#sultana handan

[elizabeth-halime]

[awkward-sultana]

Aslan / Aslanım Lion / My Lion

A striking name of Turkish origin, Aslan is a boy's name that means “lion.” This powerful title is derived from Old Turkic and was used as an epithet for Turkish emperors in the Middle Ages.

[amorprohibido20]

Hola soy la escritora de la saga AmorProhibido aquí pondré cosas de la saga

Amor Prohibido trata de una historia de amor reencarnado, de amor en el palacio otomano con una hermosa sultana criada por piratas con leyendas del mar

[reallifesultanas]

Family tree of Mehmed III

Mehmed (1566.05.26. - 1603.12.22.) - Handan (~1568 - 1605)

Ayşe 1583-1639 - Destari Mustafa Pasha 1602-1610 * 2 daughters and one son, who all died young - Gazi Hüsrev Pasha 1613-1632

Selim 1585-1597

Şah 1587-1617/8 - Mirahur Mustafa Pasha 1604-1610 * maybe one son - Cigalizade Mahmud, son of Cigalizade Yusuf Sinan Pasha 1612-until her death

Ahmed I 1590-1617

Süleyman ~1593-1597

Nani believes she had one son Osman, who was 3 or 4 in 1600

Mehmed (1566.05.26. - 1603.12.22.) - Halime (~1568 - after 1624)

Hatice 1585-1617? - Mustafa Aga, one Yeniçeri officer

Mahmud 1587-1603

Safiye 1590-? - Davud Pasha 1604/1605 (consummated 1606)-? * Süleyman (he surely was Davud's son, but the identity of his mother is unknown)

Halime - She could be the wife of Tiryaki Hasan Pasha (1604-1611), but maybe she was unmarried until 1622. - She could be the wife of Budin Ali Pasha (?-1616?)

Cihangir 1598-1602 (identity of his mother is not known for sure)

Mustafa I 1600-1639

And Mehmed III had another daughter Hümaşah, but we dont know anything about her. She could be the wife of Tiryaki Hasan Pasha (1604-1611), or the wife of Budin Ali Pasha (?-1616?) or none of those.

Theories:

Ayşe: I believe she was the eldest daughter of Mehmed, and so the daughter of Handan. Mehmed got Handan after his circumcision in 1582 June, so they could start reproduction in August or so. In 1600 Nani said, the sultan had a daughter, who was 18 years old and that the sultan is thinking about her possible husbands. Based on ottoman calculations 18 is actually 17, so she was born in 1583. Back then Handan as a new favourite, gift of the beloved aunt of Mehmed, possibly was a soley sexual partner for a while making logical that Mehmed's first child was Handan's. And as Destari Mustafa seems to be the first Damad of Mehmed III's daughters, his wife should be the eldest Sultana.

Halime: All we know is that she was unmarried in 1622. This could mean: she was too young to be married off or simply she was widowed. I personally think she was the wife of Tiryaki Hasan Pasha between 1604 and 1611, then a widow until 1622 (at least), or also the wife of Budin Ali Pasha until 1616.

Hatice: Actually the identity of her mother is not known for sure. She is referred to as Halime's daughter in one source, however, her husband's identity is wrong in that source, so maybe she was not Halime's but a random consort's. Her husband is quite low-level compared to others, so maybe she did not have a brother. OR the identity of the husband (yeniçeri officer) supports the original theory of her being Halime's. We know how Mahmud and Halime had a close relationship with the janissaries and then. Maybe Hatice had something to do with it through her hubby? True, her husband was a Yeniçeri leader only in 1616, and true, that we don't know the exact date of their wedding. The agha died at the end of 1616 and Hatice is lost from history. Maybe she died, maybe remarried.

For Hümaşah it is possibly she died before being married to anyone, or she may was the wife of Tiryaki Hasan Pasha between 1604 and 1611, and/or the wife of Budin Ali Pasha until at least 1616.

[ottomanladies]

reallifesultanas Thank you very much for your answer! Yes I meant Dumas not Alderson sorry for that! Is there a reason for the illogical amount of salaries? I mean the earlier salary lists of registers clearly help us to indentify the sultanas. The 1555-1556 registers are 100% logical; the 1603-1604 registers are still logical: Safiye, Handan, aunts of Ahmed, great-aunt of Ahmed, great-great aunt's daughter (Ayse Hümasah), cousin of Mehmed III, far relatives. But then there is this one.. highest salary for the full sisters of the sultan is logical, but then what does the daughters of Murad III doing there? Fahri/Kamer and Hümaşah/Rukiye* are surely Murads and so Ümmügülsüm could be also Murad's... For the lesser salaries Beyhan, Safiye, Hatice I could imagine they were Mehmed III's, maybe Beyhan's Mustafa was Mirahur Mustafa? But these stipends are just not logical... (*Murad III's daughte Rukiye was said to be married to Nakkas Hasan not Huma). And for Ümmügülsüm there is that one report from 1688 (Katherine Trumbull) when it is said she developed a relationship with Sultana Ümmühan, the aunt of the deposed Sultan Mehmed IV, through visits to the harem. This Ümmühan could be Halil Pasha's wife and so Murad III's/Mehmed III's daugher, or is it more likely not an aunt but sister/cousin? Or she truly can be Ahmed I's daughter? There is this 85 numaralı Mühimme defteri that provide some informations suggesting suggesting Ümmügülsüm was sister of Murad IV. Sadly I dont have the book so I cannot check how true is this claim...

I hope you don't mind if we continue here on ottomanladies.

I know the harem register doesn’t seem to make sense from the point of view of hierarchy but we must remember that the hierarchy could be broken on the basis of favouritism. Maybe those aunts were more favoured than the others.

In this table we can see Gevherhan Sultan, a great-aunt of Ahmed I’s, the reigning sultan. Dumas mistakenly identifies her as a daughter of Murad III’s and a concubine of non-haseki rank, but the reality is she’s first because she’s the most senior princess alive. If you look closely at the second category — “Frais de bouche” — she receives the same amount as Ayse and Fatma, Safiye’s daughters. Gevherhan was quite favoured by Ahmed I because she had trained Handan in her household. Also, her late husband Cerrah Mehmed Pasha had performed Ahmed I’s circumcision. Borekçi says that she was the only recipient — apart from Handan and Safiye — of sable fur:

“A register preserved in the Topkapı Palace Archives gives further details of the gifts Gevherhan Sultan received from her great grand-cousin. At the beginning of this register, there are records of the furs and robes of honor sent by the new sultan to his larger family right after his enthronement on December 27, 1603. Here, Gevherhan Sultan is listed as a recipient of a sable robe (semmûr kaplu nimtâne) and recorded as the third female member of the dynasty after the retiring queen mother, Safiye Sultan, and the new queen mother, Handan Sultan, and before all other living sisters and daughters of Murad III and Mehmed III -- a clear indication of her privileged position. Later, on February 6, 1604, she again appears in the register, this time as the only female family member apart from Handan Sultan to receive a fur-trimmed silk robe.”

(I believe the 6 şehzâdegân are unmarried princesses that Ahmed still had to matchmake but this is another story)

I know it’s Rukiye that Öztuna says has married Nakkaş Hasan Pasha but he could be wrong tbh, it wouldn’t be the first time. Also, neither Sakaoğlu or Uluçay confirm this; they give no information about Rukiye except for the identity of her mother. Unfortunately Öztuna never gives his sources so we don’t know where he found that Rukiye was married to Nakkaş Hasan Pasha. I would trust the harem register and contemporary sources (the ragusian diplomat, in this case) more tbh… both say that Nakkaş Hasan Pasha was married to a princess called Hümaşah…

About Beyhan… the problem is the wife of Mirahur Mustafa Pasha went on to marry Cigalazade Sinan Pasha’s son Mahmud Bey in 1612, and died before 1620, the date of Mahmud Bey’s second wedding, which means she shouldn’t have been alive in 1638-39. The Ragusian letter date 1648, though, lists a Beyhan Sultan widow of “Nideli Mustafa Pasha”— unfortunately, I can’t say who this man is or what “nideli” means.

I do agree with you, though. I think that Beyhan, Safiye, and Hatice are daughters of Mehmed III. We know that seven princesses were married in the summer of 1613, after all. A letter dated July 1613 by a Ragusian diplomat, furthermore, says that “at the present there are fifteen sultanas”.

About Katherine Trumbull, I guess you mean this:

“While in Istanbul, Katherine had developed a relationship with Sultana Ümmühan, Mehmed IV’s aunt and sister to Ibrahim II. On 14 July 1688, Katherine met with Ümmühan for the first time, and the two women continued to meet in the imperial harem throughout Trumbull’s residence in Istanbul. During these visits, Katherine must have been accompanied by someone with knowledge of spoken Turkish, or else it is unclear how she would have been able to communicate with the women she met in the harem. At any rate, when she returned to the embassy, she brought to Trumbull news of things taking place in the Ottoman court.” — Ghobrial, John-Paul A, 'Overcoming Distance in Everyday Communication', The Whispers of Cities: Information Flows in Istanbul, London, and Paris in the Age of William Trumbull (Oxford, 2013; online edn, Oxford Academic, 23 Jan. 2014)

Unfortunately, William Trumbull’s diaries were not published, they’re in the British Library. I always like to cross-check my sources and the fact that I can’t read the original kind of annoys me. Ümmühan is quite an unusual name for an Ottoman princess: Ümmi means mother and Han sovereign, it kind of sounds like “valide sultan”, which is why I thought it was a title for a moment but I couldn’t find anything to confirm this. It is kind of interesting, though, that Öztuna says that Ibrahim’s eldest daughter was called Ümmügülsüm, who could have been named after another Ümmügülsüm (the one that in 1622 was unmarried? Who knows)

The Mühimme defteri is not a book but a collection of copies of all the imperial decrees or decisions taken in the imperial council. They’re numbered and the number 85 refers to the years 1630-31. You can find the PDF for free on the website of the Turkish National Archives but, well, it’s in Ottoman Turkish.

(This is one of them)

So I can’t really read it even though I have it.

[palaceoftears]

handan for the character bingo.

I don't have very intense feelings for her tbh but I do like her, I think she's the most relatable valide sultana from the franchise, I ship her really hard with Halime & I wish they didn't ruin her relationship with Kosem after they worked together for so many time.

[womenoftheottomanempire]

~Mahfiruze~

Mahfiruze was the mother of first - born son (Osman) of Sultan Ahmed I

She was choosen by Handan and Gevherhan Sultanas.

Altough, the mother of the second-born son, Mahpeyker Kösem recived the Haseki Sultan rank and thus Ahmed made clear that Kösem was the favorite consort, Mahfiruze didn't fell out of favor. It is possible that Mahfiruze gave birth to Şehzade Çihangir in 1609. And for sure she gave birth to şehzade Bayezid in 1612. Mahfiruze disappears from harem registers after Bayezid's birth. She possibly died due birthcomplications. Some historians suggest that she was alive during Osman's reign and died in 1629, but there is no proof that Mahfiruze was Valide Sultan.There was a rumor that Mahfiruze was beaten and exiled for irritating Kösem but it seems unlikely that a royal mother,the mother of the first-born prince would be treated so disrespectfull.The main problem of Osman II who ascended as a young boy was that he didn't have a valide who could advise him. During his reign, Osman's wetnurse ruled the harem! Even if the rumor was true, that Mahfiruze was exiled, Osman II as the current Sultan could always recall her back to the palace! Mahfiruze is burried in Eyüp Sultan Mosque and not in Ahmed's Complex, that also suggest that she died in 1612 because the complex was finished in 1616. In 1618, when Osman ascended the throne, he built a tomb for her.

[hurremsultanns]

[magnificent-sultana]

Historical Rivial Sultanas- Muhtesem Yuzyil and Muhtesem Yuzyil: Kosem

[elizabeth-halime]

[awkward-sultana]

Magnificent Century: Kösem Season 1 + Sultanas Being Elitist, Part 1 (Parts 2,3,4) 

[womenoftheottoman]

The powerful Ottoman women from the most powerful Ottoman era

Hürrem Sultan - Wife of Süleyman I and mother of Selim II + 4 Shezades and 1 Sultana. Originally from Ukraine.

Nurbanu Sultan - Wife of Selim II and mother of Murad III + 3 (or 4) Sultanas. Originally Venetian.

Safiye Sultan - Wife (or consort) of Murad III and mother of Mehmed III + 4 Sultanas. Originally Venetian or Albanian

Handan Sultan - Consort of Mehmed III and mother of Sultan Ahmet + 2 Shezades and 3 Sultanas. Originally Bosnian.

Halime Sultan - Consort and favorite of Mehmed III and mother of Mustafa I + 1 Shezade and 3 Sultanas

Mahpeyker Kösem Sultan - Wife of Ahmet I and mother of Murad IV and Sultan Ibrahim + 2 (or 3) Shezades and 3 Sultanas. Originally Greek.

Hatice Turhan Sultan - Consort of Sultan Ibrahim and mother of Mehmed IV + 3 Sultanas. Originally Ukrainian.

Emetullah Rabia Gülnuş Sultan - Wife of Mehmed IV and mother of Mustafa II and Ahmet III + 3 (or 4) Sultanas. Originally Greek.

[minetteskvareninova]

How would you rank the (main) non-blood Sultanas?

Hmm... Again, I would have to exclude the wives of Murad and Ibrahim; I know next to nothing about Ibrahim's harem, and as for Haseki Ayşe and Farya... Haseki Ayşe is a strong candidate for the bottom of the rankings, since she possesses the deadly combination of malice and stupidity, while Farya is somewhere in the middle. Also, with Kösem, I don't take her s2 version into account, although so far she seems pretty high, maybe even at the top. I also don't remember Defne, so people who wanted to see her here are out of luck.

Hürrem/Mahidevran - This one is kinda unfair, since they had much more time and character development than any other sultana, with the exception of Kösem (who wasted a lot of that time with NO character development, see below). I also don't think it's fair to put one ahead of the other; Hürrem is our beloved iconic drama queen, while Mahi had better character development. So yeah. The best sultanas, the most sultanas.

Halime - She did become much less interesting in the back half of the show, and also was stupid enough to trust Safiye with the life of her son that one time. With that said, I can't just ignore how strongly I rooted for her at the beginning.

Handan - She almost tied with Halime, but ultimately lost, because she lacks her charisma. With that said, she's still pretty cool as a mum, grandma and local firecracker who should really think things trough more. Also, she has very good taste in men, and almost killed Kösem that one time.

Gülbahar - I just have a soft spot for her, is all. A prime party with Satan material. My third favourite child murderer. Also, her relationship with Sinan is canon! Other sultanas could have strong subtext (Şah) or tragic yearning (Handan), but Gülbahar is a girl who can Get It. Even if Sinan himself is one of the least charizmatic villains this show has ever seen.

Safiye - An icon in her own right, as you all know. She could be higher, but ultimately I just like everyone above her more.

Nurbanu - I am not a fan personally, but I can see how she could be someone's favourite evil conniving bitch. Plus her and Selim are such an iconic couple!

Mihrunissa - She's fine, I guess. Kinda boring, if you ask me.

Mahfiruze - Annoying af, but at least had the good sense to die early, unlike...

Kösem - Going from Anastasia!Kösem to Beren!Kösem was the downgrade of the century. I am going to be extremely vindictive towards her just for that. Is the sweetest, bestest, smartest girl ever, but can't even realize that during a popular uprising, sultan might just die. Fuck her.

Ayşe Hafsa - I could say a lot of things about her, and most of them would include slurs against old women. You can see where her daughters got the very worst parts of their personality. Just... Fuck her especially.

[ottomanladies]

Also she said in terms of rank, the Dynasty Sultanas are placed above the Valides and the Hasekies (Something I agree with) Because after all the dynasty sultanas were free women who were not part of the institution of the harem and had imperial blood, but the Valides and the hasekies were slaves.

I can't see a dynasty sultana like Mihrimah bowing to Valide Nurbanu or Dynasty Geverhan Sultan Bowing to Handan.

For me the hierarchy is:

-Older Sultanas (ex: Mihrimah, Gerverhan, Atike..) -Valid Sultanas (eg: Nurbanu, Hadan, Turhan) -Younger Sultanas (ex: Ayse Humashah, Sah Huban, Esmehan)

-Haseki Sultan

-Bas Hatun

-Hatun

I placed the young sultanas under of the Valide Sultans because we are in a Muslim society so elders are very respected. In the case of Humaşah Sultan (Daughter of shezade Mehmed) and Valide Nurbanu Sultan, I think that Humaşah out of respect bowed to Nurbanu since she was her senior and the Valide Sultan.

Both age and title played an important factor to who should bow to who.

No, I'm sorry but I disagree with you two.

The Valide Sultan was the custodian of the dynasty, she was the "elder" not because of her age but because she was a) the mother of the sultan and b) a woman in her post-sexual role.

Now, sexuality was very important in the Ottoman Empire: a woman who didn't have sexual intercourse anymore was considered mature (not in terms of age).

It doesn't matter how old the Valide Sultan was, she was the most mature member of the dynasty (by association, because she had given birth to the sultan).

I understand your reasoning about the princesses being born free but they were still subjected to the Valide Sultan's authority. I also understand why you'd think Mihrimah would not bow to Nurbanu but I think Gevherhan and Handan are a different case altogether because Gevherhan had raised Handan in her household, maybe they had a different relationship because of this.

For example, I think Bayezid II's daughters (and therefore Selim I's sisters) bowed to Ayşe Hafsa.

[alatariiels]

Sultanas in Magnificent Century Kösem: Handan Sultan ❀

[mc-critical]

I really like your post about the meaning behind Kösem getting killed with a purple cloth and how you explain the symbolism of the color purple. So, it’s a silly question but, if you had to assign a color to each sultana what color would you choose and why? I think it’s called color science. To Hürrem, Mahidevran, Hatice, Mihrimah, Nurbanu, Safiye, Handan, Halime, Kösem, Haseki Ayşe and Turhan (that’s a lot sorry (~_~;) )

Thank you for liking my Kösem post as much as to ask me such an interesting question! <3 Admittedly, the first color I associate every sultana with is usually the one they wear most frequently in the series and/or the one I feel suits them the most. But I looked more into how the colors connect to personality, as well (such curious trivia!) and this is what I came up with:

Orange is the color for Hürrem in my book. Not only is it one of the colors associated with fire and we know how much that element is tied into her character, but it's also a passionate color, representative of her passionate love for Süleiman. The orange color is witty, spontaneous, eager, bold, energetic and unpredictable. It cherishes freedom and out of the box thinking, connecting with Hürrem's rebellious mindset that doesn't want to adhere to tradition. But it also tends to explore the outer world around it more than the inner world - Hürrem's character development that begins to both repress more and more inside her the more we go, showing a mask of vulnerability in front of others, and adapt to the circumstances around her, managing to perpetuate the system and make use of its rules in not so few moments as a result. Orange isn't afraid to take risks, either, and goes with their gut, which mirrors Hürrem's impulses of reaction when it comes to danger. Hürrem isn't always loyal when it comes to her relationships and doesn't always commit, especially when the relationship stands against a certain goal of hers, which is also part of the personality symbolism of the color orange. Once something unexpectedly doesn't go according to Hürrem's plan early on, she immediately springs into action and can also be forceful and domineering when under stress, along with orange. Oranges can also anticipate people's needs, telling them exactly what needs to be told to put them at ease and Hürrem has that trait in spades with her calming Hatice down and usually knowing precisely how to act in interpersonal issues, coupled with her overall ability to play with words. Hürrem has the need to be respected in her social circle and has to deal with challenges in her life regarding that, which is also connected to the color orange.

While I do associate her more with red and she has quite a few traits connected to that color, Halime appears to be more of a dark orange in terms of personality. Dark orange is, interestingly enough, the color of the opportunist taking selfish advantage in every situation and that couldn't be more perfect for her, since she represents both the strengths and the flaws of this mindset. The color also indicates over-confidence (more attributed to early Halime) and over-ambition (more attributed to later Halime) and once it doesn't succeed to prove its worth and boost its self-esteem through a plan, it develops a chip on its shoulder. (later Halime's strive to keep everything under control during Mustafa's rule and trying to put him back on the throne during Osman's, being ready for anything to achieve it and survive. Can also be applied to Halime knowing not to trust anyone unless that's for her own advantage and once that fails, she distrusts people even more.)

Red is Nurbanu's signature color in my book. It is the color of a determined and ambitious person who isn't afraid to voice their opinions and this description certainly fits Nurbanu. It also symbolizes the need of physical fulfillment that connects to basic survival instinct, which links to her motivation and relationship with Selim. Red can seem overconfident with an inflated sense of self-worth and that shows strongly with Nurbanu's background and dynamics with Nazenin and Huricihan, which cause her to show a more vulnerable, reactive side of herself, precisely because of the pride and self-worth the newfound position and previous roots give her. When Nurbanu feels, she feels strongly, which fits for the color red. But admittedly, even if so, she isn't as passionate or energetic as the normal red, so a shade of the color is even better for her: Burgundy red indicates composure, more controlled power and dignified action, which corresponds to her usual ways of action and adds to our picture of her.

I was wondering whether to choose blue or green when it came to Mahidevran, but upon research, I noticed that brown covers all the facets of her personality. It is the color of the earth (the soil), described as natural, humble and sophisticated. Just like brown, Mahidevran is steady and reliable and we could say she was "quietly confident" in her earlier days in terms of that she was willing to keep quiet and follow the rules, as long as she succeeds to win over SS in S01; in a more metaphorical sense, she wholeheartedly believed that she would win him over through being calm and patient. Brown is friendly, approachable, genuine and sincere and Mahidevran is definitely this with those she cares about - she is open to their happy and sorrowful moments and she never keeps stuff in herself for too long, her feelings towards everyone around her are honest and clear. Brown indicates both a sense of duty, hardwork and responsibility, the importance of family and family life and the wish for comfort, all of which is key for Mahidevran. Mahi is a warm, supportive, loyal and trustworthy friend, sensitive to the needs of others, which is a characteristic of the color brown, as well. Brown enjoys structure and life with everything in its place and that's how Mahidevran views tradition and looking up to traditional norms for both personal (preventing the rise of a second Hürrem and believing in the stability and peace of tradition) and massive (for the balance in the harem to not be disrupted in Mustafa's sanjack) reasons. There's also an amount of materialism in the color brown, which amounts to Mahi's overall care for her appearance and her whole rule of the harem in the end of S02. Browns don't like to loose control of situations, but will do anything to make things better and become absorbed in solving the problem and that is exemplary of Mahidevran's persistence to win over Hürrem with both her successful (Mehmet) and unsuccessful moves. (the poison) She's going to demand better for herself no matter how much she comes to repress her emotions. (E45) Browns see life as a struggle and it not being meant to be easy and Mahi shows a similar mindset in her conversation with Mustafa in E101 and patience for the victory that would come at last, extending to S04. Brown indicates taking life seriously, but with a sense of dry and that fits late S03B and S04A Mahidevran well. The dark shade of brown especially represents sadness with strength and prudence with materialism, which is just... so her, I'm beyond words.

Hatice is the best in purple and the personality symbolism of the color suits her, too. First and foremost we have the regality of it, which fits for the dynastic sultana that still tends to assert her authority and take pride in most dynastic values, taken from Valide. Just like Hatice, purple has a deep need for emotional security and helping others; it is a gentle and free spirit and has a peaceful and tranquil quality about it. S01 Hatice is more restrained and introverted and can give the impression of being shy, but we find out there's much more to her when her trope is put through deconstruction and more of her emotional state is explored. She can be more demanding and outspoken once she comes into her own. Purples can also be seen as shy due to their quieter nature, even though that's not quite the case. Purple and Hatice are both idealistic, at least initially, and dream of a life free from strife and conflict, which causes them to be ignorant of the opposite end of things when push comes to shove. Purple symbolizes one trying to find themselves (Hatice wanting to find love with Ibrahim, live in a peaceful environment), but also certain perceptiveness of people around them (S03 Hatice who figures out Hürrem's purposes to drag her down, realizes that namely Firuze is the one woman fit for SS etc.), while still seeing or wanting to see the best in everyone (S01-2 Hatice with Hürrem and Mahidevran). Purples can sometimes appear arrogant, conceited and self-indulgent when being imposed upon others' regulations and beliefs. (Hatice's usual ignorance when pulling rank; letting her anger out when anyone stands against what she stands for.) Lavender purple is the perfect shade of purple for Hatice, because it has a fragility, sensitivity and vulnerability to it, along with symbolizing love, devotion, delicacy and a romantic atmosphere.

Silver seems to match Mihrimah the best. Silvers are connected to personality dilemmas, with wisdom, responsibility and self-control assisting you to make decisions on the positive side of things, and sitting on the fence as you waft between one choice and another on the negative side of things and that is very similar to Mihrimah's dilemma to do the thing considered right when it comes to protecting her family (like marrying Rüstem, standing against Mustafa etc.). Just like silver, Mihrimah can be conceited and snobbish with a sense of superiority over others when it comes to her position as the daughter of a sultan, the fact that she's taught to value her position back when she was little and standing against fellow dynasty members as a result of this. It's a confidence Mihrimah develops all throughout the series. And yet she's still gracious and non-aggressive with strong values and morals. Silvers can be romantic and loving, but they don't let their heart overrule their head in romantic matters - Mihrimah is precisely this with all of her romantic affairs, it pains to let them go, but she does anyway, both for what she already begins to perceive as the greater good and for her own adaption to the system. Silver also has moon symbolism linked to it and since Mihrimah is the sultana of the sun and the moon, it's even better for her.

I'll give green to both Handan and Safiye, since its personality symbolism connects to both of these contrasting characters. Just like the color green, Handan has a deep need for belonging and security and can become anxious and unsettled in the strive to search for balance. Green, as well as Handan, is nurturing and caring, is like an open book and aspires for peace, not action. Green is a color of growth and that applies well for Handan and her adaption in the harem - she tries hard to get used to her new environment and role and get out of her old habits. The color is also the color of independence in Mexico and that is perfectly fitting for Safiye, because she has gotten quite a bit of an independent power of her own and this is precisely what she didn't want to let go of for so long. The growth symbolism of the color applies to Safiye when it comes to past growth, since she has already grown into her role and solidified it for herself, shown by the contrast between MC E139 Safiye and MCK Safiye. Greens are strong-willed, do not like to be told what to do and do not accept defeat easily as we see with Safiye also. Green highly encourages wealth, materialism and possessions of high price and we know how much Safiye values all those. The dark shade of green goes an extra mile in encapsulating Safiye's negative traits like striving for more wealth (and power), greed and selfish desire. (Yes, green also is the color of envy on the negative side of things, but this is neither of the two sultanas.)

Pink goes to Ayşe Haseki. Pink has a need to be accepted and loved unconditionally, just like Ayşe. It also has a maternal instinct that we see in Ayşe, especially when it comes to Kaya and her final decision. Ayşe cares for others, but certainly wants that care to be reciprocated (as she should, go honey!), has a youthful appearance that can let her look frail and vulnerable and can be indecisive, irrational and act immaturely during problems, all of which is a characteristic of the color. The main challenge pink has to overcome, is namely becoming more self-conscious and self-reliant and that mirrors Ayşe's growing perceptiveness of her situation, culminating with her last letter where she "took away everything she gave Murat". Conversely, I see this color as fitting to Gevherhan, too, just an interesting connection.

From what I've read, two colors suit Kösem well: turquoise and teal. Teal is the color of morality and renewal, which fits both Beren!Kösem's fights for justice that are primarily based on morality than anything else (specifically the Fahriye and Handan-Dervish issue), the ways people viewed Kösem after she stood up in E07 as this angel who would always save them and do the right thing and Kösem's character development as a whole where we constantly see a new side of herself, a new stage in her life. It's a supportive and rational color, controlling (mostly in terms of leadership), well-intentioned, yet reserved. (S02 Kösem always wants to do the the best possible for the welfare of her children and country, but her true nature may not be that obvious to people around her.) Meanwhile, turquoise radiates the peace, calm and tranquillity of blue and the balance and growth of green (aspects of both Nurgül's and Beren's Kösem) with the uplifting energy of yellow (Anastasia). It speaks from the heart and shares its innermost thoughts just like Anastasia. It has organizational and management skills and it influences rather than preaching and demanding, which is again Kösem's role as a leader and representative of the state and the support she has from the Jannisary and the people. S02 Kösem often thinks clearly even in a state of emergency, just like turquoise. The fights Kösem is fighting certainly take their toll on her and that can bring her not to care that much in the end (and effectively lose her innocence as her armor), which is also a personality symbolism of the color.

Turhan is totally black for me. Just like black, prestige and power are important to her and she doesn't show much weakness and emotion in front of anyone, we don't truly get to see what's beneath her mask of cold calculation. Black is strong willed, determined and likes to be in control of themselves and the situations around them, all of which are characteristics of Turhan. Turhan doesn't fully trust anyone or anything, keeps people at distance, consistently having an ulterior motive behind their back and that and the way she operates also fit the color: she is methodical, making sure everything is completed as required, down to the last detail. That, along with Kösem's weakening power, certainly was a part of her success.