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.