Characters

The Gilded Cage on the Bosphorus

The Ottomans : The Story of a Family

What uncertain and worrying times these are … I am sorry not to have posted last week, but I was struck down by this awful virus. Alhamdulillah, I am feeling much better now and thought that I would write a post to hopefully offer you some small diversion while we are all in lockdown. So, let me introduce you to the last of the main characters of my story, to Sultan Murad V‘s five granddaughters – the five daughters of Prince Mehmed Selahaddin: the Princesses Behiye, Rukiye, Adile, Safiye and Atiye. I hope you enjoy this little insight into the characters of these sisters…

Her Imperial Highness Princess Behiye

Princess Behiye was the eldest of Selahaddin’s children, and the only one who was a full sister to Prince Nihad.  She was born in confinement at the Çırağan Palace on 20th September 1881, making her twenty two years old when the novel begins. Her childhood and adolescence are over, yet she has still not seen what lies beyond the walls of her ‘gilded cage’. This sadness and frustration made Behiye feel resentful towards her uncle, Sultan Abdülhamid II, on whose orders the young princess was held a prisoner with her family. But it also made her the brave, strong and determined woman that she was all her life.

Behiye was the cleverest of the five sisters, but according to my father she was the least attractive. She had brown eyes, a stern-looking mouth, dark brown hair, and she prefered to dress simply. As well as being extremely kind, she was always very protective towards those she loved. She was traditional in her ways, was confident, spirited and was never afraid to speak her mind.

Behiye : As Portrayed in ‘The Gilded Cage on the Bosphorus’

Behiye was utterly devoted to my grandfather, Prince Ali Vâsıb. One scene near the end of the book that I particularly like, shows how close their relationship was destined to become:

‘Behiye encouraged Vâsıb to collect handfuls of snow to pat into the portly snowman’s tummy, and he took great delight in doing this – until his hands got wet and cold, and he began to cry. Behiye bent down, took off his damp mittens, blew onto his chubby pink hands and gave them a gentle rub to warm them.’

Her Imperial Highness Princess Rukiye

Princess Rukiye was born on 30th May 1885 at the Çırağan Palace. She is Selahaddin’s daughter by his wife, the Lady Tevhide Zatıgül. In fact, the Lady Tevhide is also Princess Adile and Princess Atiye’s mother, making these three siblings full sisters. Rukiye is eighteen years old when the story starts in October 1903. She had dark brown hair, beautifully arched eyebrows and large hazel-coloured eyes, very similar in shape to her grandfather’s. She was lively, intelligent and generous. Sometimes a little bossy, but she was always kind, chatty and fun. She was perhaps the closest of the sisters to Prince Ahmed Nihad, maybe due to their shared interest in music.

Rukiye : As Portrayed in ‘The Gilded Cage on the Bosphorus’

Rukiye was a highly accomplished pianist and also very good at playing the violin. I make mention of her talent in the book:

‘“That must be Rukiye I can hear playing a polka,” said Murad as the men approached the door to the drawing room. “She plays exquisitely, does she not, Selahaddin?”

“Yes, Father. But how can you be so sure it is Rukiye?” asked Selahaddin.

“Because she plays with such passion, such intensity. I can always tell when it is her playing. She has a really exceptional gift,” he responded. Murad was an accomplished pianist himself, as well as a composer, and had encouraged a love of music in his family. He appreciated the natural talent Rukiye was blessed with, and was impressed by her dedication to achieving proficiency on the instrument; in fact, he often listened unobserved while she was practising.’

Her Imperial Highness Princess Adile

Princess Adile was born in the Çırağan Palace on 7th February 1887, so she is sixteen years of age at the start of the book. Like her older sisters, she had dark hair and large brown eyes. All the sisters were warm and kind, but Adile was the kindest, most gentle and most sweet-natured of them all. She was quieter, more reserved and did not court attention. Adile was especially close to her younger brother, Prince Osman Fuad, whom she utterly adored.

Adile : As Portrayed in ‘The Gilded Cage on the Bosphorus’

My grandfather remembers his Aunt Adile as being “angelic”, so this is how I have tried to portray her. There is a scene in the book where everyone is having a snowball fight in the harem gardens. Fuad gets a little carried away and accidentally hits Adile in the face with a rather hard and compact snowball. He is devastated to have hurt his sister:

‘“I am so sorry, Adile,” he said for what was probably the twentieth time. “I swear to you that I was not aiming at your face, and did not mean to hurt you. Poor Adile! I promise I will never hurt you again.” 

“I know, Fuad,” she said with a brave smile. “Really, it does not matter at all.” She leant over to her brother and gave him a kiss on the cheek. In doing so, her nose brushed against his skin, causing sharp ripples of pain to spread across her face; seeing that it had immediately made him feel better, however, she told herself that it had been worth it.’

Her Imperial Highness Princess Safiye

Princess Safiye was the only child of Prince Mehmed Selahaddin and his wife, the Lady Gülter. She was born on 30th June 1887 so was only a few months younger than her sister, Adile. Unfortunately, my grandfather does not really mention his Aunt Safiye in his memoirs, he never spoke to me about her, and my father never met her, so I have had to rely on my imagination to create a picture of Safiye’s character. We do not have any photographs of Safiye either. Strangely, she did not even feature in the group photograph above. I can only deduce that perhaps she not well enough to sit for the portrait, after all she died tragically young so may have been sickly.

Safiye : As Portrayed in ‘The Gilded Cage on the Bosphorus’

I have made Safiye diligent, studious and always eager to please her father. Since she was the same age as Adile, I call these two sisters ‘the twins’ and have imagined that they were particularly close to one another.

My grandmother, Princess Emine Mukbile, used to call me her ‘Yellow Rose’. It always made me smile when she did this. So, in memory of my grandmother, and because Safiye was born when yellow roses are at their best, I bestowed this nickname on Safiye:

‘Selahaddin often called Safiye his ‘Yellow Rose’: she had been born at the end of June, when everything was in full bloom, and every summer until her mother’s death he had filled the vases in her rooms with yellow roses from the flower gardens. Now, he did the same for Safiye every year on her birthday.’

Her Imperial Highness Princess Atiye

Princess Atiye was born in the Çırağan Palace on 4th December 1891, so she is only twelve years of age at the start of the book. Despite being the youngest of the sisters, she was the tallest. She was also considered to be the prettiest, with the fairest hair and fairest complexion of them all. Atiye was not, however, as intelligent as her sisters, but she was kind-hearted, warm and always happy and bubbly. She had an innocent, almost child-like nature. She loved dancing and enjoyed playing lively pieces on the piano.

Atiye : As Portrayed in ‘The Gilded Cage on the Bosphorus’

In the book Atiye is seen dancing, singing, and poring over the pages of French fashion magazines. I imagine she has a pet kitten, one which she smothers with much love and affection. She certainly shows greater interest in the more frivolous things in life, than in the serious business of her studies:

‘Atiye, knowing that she was likely to be picked on to answer the next question, kept her head down in the forlorn hope that she would be overlooked; meanwhile, she went on stroking Kaplan, her pet kitten, who lay curled up on her lap and was purring loudly.

“Now, Atiye, I would like you to explain to us why Jerusalem is a sacred place for Moslems.”

Atiye stopped stroking Kaplan and reluctantly began to speak. She was the least studious of Selahaddin’s daughters – indeed, her lack of interest in her studies was a source of constant frustration to her tutors.’

In Conclusion

Selahaddin’s daughters were all good, kind and warm-hearted young women. I think that my grandfather was very lucky to have been surrounded by their genuine and unconditional love as a child …

You have now met all the main characters of my book. I hope this series of ‘character posts’ have whet your appetite, even if just a little, and made you want to find out more about the people who once lived in the Çırağan Palace – the ‘gilded cage on the Bosphorus’ … If so, I can tell you that I have literally just finished editing the final chapter of my book and the manuscript is finally ready to go the printers! However, due to the lockdown, the printers are of course closed for the foreseeable future but at least I am one step closer towards publishing!

If anyone has any questions that they would like to ask me about any of the characters I have written about over the last few months, then please do send me a message or post your question here. I will try to answer some of them in my next post. In the meantime, stay at home, stay well and healthy, and take care of your loved ones …

The Gilded Cage on the Bosphorus

The Ottomans : The Story of a Family

My next two posts will be about Murad V‘s grandchildren. At the time in which the book is set, Murad V had two grandsons and five granddaughters. They were all the children of his only son, Prince Mehmed Selahaddin. This post on Sultan Murad’s grandsons, Prince Ahmed Nihad and Prince Osman Fuad, will reveal how very different in character the two brothers were.

His Imperial Highness Prince Ahmed Nihad

Childhood

Prince Nihad was the eldest son of Prince Mehmed Selahaddin and his wife, the Lady Naziknaz. He was born in confinement at the Çırağan Palace on 5th July 1883, making him twenty years old at the beginning of the novel.

Nihad’s father, Selahaddin, was his everything – not only his father, but also his tutor, his confidant and his closest friend. His mother, Naziknaz, adored her only son, and showered him with love and affection. Yet, Nihad’s childhood was lonely, monotonous, and frustratingly restricted.

I have four sons, alhamdulillah! They all enjoy interacting with each other and with their friends. They love school and sport. And as young children they certainly all had fun running around together and getting into mischief! Sadly this was denied to Nihad. He spent his entire childhood in confinement; held as a prisoner of a paranoid sultan. He never played with another little boy, in fact he never even saw another little boy! His only playmates were his younger aunts and his sisters. He literally had no interaction whatsoever with a child who was not a member of his immediate family. And this scarred him for life…

Appearance and Character

Nihad was dashingly handsome. He had thick dark hair, piercing grey eyes, a well-groomed moustache, and was always immaculately dressed. His manners were impeccable, he was intelligent, curious and creative. He was also modest, humble and self-disciplined.

In many ways he was the epitome of a modern prince. Nihad was exceptionally well read, extremely interested in current affairs and was an advocate of liberal constitutional reform. He was deeply religious, had a keen and focused sense of duty and responsibility, and held traditional values and customs in high esteem. Nihad was very interested in all the latest inventions and technological advances that were being made at the time, and was himself a skilled carpenter and craftsman. He was also a gifted composer and talented pianist.

However, he was not at all sporty and did not enjoy physical activity. Nihad was reserved, controlled, a perfectionist and perhaps a little judgemental of others who did not measure up to his exceedingly high standards and expectations. He found it hard to relax, to laugh, to have fun, and was often teased by other members of the family for being overly serious.

Nihad : As Portrayed in ‘The Gilded Cage on the Bosphorus’

Nihad is one of the central characters of the story. We first meet him when he visits his wife, the Lady Safiru, immediately after she has given birth to their son – my grandfather. It is one of the few scenes in the book where he lets down his guard and we see the softer side of his nature.

However, the central theme of his character is that Nihad is a young man who harbours a dream. The dream of being free so that he may serve his empire and help save it from the imperialist western powers who threaten all he holds dear. He believes that the only way to do this is if the Empire introduces a drastic programme of liberal constitutional reform.

‘Nihad could not help but admire the resilience and strength of will Abdülhamid had shown in carrying out his mission. His dedication to duty and enormous capacity for work were undeniable, as was his unmatched skill in the art of diplomacy …… Where Nihad found Abdülhamid wanting, however, was in his failure to accept that there was no longer any place for autocratic rule in the modern world. Nihad dearly wished that the Padishah would see this truth and, having met some of the ministers and government officials from the Sublime Porte that day, he felt inspired to push for the realisation of his grandfather’s dream of parliamentary democracy.’

My great-grandfather never gave up on this dream. The dream of seeing the Ottoman Empire ruled by a parliamentary democracy under the auspices of a constitutional monarchy. But, fate can be cruel…

His Imperial Highness Prince Osman Fuad

Prince Fuad was the youngest son of Prince Mehmed Salahaddin and the only child of his wife, the Lady Jalefer. He was born on 24th September 1895, also at the Çırağan Palace. Also during the long years that Sultan Murad’s family were held in confinement there.

He is eight years old at the start of my story. A fun-loving, vibrant, energetic little boy. He was very different in character to his elder brother. Not at all serious or interested in his studies, but always on the hunt for adventure and excitement!

Fuad : As Portrayed in ‘The Gilded Cage on the Bosphorus’

Knowing what I know about the character of my great-uncle, I have based my portrayal of him as a little boy on my own sons. He is mischievous, cheeky and excitable. He is overly enthusiastic, fiercely competitive but also loving and completely and utterly adorable.

Fuad brings light-hearted relief to the story. He very much reminds the reader that even though the characters are members of the Imperial Ottoman family, they are still just a family. A family, who like all others, have feelings and sensitivities, hopes and dreams… And Fuad has big dreams of adventure…

‘Slowly, Murad and Fatma headed back towards the harem building; before going inside, however, they paused for a while on the terrace where Selahaddin and Fuad were playing backgammon. They stood and watched a few throws of the dice; then Murad suggested a move to Fuad that his grandson had failed to see.  

“You play very well, Fuad, but make sure you do not take unnecessary risks that your opponent can then take advantage of,” Murad said. “Always protect your pieces when you can, and do not risk losing them needlessly. A game of backgammon is like an encounter on the battlefield. It is a game of strategy as well as one of luck, and so like all good generals you must value every one of your men.” 

“Thank you, Grandfather. I will remember your advice – not just when I am playing backgammon, but when I am leading my men into battle, too” replied the young boy.’

The Gilded Cage on the Bosphorus

The Ottomans : The Story of a Family

Thank you to everyone who either commented or sent me a message in response to the question I posed at the end of my previous post. It seems that you are all more interested in the characters of the book rather than in the themes running through the story, so I will continue to make my introductions. The votes ended in a tie between my main antagonist, Murad’s younger brother Sultan Abdülhamid II, and Murad’s two grandsons and five granddaughters. As this week marks the 102nd anniversary of Sultan Abdülhamid’s death on 10th February 1918, I felt it would be appropriate to write something about my great-great-great uncle.

Libraries and bookshops are filled with books written about Sultan Abdülhamid II. Many academic, expertly-researched and highly acclaimed studies have been done on the complexities of Abdülhamid’s character, on the nature of his reforms and policies, and on the extent of his success as a ruler. This short post could never attempt to do justice to these fascinating topics. So what can I possibly write that might be new and interesting?

You might also ask a different question. Can a Muradiye princess restrain her personal feelings sufficiently to present a balanced view of the man who deposed her great-great-great grandfather, usurped his throne and then held him and other members of her family in enforced confinement for nearly thirty years? Perhaps it is unfair to expect me to do so? What I will say in answer to that is that I do not wish to disrespect Sultan Abdülhamid II, or offend my Hamidian cousins. However, every story needs an antagonist, and mine happens to be Abdülhamid! So, I will present some facts, make a few observations, and then ask that you try to understand and excuse any bias you may detect…

Childhood

Abdülhamid was born in the Old Çırağan Palace on 22nd September 1842. In the same palace and on the same day as his elder brother Murad, but two years later.

He was the second son of Sultan Abdülmecid and the only son of his fourth consort, the Lady Tirimüjgân. She sadly died of tuberculosis when Abdülhamid was only 10 years old.

His father then appointed his beloved consort, the Lady Perestû, to be Abdülhamid’s adoptive mother. She had no children of her own and devoted herself to the little prince. Abdülhamid adored the Lady Perestû, and honoured her with the title of Valide Sultan when he ascended the throne. She would be the last Valide Sultan – mother of the Sultan – to rule over the Imperial Ottoman harem.

Two Brothers in Europe : 1867

My book begins in October 1903, but there are a number of flashbacks to the summer of 1867. This was the summer that Murad and Abdülhamid accompanied their uncle, Sultan Abdülaziz, to Europe on his state visit. These flashbacks give an insight into the differences in the characters of the two brothers, and the relationship that I imagine existed between them.

My impression is that like Sultan Abdülaziz, Abdülhamid felt a little jealous of his elder brother. This manifested itself during this trip to the royal courts of Europe and was remarked upon at the time.

Obviously Murad was the Crown Prince, and as heir to the Ottoman throne it was natural that he attracted more attention than Abdülhamid. But, Murad was also more handsome, more charming and more charismatic than his younger brother. He struck up conversations more easily. And he openly enjoyed all the receptions and festivities that were organised in their honour. Abdülhamid, on the other hand, felt uncomfortable and awkward at such occasions. He disapproved of Murad’s behaviour and signs of tension between the two brothers began to appear.

Two Brothers in İstanbul : 1903 – 1905

Obviously, by 1903 the brothers’ roles had been somewhat reversed. Murad had become the invisible prince, while Abdülhamid was the one in the limelight. I get the sense that Abdülhamid continually wrestled with his conscience because of this. He knew he was not the rightful sultan. And he knew he never could be as long as Murad was alive. In fact, he considered executing his brother a number of times in order to remove the threat he posed to the throne. He was even granted a fatwa from the Sheikh ul-Islam authorising Murad’s execution. However, when it came to it, he could not bring himself to issue the order and never acted upon the fatwa. It remained securely hidden in a drawer, under lock and key.

Instead Abdülhamid chose to do all he could to make the world forget about Sultan Murad V. He hoped that the memory of his popular elder brother would fade in the hearts of his people. And he prayed that Murad would not be used as a pawn against him by the opposition groups. Yet the threat remained… As Abdülhamid got older, his paranoia got worse. He saw the assassin’s blade in every shadow; the anarchist’s bomb round every corner. Ironically, in many ways he became as much a prisoner as his brother – afraid to leave the security of Yıldız, a prisoner of his own fears.

Murad’s Death 1904

And then, in the summer of 1904, Murad died. Abdülhamid finally ruled as the rightful sultan. The fact that Murad died a natural death, and did not die in mysterious circumstances tells us something very important about Abdülhamid. It had been Murad’s greatest fear that following his deposition he would be surreptitiously murdered, as his uncle Sultan Abdülaziz had been. But Abdülhamid had shown his brother mercy. For this reason, he will always have my respect and gratitude.

I believe that Abdülhamid was a true Machiavellian prince. The end justified the means in his mind… He simply believed that Murad was not mentally strong enough to rule the Empire at such a critical period in history. He felt that only he was capable of making the difficult and ruthless decisions needed at the time. Maybe he was right. I have included a scene in the story where Abdülhamid is alone for a moment with Selahaddin and Nihad. I find it deeply moving. He whispers to his nephews: “All I have done, I have done for the greater good of the Empire. Never believe for one moment that I did not love my brother.” This is how I like to believe Abdülhamid felt towards Murad.

Abdülhamid : A Sultan who Divides Opinion

Praise of Abdülhamid

There is no question that Sultan Abdülhamid II ruled over the Ottoman Empire at an incredibly challenging time. There is also no doubt that he was a highly intelligent man who played the game of politics most expertly. During the course of his reign, he cleverly pitted his enemies against each other and largely succeeded in maintaining the precarious balance of power which ensured the survival of the Ottoman Empire into the twentieth century.

He continued the traditions of the Tanzimat in many areas, particularly in the field of education. Hundreds of schools were built throughout the Empire – primary and secondary schools, as well as many military schools, technical academies and a university. Abdülhamid also invested heavily in hospitals, factories, the telegraph network and in the railways. Most notably in the Hejaz Railway. He reduced the monstrously high foreign debt and enacted a wide range of successful economic reforms.

Perhaps his greatest achievement was providing a political focus to the Islamic world through his policy of Pan-Islamism. As the Caliph of Islam, he stood proudly as the defender and protector of the faithful. In this capacity he actively offered all Moslems leadership, guidance and unity in religious, political, and cultural matters. The abolition of the Caliphate in 1924 left the Islamic world without this leadership, guidance and unity – the repercussions of which continue to be felt across the world today… The importance of this role should therefore never be underestimated.

I most certainly admire Abdülhamid’s infinite skill, his great vision, his huge capacity for work, and I admire his unswerving dedication to the Empire. But….

Criticism of Abdülhamid

Obviously my greatest criticism of Abdülhamid is that he betrayed his brother, stole his throne and then imprisoned Murad and his family in the Çırağan Palace. But I think you are aware of my feelings on this already!!

Another major criticism I have is that Abdülhamid prorogued Parliament barely a year after the first constitution was proclaimed. He was intent on centralising power and holding the reins of government in his own hands. He enforced a strict censorship of the press and would not tolerate any form of criticism or opposition. Perhaps he felt that this was the only way to push through the dramatic programme of reform that he knew was essential for the Empire to survive. Perhaps he did not feel that the Empire was ready for a liberal government and a constitutional sultanate. Or perhaps he simply enjoyed the feeling of absolute power. Whatever the reason, it gave the Western Powers an excuse to interfere in Ottoman affairs, and this had dire consequences for the Empire and the Dynasty.

Finally, vast swathes of Ottoman territory were lost during the reign of Abdülhamid. More than at any other time up to that point in the history of the Ottoman Empire. Land in the Caucasus was ceded to Russia. Thessaly was ceded to Greece. Britain occupied Egypt, Sudan, Somalia and Cyprus, while Tunisia became a French protectorate. Bulgaria and Crete became autonomous, and Montenegro and Serbia gained independence. In addition, the covetous eyes of the Western Powers were fixed firmly on our sacred, strategically placed and oil-rich lands. Despite all his skill in the subtleties of political diplomacy, Abdülhamid was unable to prevent western infiltration taking root in the Holy Land and in Mesopotamia. In this, he was only able to delay what was perhaps inevitable…

In Conclusion

I believe that in 1876 the Ottoman Empire was ready to embrace a liberal constitutional government – one that Murad V would have introduced and nurtured if given the chance. The Empire had extremely able men and a very willing Sultan which would have ensured its success. If only Abdülhamid had agreed to act as regent, at least for a period of time long enough to determine whether or not Murad’s health would recover. But he refused and insisted on being girded with the sword of Osman. Incidentally, Murad regained his strength and faculties only a couple of months after he was deposed, as his original doctor had always predicted.

I cannot help but wonder what might have happened if Abdülhamid had been more patient? If he had acted as regent for the months Murad was incapacitated, and then succeeded him on his death, as would have been the natural order of things, could he have prevented the Ottoman Empire from becoming embroiled in WWI? Would Abdülhamid’s policy of pacification, preserving neutrality and his determination to avoid getting entangled in European politics have encouraged the Empire to take a different path? We will never know. But just imagine how different the course of history would have been…

The Gilded Cage on the Bosphorus

The Ottomans : The Story of a Family

Today I am going to introduce Princess Fatma – the youngest of Sultan Murad V‘s children who were alive at the time the book is set.

Birth

Princess Fatma was the daughter of Sultan Murad V and his Fourth Consort, the Lady Resan. She was born on 19th June 1879, at the Çırağan Palace. Her birth was the first to happen at Çırağan during the years Murad’s family were held in confinement there.

Character & Appearance

Fatma was very different from her two elder sisters, Hadice and Fehime. She was modest, serious, uncomplaining, and far more even-tempered. I do not think that she would have approved of her sisters’ decision to leave Çırağan in order to find husbands. Not when the condition was that they would never be permitted to see their father again. I also do not think that Fatma would have approved of the impulsive, frivolous and often extravagant way her sisters lived. Yet, because she was so kindhearted, I am certain that Fatma would never have judged her sisters for the choices they made.

Fatma took pleasure in doing things for others. She enjoyed caring for her mother and father, and looking after her nieces and nephews. She also took on many duties and responsibilities to ensure the smooth running of the harem, particularly after her father’s death. Like her sisters she had received an extensive education, and enjoyed reading French novels and playing the piano. She was well-read and clever, although not as intellectual or accomplished as Fehime.

Neither was she beautiful, as Hadice was considered to be. She had dark hair and was rather plump. She had her father’s eyes – striking, large, doe-like chestnut-brown eyes. They somehow drew people in to her warm, gentle soul revealing a beauty that lay within.

Fatma: As Portrayed in ‘The Gilded Cage on the Bosphorus’

I found it hard to decide on a passage to include in this post. I hope this one does Fatma justice. It describes an intimate moment between a loving father and a dutiful, adoring daughter. Not a moment restricted by formality or protocol, as perhaps expected between a former Sultan and an imperial princess at that time. Murad and his family were particularly close, and displays of love and affection were commonplace. The moment is particularly significant as Murad is never able to enjoy such simple pleasures again…

‘Meanwhile, Fatma had persuaded her father to leave the solitude of his rooms and accompany her in a gentle stroll around the fruit gardens. They walked side by side, their arms lovingly entwined ……. Murad reached up to an overhanging branch and picked a juicy, ripe peach from one of the trees. He gave it to his daughter, kissing her adoringly on the cheek as he did so, then smiled as she took a bite. He was pleased that he had agreed to the walk: he felt that the warmth of the sun combined with the warmth of his beloved daughter’s love had rejuvenated him a little.’

What Next??

You have now met Sultan Murad V, and his four children – Prince Selahaddin, and the Princesses Hadice, Fehime and Fatma. So, shall my next post introduce you to my main antagonist, Murad’s younger brother Sultan Abdülhamid II? Or would you prefer to meet Murad’s two grandsons and his five granddaughters, all of whom lived at Çırağan and have large parts to play in the story? Alternatively, would you like to learn about one of the main themes of the book? The choice is yours – I await your replies…

The Gilded Cage on the Bosphorus

The Ottomans : The Story of a Family

Happy New Year to you all. I wish you and your families a healthy, happy and fulfilled new year. In fact, a healthy, happy and fulfilled new decade! I apologise for not keeping up my fortnightly posts. However, my five children have been on holiday from university and from their schools for the last three and a half weeks. As any parent knows, it is hard to find any time to yourself when your children are home! When you have five, it is nearly impossible!

To keep my mind off missing them, now that they have returned to university and school, I thought I would continue with my introductions to the main characters of my book. So, today I would like to introduce Princess Fehime – Sultan Murad V‘s second daughter. I know one should never have favourites, but the more I learn about my great-aunt the more fond I become of her…

Childhood

Princess Fehime was the daughter of Sultan Murad V and his Fourth Consort, the Lady Meyliservet. She was born in the Crown Prince’s Residence at Dolmabahçe Palace on 2nd August 1875. Fehime was therefore only a baby when her father ascended the throne. She had just celebrated her first birthday a few weeks before Murad was deposed, yet was destined to spend the remainder of her childhood and her early adult life in enforced confinement at the Çırağan Palace. Of course she could not have had any memories of her first few years, but nevertheless I am certain that the anxiety and fear felt by her parents during these harrowing times affected her nature.

Sadly, there are no photographs of Fehime as a child, neither are there any childhood pictures of the other members of Murad’s family who were born in confinement. This is because Sultan Abdülhamid ordered that no one was permitted to enter the Çırağan Palace or communicate with anyone living inside. No photographers, no tutors, no visitors were allowed. The only exception to this were the Sultan’s own trusted doctors.

As I have mentioned in my previous post on Princess Hadice, Murad believed sincerely in the importance of education for his daughters. As a result, Fehime and her sisters received a comprehensive education directly from him. Fehime was an intelligent, curious student. She was also fun-loving and mischievous, while at the same time being sensitive and anxious – prone in her adolescence to fainting and bouts of melancholy.

The Butterfly Princess

Within the family Fehime was affectionately nicknamed ‘Kelebek Sultan’, meaning ‘Butterfly Princess’. This was because of her artistic nature and as she so often gaily fluttered about, seemingly concerning herself only with trivial matters. She dressed in the latest fashions from Paris, wore her hair in the most modern styles and had her own unique way of wearing her collection of jewellery. (Note the diamond brooch being worn as a hair piece in the photograph.) Fehime was not considered to be as beautiful as Hadice, but she was fashionable and extremely elegant. However, from the photographs that I have seen, I think that she was more beautiful than her sister.

Sometimes Fehime found the superficial estimate of her character a little frustrating. In reality, behind her frivolous exterior she was a passionately progressive and intensely patriotic woman. She was very interested in the politics of the day, and embraced the changes in society that were bringing women greater freedoms.

Love of Music

Fehime shared her father’s passion for music. They would spend hours together in the music room and in the salons at Çırağan working on perfecting different musical scores or practising duets. Fehime was a highly accomplished pianist as a result of her father’s patient tuition, and she composed many beautiful pieces of music herself. As for her father, music also became a means of escape for her from the monotony and boredom of her life.

Marriage

Fehime married Ali Galib Bey on 12th September 1901 – the same day Hadice married her first husband. Sultan Abdülhamid presented Fehime with a beautiful yalı, a mansion on the Bosphorus, as a wedding gift. It stood next to Hadice’s mansion and in accordance with Fehime’s exquisite taste, it was furnished in the most beautiful and modern style. White lacquer furniture was mixed with gilded pieces, luxurious carpets covered the inlaid wooden floors and soft, muted colours were used for the fabrics and in the decoration of the ceilings.

As already explained in my earlier post, it had not been easy finding suitable bridegrooms for Murad V’s daughters. Ali Galib was the son of clerk who worked in the Post and Telegraph Office at the Palace. He had ingratiated himself with Sultan Abdülhamid, and rose to the position of Pasha soon after his marriage. By 1906 he sat on the State Advisory Board – similar to the Privy Council in England. Ali Galib was intelligent, hard-working and respectful. He cared deeply for his wife, and treated her tenderly and with kindness and understanding. However, although Fehime did not dislike him as intensely as Hadice disliked her husband, she did not reciprocate his feelings and remained distant towards him throughout their marriage.

Fehime: As Portrayed in ‘The Gilded Cage on the Bosphorus’

Perhaps my favourite scenes in the book that involve Fehime are the ones in the final chapter. The acclaimed photographer, Jean Pascal Sébah, comes to Fehime’s mansion to take photographic portraits of her and Hadice. I imagine him taking the two photographs of Fehime that I have included in this post. However, just before the sisters go into the salon to sit for their portraits, Hadice has a change of heart. Fehime then has to convince her sister of the reasons why they should proceed with such a daring escapade.

She says, “I have a voice Hadice, and I need to use it. I see these portraits as being a way to express myself, to make a strong statement and to speak to those who İnşallah will come after us …. How wonderful would it be for them to see that we were not bound by the conventions and circumstances of our times and of our position, and that we were independent, free-thinking women who were brave enough to rebel against our restrictive and seemingly meaningless lives, even if only in small ways. We will be remembered Hadice. Remembered not simply as a name on our family tree, but remembered as we really were. Don’t you see, when they look into our eyes in these portraits our souls will be laid bare for our descendants to see. This is why we must do this.”

I just hope that I have given my great-aunt a voice. And I hope that through my narrative I have portrayed her, and the other members of my family, in a sensitive, yet realistic way that they would approve of… I certainly remember them all, and hope to encourage my children and others to do the same…

The Gilded Cage on the Bosphorus

The Ottomans : The Story of a Family

Today I am going to introduce Princess Hadice – the eldest of Sultan Murad‘s daughters.

Childhood

Princess Hadice was the daughter of Sultan Murad V and his Third Consort, the Lady Şayan. She was born in secret on 5th April 1870 in her father’s mansion, the Muradiye Köşkü in Kurbağalıdere, when Murad was Crown Prince. Her very existence was kept a secret for the first few years of her life. It had been decreed that Imperial Princes were only permitted one son. Since Murad already had a son when the Lady Şayan fell pregnant, Sultan Abdülaziz ordered that the pregnancy be terminated. Murad, however, pleaded with the doctor appointed to carry out the abortion to disregard the Sultan’s order. Shortly after Hadice’s birth, this precautionary yet outdated practice was discontinued.

Hadice was only six years old when her father ascended the Ottoman throne. The pretty little princess moved into Dolmabahçe Palace with her elder brother Selahaddin, her baby sister and the rest of her father’s household. Sadly she barely had time to learn her way around the labyrinth of corridors and rooms of the palace harem, before Murad was deposed just three months later. She was then taken to the Çırağan Palace with her family, where she spent the rest of her childhood. In fact, she was held in confinement for about twenty-two years in this gilded cage, before her uncle, Sultan Abdülhamid, at last granted her permission to leave.

The Romantic Princess

Hadice was vivacious, she was captivating, she was confident. She was a modern woman, with modern tastes and liberal ideas. Hadice always dressed elegantly and in the most fashionable styles. She was regarded as one of the most beautiful of the Ottoman Imperial princesses of the day, and had a unique charm.

Hadice was not simply considered a great beauty, but she was also very well educated, as were all her siblings. Murad placed great importance on education, and personally saw to it that his daughters received a similar level of education to his son. She particularly enjoyed French literature and was often found devouring a French novel borrowed from one of the shelves in her father’s famous library.

In my book, Murad’s First Consort describes Hadice thus: “She has filled her dreamy head with so many French novels that it has affected her vision of the world, and she has come to believe that life is one long, exhilarating adventure. She is in love with the idea of love.” I think this is an apt description of this romantic princess who, all her life, yearned to be loved.

In Search of a Husband

In the late 1890s, Sultan Abdülhamid agreed to Hadice’s request to marry. He allowed her and her younger sister to leave the Çırağan Palace and move to Yıldız Palace in order to find husbands for them both. But he imposed one very harsh condition. They would never be allowed to return to Çırağan. This meant that they would never again be permitted to see their father. The sisters reluctantly agreed after their father encouraged them to leave in order to seek out their own happiness. Neither princess believed Sultan Abdülhamid would actually enforce his condition so strictly, but he did. Even when Murad was on his death bed the sisters were forbidden from visiting their father. They would live to regret their decision.

It soon became clear that it was impossible to find eligible bridegrooms who were prepared to marry either one of the Muradiye princesses. Dashing officers and ambitious young men did not want to align themselves with the daughters of the deposed former Sultan for fear of alienating Sultan Abdülhamid. They did not want to jeopardise their chances of rising through the ranks of the military or the diplomatic corps. As a result, the Sultan chose unsuitable and unworthy men for both his nieces. And neither would be happy…

Marriage

Hadice married Ali Vasıf Pasha on 12th September 1901. He was a palace scribe, the son of a lowly table servant. She moved into her new home with her husband – a beautiful yalı, a mansion on the Bosphorus, – that was the generous wedding gift from the Sultan. All Hadice had ever dreamed of was finding true love and getting married, but instead she went from one melancholy prison to another. In the book, she describes Vasıf Pasha as “bigoted, parochial, narrow-minded and vulgar, and is in addition neither kind nor respectful.“

Scandalously in Love

And then, it happened. What Hadice had been waiting for all her life. She fell in love!

Perhaps I should share with you how it happened. Or maybe I should tell you when it happened. I could even explain what the tragic and far-reaching consequences were. But I do not want to spoil the story for you, just incase I do decide to publish my story! So, instead, all I will tell you is that Princess Hadice fell in love with a charming, handsome young army officer named Kemaleddin Pasha.

Hadice: As Portrayed in ‘The Gilded Cage on the Bosphorus’

When we first meet Princess Hadice in ‘The Gilded Cage on the Bosphorus’, she is sitting alone in the salon of her yalı. She holds a small book entitled ‘Echo’, the most recent selection of poems written by her friend, Nigar Hanım. Hadice relates all too easily to the sentiment of these heartfelt poems, and finds great comfort and much encouragement in them. She admires how this inspirational poet had the strength to divorce her husband and escape her own unhappy marriage, and she wonders if she could ever find the courage to do the same.

We watch the story of Hadice and Kemaleddin unfold, but aside from that we learn much about Hadice’s character. She is fiery and passionate, impetuous and bold. She is rebellious, daring and ebullient. Yet she is also sensitive, emotional, and has a desperate need for intimacy and love. Some readers will resonate with the conflict raging in Hadice’s conscience, while others will have little sympathy for her. I find myself admiring a woman who was most certainly ahead of her times, but I do feel sad that sorrow, loneliness and emptiness always seemed to haunt my great aunt…