Şehzade Mehmed Seyfeddin

Şehzade Mehmed Seyfeddin was born on 21 September 1874 in the Dolmabahçe Palace. [1][2][3] He was the son of Sultan Abdulaziz and Gevheri Kadın ,[4] the daughter of Salih Svanba and Şaziye Tsamba.[5] She was the youngest son of his father and the second child of his mother. He was the younger full brother of Esma Sultan.[6]

Abdulaziz was deposed on 30 May 1876 and was succeeded by his nephew Murad V. However Abdulaziz's entourage didn't wanted to leave the Dolmabahçe Palace. He was transferred to Feriye Palace the next day. On 4 June 1876,[7] Abdulaziz died under mysterious circumstances.[8]

He started his education at Ilhamur Mansion, in 1879, along with his sister Esma Sultan and brother Şehzade Mehmed Şevket and cousins Şehzade Mehmed Selim and Zekiye Sultan. [9] He spent his childhood and early youth in Feriye Palace along with his sister and mother. He took art and painting lessons at a young age, he was known was the greatest composer. [10] His music teachers were Tanbûrî Cemil Bey and Santûrî Edhem Efendi. Besides music he was known for his paintings, poetry and revelation. [10] He spend his summers in Saudiye Mansion and winters in Feriye Palace.

He firstly married Neşefelek Hanım on 4 December 1899 in the Ortaköy Palace. She was born on 5 January 1880. She was the mother of Mehmed Abdulaziz born on 26 September 1901. She died in 1930 in Nice, France. [11]

He secondly married Nervaliter Hanım on 23 February 1902 in the Ortaköy Palace, she was born on 27 March 1885 in Poti, Georgia. They settled in Camlıça Palace. She was the mother of Şehzade Mahmud Şevket born on 30 July 1903. Mahmud Şevket married Adile Hanımsultan on 4 May 1922, who was the daughter of Naime Sultan and Mehmed Kemaleddin Pasha, she was the daughter of Abdul Hamid II. She was mother of twins Şehzade Ahmed Tevhid and Gevheri Sultan born on 30 November 1904. She died in 1935 in Nice, France. [11]

Şehzade Mehmed Seyfeddin was known as great composer after Selim III. He was a great composer. He used to play piano, fiddle, drums and composed them with a good tune. His sons Mehmed Abdulaziz, Şehzade Mahmud Şevket and Şehzade Ahmed Tevhid were master drummers.

His daughter Fatma Gevheri Sultan was a master violinist and drummer with many compositions. He taught his daughter how to compose music from different instruments Among these were the oud (a lyre), the tanbur (a guitar-like instrument), and the lavta (an ancient lute). She played the tanbur, kemençe, ud, lavta and piano.[12] She composed vocal and instrumental pieces in various makams. He composed classical religious and non-religious songs. [10]

His father Abdulaziz and his elder half-brother Abdulmejid II were professional artists. His another elder-half brother Şehzade Mehmed Şevket was accomplished a pianist. Şehzade Mehmed Seyfeddin considered one of the most leading musicians during his youth. He also dealt with painting and sculpture, but he was a master in field music. [1]

At the exile of the imperial family in March 1924, Mehmed Seyfeddin and his family moved to Cimiez, Nice, France. They bought a villa near the Villa Carabacel which belonged to his cousin Seniha Sultan. [13]

Şehzade Mehmed Seyfeddin died on 19 October 1927 and was buried in Sultan Selim Mosque, Damascus, Syria. [11][10]

Şehzade Mehmed Seyfeddin had four children:

• Mehmed Abdulaziz (Çırağan Palace, 26 September 1901 - Nice, France, 19 January 1977, buried there), married with issue; with Neşefelek.
• Şehzade Mahmud Şevket (Çamlıca Palace, 30 July 1903 - Bagnols-sur-Cèze, Gard, France, 1 February 1973 , buried there), married Adile Hanımsultan in 1922, the marriage was annulled in 1928, with issue; with Nervaliter.
• Şehzade Ahmed Tevhid (Çamlıca Palace, 30 November 1904 - Beirut, Lebanon, 24 April 1966) unmarried without issue; with Nervaliter.
• Gevheri Sultan (Çamlıca Palace, 30 November 1904 - Taksim Square, Istanbul, 10 December 1980, buried in Mahmud II Mausoleum, Divanyolu), married without issue; with Nervaliter.

• Uluçay, Mustafa Çağatay (2011). Padişahların kadınları ve kızları. Ankara, Ötüken.
• Brookes, Douglas Scott (2010). The Concubine, the Princess, and the Teacher: Voices from the Ottoman Harem. University of Texas Press. ISBN 978-0-292-78335-5.
• Bardakçı, Murat (2017). Neslishah: The Last Ottoman Princess. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-9-774-16837-6.