sultan presented Aşubcan with presents. She was followed a year later by a third daughter, Şah Sultan, born on 22 May 1812, who died at the age of two in September 1814. She was then elevated to the title of "Fourth Kadin", and later to the title of "Third Kadin" and at end "Second Kadın". In 1834, her daughter married Damat Gürcü Halil Rifat Pasha, and went to live in Fındıklı Palace. After Mahmud's death in 1839, his son Sultan

Abdulmejid I ʻAbd al-Majīd (ALA-LC romanization of , ), also spelled as Abd ul Majid, Abd ul-Majid, Abd ol Majid, Abd ol-Majid, and Abdolmajid, is a Muslim male given name and, in modern usage, surname. It is built from the Arabic words '' ʻabd'' and ''al-Maj ...

, son of Bezmiâlem Kadın, ascended the throne. Aşubcan moved to live in the Beşiktaş waterfront Palace, and later in Çamlıca, and Maçka Palaces. In 1843 her only survived daughter also died. In 1861, after the death of Abdulmejid, his half-brother Sultan Abdulaziz, son of Pertevniyal Kadin, ascended the throne. Aşubcan often wrote letters to both of her stepsons, and was even visited by them at her palace.

Death

Aşubcan Kadın died on 10 June 1870, and was buried the mausoleum of her husband located at the Divanyolu street.

Issue

Together with Mahmud, Aşubcan had at least three daughters: * Ayşe Sultan (5 July 1809 - February 1810). Buried in the Nurosmaniye mosque. * Saliha Sultan (

, 16 June 1811 - Istanbul, Turkey, 5 February 1843, buried in Sultan Mahmud II Mausoleum, Divanyolu, Istanbul). * Şah Sultan (22 May 1812 – September 1814, buried in Nuruosmaniye Mosque, Fatih, Istanbul).

In popular culture

*In 2018 Turkish historical fiction TV series ''Kalbimin Sultanı'', Aşubcan is portrayed by Turkish actress Açelya Devrim Yılhan.

References

Sources