Mehmed II + harem and children
Gülbahar Hatun: she was a non-muslim slave who was converted after her arrival in the harem, since she was referred to as "Gülbahar Hatun binti Abdullah", which is how non-muslim concubines who were converted were called. In a document regarding the purchase of a place in Amasya, she’s called “the queen of queens, crown and praise of esteemed women, auspicious and benevolent Gülbahar Hatun binti Abdullah”. There is no agreement on her origins, Babinger says she was of lowly Slav origins; other historians think she was Albanian. She was the mother of Gevherhan Hatun and of the future Bayezid II. She signed her letters to her son as “Valide Hatun”, where she complained she didn’t see him enough. Bayezid II built a mosque in her honour in Edirne, which was destroyed in the 20th century. She died in 1492 and was buried in her mausoleum inside the Fatih Mosque.
Sitti Mükrime Hatun: she was the daughter of Dulkadiroğlu Süleyman Bey, the sixth ruler of Dulkadir State. After the second Kosovo victory, Murad II decided to establish an alliance with the Dulkadir State against the Karamanids. The wife of Hızır Ağa was sent to choose the bride and she decided on Mükrime, described as the most beautiful of Süleyman Bey’s daughters. The wedding celebrations lasted three months, no other wedding was celebrated for so long, but the marriage produced no children. Mehmed II and Sitti Hatun tranferred to Manisa, on Murad II’s orders. When Mehmed became sultan, they moved to Edirne and she continued to live there even after her husband had conquered Istanbul. After Mehmed’s death, she obtained permission from Bayezid II to build a mosque in Edirne. She died in September 1486 and was buried in a mausoleum built inside her mosque.
Çiçek Hatun: her origins are unknown. It is said she was Serbian, Greek, Venetian or even French. She was the mother of Ottoman claimant Sultan Cem, whom she gave birth to on 22 December 1459. It is not known the degree of influence she enjoyed during Mehmed II’s reign or if she was particularly favoured by him. She accompanied her son to Konya in 1474 and then to Cairo when he lost his battle for the throne against Bayezid II. Çiçek Hatun was her son’s most loyal ally and fought incessantly for him even during his captivity in Europe. She died in Cairo on 3 May 1498.
Gülşah Hatun: there is no information about her origins, she joined Mehmed’s harem when he was governor of Manisa. She gave birth to her only son Şehzade Mustafa in 1450 and followed him to Konya when he became governor of the province. The prince died on 25 December 1474 and she retired to Bursa afterwards, where she built a tomb for him. She died in 1487.
Anna Hatun: the daughter of Trabzon Greek emperor David Komnenos and Helena Kantakuzenos. Her father suggested the marriage but Mehmed II did not accept it. Nevertheless, when Trabzon was taken in 1461, Anna entered the harem and stayed there for two years, after which Mehmed II married her off to Zaganos Mehmed Pasha.
Helena Hatun: daughter of the Despot of Morea Demetrios Paleologos, Mehmed II asked for her after his campaign in Morea, having heard of her beauty. In the end he never bedded her because he was afraid she would poison him, and she died in Edirne before 1470.
Hatice Hatun: daughter of Zaganos Mehmed Pasha
Gevherhan Hatun: daughter of Gülbahar Hatun and thus full-sister of Bayezid II, she must have been born before 1448. She married Uğurlu Mehmed Mirza, son of Ak Koyunlu ruler Uzun Hasan Bey, in 1746, and had a son with him, Göde Ahmed Bey. Her husband was appointed governor of Sivas by Mehmed II but died only a year later, in 1477, assassinated. It is said that Sinan Paşa, who was very influential during Bayezid II’s reign, was married to the sultan’s own sister. It is possible that Gevherhan remarried after 1477 or that she had a sister. Her date of death is unknown but she died in Istanbul and was buried in the mausoleum of her mother.
Bayezid II (12.1447/1.1448 - 10.6.1512): son of Gülbahar Hatun, 8th sultan of the Ottoman Empire.
Şehzade Mustafa (1450 - 15.12.1474): son of Gülşah Hatun. Governor of Konya until his death. Had a son called Hali.
Şehzade (Sultan) Cem (22.12.1459 - 25.2.1495): son of Çiçek Hatun, governor to Konya after his brother Mustafa's death and claimant to the Ottoman throne after the death of Mehmed II. Father of Şehzade Murad, Şehzade Oğuz and a daughter who married firstly the Mameluke Sultan Nasir Mehmed and secondly Mustafa Bey (son of Sinan Paşa). Şehzade Murad and his two sons were executed by Süleyman I in 1522.
Ayşe Hatun: appears only in The Structure of the Ottoman Dynasty by Alderson.
Unnamed Princess: according to Alderson she married Hasan Bey, son of Candaroğlu İsmail Bey
Unnamed Princess: according to Alderson, she was Mehmed II's fourth daughter.
Şehzade Nureddin: Alderson gave no information about him.
Alderson, The Structure of the Ottoman Dynasty
Necdet Sakaoğlu - Bu Mülkün Kadın Sultanları
M. Çağatay Uluçay - Padişahların Kadınları ve Kızları
