Üsküdar’daki vâlide sultan külliyeleri

Abstract

With a few exceptions, Valide Sultans (Mother Sultans), head of Harem-i Hu- mayun in the Ottoman palace, did not get involved in politics abiding the old tradition of the state, did not become slave to their desires by giving way to their carnal ambitions and set an example to their successors by acting in a way appropriate to a Sultan mother. They considered that serving humanity in the direction of Allah and Allah’s beloved Prophet (peace be upon Him) should be the goal of their lives. These kind and public spirited Sultans competed with their husbands and sons to help build lots of mosques, prayer rooms, madrasas, primary schools, special profession schools, public fountains, hospitals, poorhouses, guesthouses, and the like. They aimed at achieving social cooperation and solidarity bearing in mind the Islamic principle that one should help the helpless. Such that, four Sultans who ruled du ring the 19th Century established 27 foundations while 5 Sultan wives established 45 foundations in the same period. Three Valide Sultans had three mosques established in Üsküdar, a historical province of Istanbul. Nurbânu Valide Sultan, also the founder of the Selimiye Mosque in Edirne, had “Atik Valide Complex” built in Toptası, Üsküdar. Kösem Sultan, wife of Sultan Ahmed I, had the “Çinili Complex” built in Üsküdar’s Çinili district. Gülnûs Valide Sultan, wife of Sultan Mehmet IV, had the “Yeni Valide Mosque Complex” constructed.