Dürrünev Kadınefendi

Dürrünev Kadınefendi
Baş Kadın of the Ottoman Empire
Tenure	25 June 1861 - 30 May 1876
Predecessor	Servetsezâ Kadınefendi
Successor	Eleru Kadınefendi
Born	Melek Dziapş-İpa 15 March 1835 Batumi, Georgia, Russian Empire
Died	4 December 1895 Feriye Palace, Istanbul, Ottoman Empire
Burial	near the mausoleum of Sultan Mahmud II, located at Divan Yolu street
Spouse	Abdülaziz
Issue	Şehzade Yusuf Izzettin Efendi Saliha Sultan
House	House of Dziapş-İpa (by birth) House of Osman (by marriage)
Father	Mahmud Dziapş-lpa
Mother	Halime Çikotua
Religion	Sunni Islam

Dürrünev Kadınefendi (15 March 1835 – 4 December 1895, born Princess Melek Dziapş-İpa) was the Kadınefendi (imperial lady consort) of the Ottoman Empire as the first wife and chief consort of Sultan Abdülaziz.

Early life

Dürrünev Kadınefendi was born on 15 March 1835 in Batumi, Georgia and was a member of the Abkhazian family, Dziapş-lpa. Born as Melek Dziapş-lpa, she was the eldest daughter of Prince Mahmud Bey Dziapş-lpa and his Abkhazian wife Princess Halime Hanım Çikotua.^[1] She had two sisters, Ayşe Kemalifer Hanım [wife of Ömer Bey Açba, and mother of Esma Cavidan Hanımefendi, wife of Dürrünev's son Şehzade Yusuf Izzettin Efendi] and Aliye Hanım. She was also the maternal aunt of Nazperver Kadınefendi [fourth wife of Sultan Mehmed V] through her sister Aliye. She had long blonde hair and hazel eyes.

At the age of three Melek and her younger sister, Ayşe were taken to Istanbul, where they were delivered at the court of the Ottoman Sultan, Abdülmecid I. Servetsezâ Kadınefendi, second wife of Sultan Abdülmecid I, took Melek and Ayşe in her care, as she did not had children of her own. According to the palace tradition, Melek and Ayşe were renamed Dürrünev and Kemalifer and were given thoroughly Turkish, Muslim and French education in the harem department of the Topkapı Palace, according to the custom of the time. Receiving her education in the palace, Dürrünev, was brought into contact with the art, and because of this she also began to paint and draw at relatively young age.

Marriage and issue

Dürrünev grew into a young lady in the Topkapı Palace, and when she entered her twentieth year she was noticed by Şehzade Abdülaziz Efendi, upon his visit to the Dolmabahçe Palace. Abdülaziz proposed Dürrünev, and she consented to the will of their parents in the marriage proposal of the Sultan. Abdülaziz also asked Servetsezâ Kadınefendi to give her hand in marriage to him. Firstly she refused to give Dürrünev's hand in marriage to Abdülaziz but finally Servetsezâ was consented, and the marriage of Dürrünev to Abdülaziz took place on 20 May 1856 at the Dolmabahçe Palace, Istanbul.^[2]

Dürrünev gave birth to two children: Şehzade Yusuf Izzettin Efendi in 1857 and Saliha Sultan in 1862.^[3] Abdülaziz was deposed by his ministers on 30 May 1876, and died a few days later, while his whole entourage was imprisoned in the Feriye Palace. Abdülaziz's nephew Murad V became the Sultan, and his family was liberated from imprisonment, but continued to live in Feriye Palace.

Death

Dürrünev Kadınefendi died on 4 December 1892 at the Feriye Palace, and was buried near the mausoleum of Sultan Mahmud II, located at Divan Yolu street, Istanbul.^[4]

Titles and styles

25 June 1861 - 30 May 1876: Devletlu İsmetlu Dürrünev Başkadınefendi Hazretleri (Her Highness The First Imperial Lady Consort Dürrünev)

References

1. Günay Günaydın (2006). Haremin son gülleri. Mevsimsiz Yayınları. ISBN 978-9-944-98703-5.
2. Bir Çerkes prensesinin harem hatıraları. L & M. 2004. ISBN 978-9-756-49131-7.
3. "Genealogy of the Ottoman Royal Family".
4. Christopher Buyers. "The Royal Ark – Royal and Ruling Houses of Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas". 4dw.net.

Succession