The Sultanate of Women: Nurbanu Sultan & Safiye Sultan

Ottoman Sultans kept a harem of hundreds of enslaved concubines to bear their children. But from 1533 to 1656 a handful of remarkable women bent the harem system to their wills and exercised extraordinary political influence and power. This period is known as the The Sultanate of Women.
Hürrem Sultan
Mihrimah Sultan
Nurbanu Sultan
Safiye Sultan
Handan Sultan
Halime Sultan
Kösem Sultan
Turhan Sultan

I make mini documentaries about women's history and royal history:
Sources:

Music: Desert Caravan by Aaron Kenny

[ericam]

Haven't been here in a while but I'm SO HAPPY to see that you have continued to put out content related to other ethnic groups! I have to ask, has researching these different kindoms/succession lines been enjoyable for you? Personally I enjoy researching other cultures, I grew up in a very ethnically diverse community and I just loved learning about the customs of their culture! Thanks for all of your hard work!

[colemarie]

I've always loved the Ottoman/harem style of jewelry, decor, clothes....a harem woman's life was definitely not one I'd want to live, but I wouldn't mind some of that jewelry lol

[AB-omte]

Nurbanu’s origins are still disputed at times, but the one Lindsay stated is the origin that is most popular.
Also Sultan Suleiman’s mom was the first to have the title Valide Sultan.
Also it was 3, 000 aspers per day for Safiye.

Edit: I thought it was Halime who Safiye shunned despite having given birth to the eldest son.

[keivanfarzanehkari]

8:59 Actually Nurbanu was the first ‘concubine’ to use the title “Valide Sultan”, not the first woman. The mother of Suleiman the Magnificent was also titled “Valide Sultan” but she was probably a Crimean Tatar princess and thus not a concubine to begin with.

[met.marfil]

Lindsay oh my god you have become my favorite comfort youtuber to listen to when I'm painting. I ran out of videos from your channel and I wait for every Tuesday to watch your newest video, your work is fantastic and your voice is by far the best between other historical channels. Thank you!

[gilmoremanatadgenon]

Based on the history that I've read, the mother of Suleiman the Magnificent, Hafsa Sultan was the first sultana who use the name of Valide Sultan, as the Queen Mother.

[MeowAdi_]

Selim II gave his elder sister Mihirmah Sultan the position of Empress Mother(Valide Sultan) as his mother Hürrem was already dead. He gave huge respect to Mihirmah. Mihirmah retired when her nephew Murad became Emperor. It is then when Nurbanu got power. Until then, Mihirmah dominated her. But even then, Murad III respected his aunt very much and always sought advice from her. When she died, he was devastated, he held a grand funeral and burial for her in a magnificent tomb. Moreover, Mihirmah trained his wife Safiye against Nurbanu 😂. Mihirmah was the one who gifted Safiye to Murad ..

[Native]

I wanted to remind you the Sultan’s daughter Mirhimah Sultan was part of the Sultanate of Women. Could you do a video on her or include her in your videos it’s just that she’s really important and some would say she was more powerful than other women of the Sultanate of women.

[bells]

Imagine sending a silver cloth and a gold girdle to your so called friend and they send you a damn portrait of themself tf. I would be so mad

[elisebrodeur-jacobs]

You seamlessly move from the story into the sponsors ad. You're. Just an incredible creator and I'm so excited to see where you take us

[sigmalpha_testostronewolf]

Also, can you do episodes about arabian queens? They’re sadly aren’t talked about even by their own people ):

[lisaprevidi]

You forgot to say an important thing: selim wanted more sons to be born from nurbanu, but she didn't want to take the risk to see her blood fighting with each other.

[Shuddersfield]

That was a tremendous video Lindsay, thanks. I've been to Istanbul a few times and I know a little of Hürrem Sultan's life but not of the women who came after her. I've been lucky enough to visit the Topkapi Palace a couple of times, and the Dolmabahçe Palace. Watching your video made me want to go back, which I will do at some point as it's now my favourite city. I'm very much looking forward to next Tuesday :)

[jessicamorton]

Strong women, who ruled or became rulers through wise actions
Thank you Lindsay, this is an amazing video

[cinna_sultan]

The most i feel sorry for is Kösem Sultan, but she was what the palace made her to be. She had to take power or else she'd lose everything she had, in exchange for power she gave up her soul.

She lost her love and husband at a young age, she had to suffer the loss of Sultan Osman who she loved a lot; even though he was her stepson she had a good relationship. She lived half of her life in Old Palace completely isolated from her sons and the death of Sehzade Mehmed; who may or may not have been her son, so she worried for the lives of her own sons as she felt Osman might kill them to.

She then had to crown Murad and fight Halime Sultan TWICE. She had to suffer being seperated from her children, eventually she became mad and ended up being strangled to death after losing all her sons.

A really sad story 😭

[jocelynw]

Lindsay Holliday is the best history teacher on Youtube Change My Mind! Thanks for another lesson on brilliant badass women in history(or herstory) around the world :). I've converted many of my friends to your fans now, even those who aren't fond of history!

[cinna_sultan]

22:41

It was Sultan Ahmed's aunt, Gevherhan Sultan (daughter of Selim II who actually lived until the reign of Murad IV) as well as her husband, Cerrah Mehmed Pasha who gave Handan to the palace after serving a tenure as a handmaiden in the Sultana's palace.

Gevherhan's husband was a surgeon who circumcised Sehzade Mehmed in 1582.

[obsessivefangirl]

Lindsey great work! I'd love more videos on other non-European Queens of course, but I'd especially love it if you could do a video on Noor Jehan and other famous historical women from the subcontinent such as Razia Sultan and Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi, and more. <3

[CSGray-nfhx]

I really got into the dramas Magnificent century, I am always excited to hear the real stories though.

[nickfleming]

Lindsay, your videos bring me so much comfort and peace. I work in healthcare administration and it’s been a very tough field during COVID. Thank you for continuing to be consistent in providing exceptional content through the pandemic. It means so much to us frontline workers. Any peace is good peace. I love history and your calming demeanor while presenting these stories to us has been so helpful! I fall asleep to you many nights. I don’t mean that to sound derogatory or demeaning. It’s a true compliment and testament to your skill set. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. ♥️