Carte-de-visite of Elaru Mevhibe Kadin.

Albumen carte-de-visite, measuring 98 by 59mm. A few tiny dark stains to the photograph, appears to be mounted on later card, modern pencil caption to verso. N.p., n.d., but [Istanbul, 

A scarce carte-de-visite of Elaru Mevhibe Kadin (1835-1936), the First Consort (BasKadin) of Sultan Murad V.

Mevhibe was born in Tbilisi, Georgia and presented to the Ottoman court when still a girl. She grew up among the family of Sultan Abdulmejid I, and at the age of twenty-two married his son Murad, then seventeen. Murad later became Sultan in 1876, but only for a short while, as his poor mental health led to his deposition and imprisonment in the Ciragan Palace. 

Thus Mevhibe was imprisoned with him and held the position of BasKadin for the shortest term in Ottoman history, just ninety-three days. Despite this loss she remained well-regarded in the court and took responsibility for her and Murad's contact with the outside world. Alongside many remarkable personal qualities, she showed unyielding loyalty to her husband, and is even said to have sewn him items of clothing.

After Murad's passing in 1904 she lived a quiet life, primarily in Sisli, from which she watched the passing of the Empire from her garden. Even when the last members of the ruling family were exiled she, being a childless consort, was allowed to stay in Istanbul, living to a hundred and becoming the longest-lived member of the Ottoman dynasty.

 

Stock Code: 252850