Mihrumah Sultan

Winter ends giving way to Spring, heralding a new beginning, celebrating Life. There are no more yellow leaves on the trees in the gardens, no more turbulent winds. Mihrimah Sultana, Hürrem Sultana’s beloved only daughter is growing up in Süleyman the Magnificent’s harem into an amber-haired beauty. She is now seventeen and a favourite of the palace, a ray of sunshine in the harem.

She peruses the horizon dreamily from a tourquoise-tiled window, she envisions herself as yet another of the waves splashing purposefully on the shore. She is a talented poet with a silver tongue and a mellifluous song always on her rosy lips. She has been properly educated by her mother, Hürrem. She is a true princess of the royal blood.

She grows impatient to hear news from Diyarbakir... Hürrem Sultana had decided to give her dear daughter’s hand to the Governor of Diyarbakir Rustem Pasha. But there is terrible gossip poisoning the air: “Rustem Pasha is a leper!”, say the evil tongues. The highest authorities are consulted and their message is clear: “He cannot be a leper if there is even one louse on his person!”

Expert physicians are sent to examine the Pasha. Their careful research comes to a joyful conclusion: “Rustem Pasha is not a leper, because, the physicians who attended to him have found a louse on his shirt!” It is the year 1539. “Prosperity to Rustem Pasha and happiness to Mihrimah Sultana!”

In gratitude for her good fortune, Mihrimah gives an order to Sinan, the famous architect to construct two mosques. one on each continent, saluting each other from across the Bosphorus. An elegant architectural marvel in Üsküdar on the Asian side, and a mighty temple in Edirnekapı on the European shore.