Mihrişah Sultan

For the French second concubine of Ottoman Sultan Ahmed III, and the mother of Mustafa III, see Emine Mihrişah Kadınefendi.

Mihrişah Sultan (also spelled Mihr-i Şāh; c. 1745 – 16 October 1805), known as "the Georgian Beauty", was the consort to Ottoman Sultan Mustafa III, and the mother of Sultan Selim III and his de facto co-regent (as the Valide Sultan) for sixteen years from 1789 until 1805.

Of ethnic Georgian origin, she was the daughter of a Georgian Orthodox priest. Her given name is believed to have been Agnès (Georgian: აგნესა/Agnesa). She was beautiful, and was called "the Georgian Beauty" (Turkish: Gürcü güzeli). She received the name Mihr-î-Şah, meaning "Sun of the king".

She is described as a willing protagonist of the reforms of her son's reign. She was especially preoccupied in reforming the military schools and establishing diplomatic corps. She occasionly approached her son to beg a favour or an act of mercy. She founded many schools and mosques in the 1790s. In 1795, she founded the Mihrişah Valide Sultan School and Külliye in the region of Eyüp in Istanbul. In 1805, she ordered the construction of the Mihrişah Valide Sultan Fountain in Yeniköy in İstanbul. The imaret, which was built by the order of Mihrişah, is still in working order. She was the subject of a poem. Mihrişah Valide Sultan and her son Selim III were both members of the Mevlevi Order, which practiced Sufi whirling.

• Михришах Валиде Султанил тюрбе.JPG

  The türbe of Mihrişah Sultan (exterior view)

• Mihriah valide sultan.jpg

  Dome of the mausoleum of Mihrişah Valide Sultan

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  The son of Mihrişah Valide Sultan, Ottoman Sultan Selim III

References

Ottoman royalty
Preceded by Fehmi Kadınefendi	İkinci Kadınefendi 1761 – 21 July 1764	Succeeded by Rif’at Kadınefendi
Preceded by Aynülhayat Kadınefendi	Baş Kadınefendi 21 July 1764 – 21 January 1774	Succeeded by Ayşe Kadınefendi
Preceded by Şehsuvar Sultan	Valide Sultan 7 April 1789 – 16 October 1805	Succeeded by Ayşe Seniyeperver Sultan