The Harem Conspiracy That Toppled a Sultan: Turhan and Kösem

In the mid-17th century, the Ottoman Empire was rocked by a ferocious power struggle between two Valide Sultans: Turhan Sultan and Kösem Sultan. This episode unpacks the assassination of Kösem Sultan in 1651, orchestrated by her own supporters, and Turhan's subsequent rise as the most powerful woman in the empire. We explore the political factions that controlled the harem, the role of the Janissaries and the kızlar ağası, and how Turhan outmaneuvered her rivals to become regent for her young son Mehmed IV. The conversation also covers the construction of the Yeni Mosque in Eminönü, funded by Turhan, as a symbol of her legitimacy and piety. Along the way, we meet key figures like the grand vizier Köprülü Mehmed Pasha and the rebellious Black Sea pirate Ceneviz, revealing a world of intrigue where the harem was not just a domestic space but a command center for imperial politics. This episode sheds light on a violent transition of power that shaped Ottoman governance for decades, and raises questions about women's agency in a patriarchal empire. #OttomanEmpire #HaremPolitics #TurhanSultan #KosemSultan #ValideSultan #MehmedIV #Janissaries #KizlarAgasi #YeniMosque #Eminonu #KopruluMehmedPasha #Ceneviz #SultanateOfWomen #17thCentury #TopkapiPalace #OttomanHistory #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo