Rabia Sultan

Since, Muazzez Sultan, the mother of Sultan Ahmed had died in 1687[2] before his accession to the throne in 1691, Rabia assumed the position of the highest ranking female member of the royal family[3] with the title of "Senior Consort".[4]

On 6 October 1692, she gave birth to twin sons, Şehzade Ibrahim and Şehzade Selim in the Edirne Palace.[5][6] Following their birth, Ahmed presented her the mansion of Bayburtlu Kara Ibrahim Pasha located in Kuzguncuk.[1] Şehzade Selim died in May 1693.[7]

On 11 November 1692, she was given the title of "Haseki Sultan".[8] Kara Mustafa Pasha, who had been executed in 1683, had left a large amount of assets which had been enlisted in the imperial treasury. In December 1692, diamond froggings from these assets ended up on Rabia's fur coat. She also received a diamond crown from the same assets.[9]

In January 1694, Rabia attended the wedding of Ümmi Sultan, daughter of Mehmed IV, and Silahdar Çerkes Osman Pasha.[10] On 23 October 1694, she gave birth to her third child and only daughter, Asiye Sultan.[11] Following her birth, Ahmed granted her lands in Aleppo.[11][12]

Gevherhan Sultan, daughter of Sultan Ibrahim, and Rabia's sister-in-law, is understood to have been in great debt, as is demonstrated by Topkapı Palace archives dating 28 November 1694, a substantial amount of which was owed to Rabia.[13]

Some of the debts mentioned were covered by the allocation of Gevherhan’s grants from her hass, that is revenue-producing estates to Asiye Sultan, the infant daughter of Ahmed and Rabia,[14][15] as shown in archives dating 1 December 1694.[13]

Rabia was widowed following Ahmed's death in February 1695. On 7 March, her son Şehzade Ibrahim, was put in the care of Valide Sultan Gülnuş Sultan, whereas she and her daughter Asiye were sent to the Old Palace in Istanbul,[16] where Asiye died in December 1695.[11][17]

Rabia Sultan died on 14 January 1712 in the Old Palace, and was buried beside her husband in the mausoleum of Suleiman the Magnificent, Süleymaniye Mosque, Istanbul.[11][18][19]

Her son, Şehzade Ibrahim, who became heir apparent in 1703, after Sultan Ahmed III's accession to the throne, outlived her by two years, dying in 1714.[20]

Together with Ahmed, Rabia had three children:

• Şehzade Ibrahim (Edirne Palace, Edirne, 6 October 1692 – Topkapı Palace, Istanbul, 4 May 1714, buried in Mustafa I Mausoleum, Hagia Sophia), twin with Selim, became Crown Prince on 22 August 1703;
• Şehzade Selim (Edirne Palace, Edirne, 6 October 1692 – Edirne Palace, Edirne, 15 May 1693, buried in Sultan Mustafa Mausoleum, Hagia Sophia), twin with Ibrahim;
• Asiye Sultan (Edirne Palace, Edirne, 23 October 1694 – Eski Palace, Bayezid, Istanbul, 9 December 1695, buried in Suleiman I Mausoleum, Süleymaniye Mosque);[11]

• Ottoman Imperial Harem
• List of consorts of the Ottoman sultans

• Uluçay, Mustafa Çağatay (2011). Padişahların kadınları ve kızları. Ankara, Ötüken.
• Sakaoğlu, Necdet (2008). Bu mülkün kadın sultanları: Vâlide sultanlar, hâtunlar, hasekiler, kadınefendiler, sultanefendiler. Oğlak Yayıncılık. ISBN 978-9-753-29623-6.
• Silahdar Findiklili Mehmed Agha (2012). ZEYL-İ FEZLEKE (1065-22 Ca.1106 / 1654-7 Şubat 1695).
• Silahdar Findiklili Mehmed Agha (2001). Nusretnâme: Tahlil ve Metin (1106-1133/1695-1721).
• Osmanlıoğlu, Sekan (2018). "Kuzguncuk Asiye Sultan ve Haseki Rabia Sultan Yalıları". Uluslarasi Üsküdar Sempozyumu, no. X.