Tirimüjgan Kadın

Tirimüjgan Kadın was born in Yerevan , Armenia , with a maiden name of Virjinia. She was of slave origin. She was brought to Istanbul as a very young child and was appointed as a Kalfa before being noticed by Abdulmecid who married her in 1839. Here her name according to the custom of the Ottoman court was changed to Tirimüjgan.[2]

In her memoirs, her granddaughter Ayşe Sultan, depicts Tirimüjgan as having "green eyes and long, dark blond hair, pale skin of translucent white colour, thin waist, slender body structure, and very good-looking hands and feet."[3]

Tirimüjgan married Abdulmejid in 1839. She was given the title of "Second Consort".[1] She was known for her refinement, her politeness, and her beauty.[3] Charles White, who visited Istanbul in 1843, said following about her:

The second,...has the reputation of great beauty and accomplishments, and of writing tolerable poetry.[4]

Tirimüjgan gave birth to two princes and one princess. Her first child was Naime Sultan, who died of smallpox at the age of two and a half in March 1843. Abdul Hamid was her second child, while her third was Şehzade Mehmed Abid, who died in May 1848 around the age of one month. Abdul Hamid named one of his daughters, Naime Sultan and one of his sons, Şehzade Mehmed Abid after these siblings of his.[5]

Having lost a daughter, Tirimüjgan devoted herself to her son, Abdul Hamid, and during her illness, she did everything she could to ensure his happiness. He would go every day to Beylerbeyi Palace to see her, then return to Dolmabahçe Palace.[5]

Nergisnihal Hanım was one of the closest servants of Tirimüjgan. She had appointed her to the service of her infant daughter Naime, and after Naime's death to the service of Abdul Hamid.[6] Before Tirimüjgan died she imparted to Nergisnihal "I entrust my son to you, Do not abandon him, so long as you live, sleep outside of his roomc. After her death, she did the same as Tirimüjgan bequeathed her, and never left Abdul Hamid. She died in 1892.[6]

Tirimüjgan died on 3 October 1852 in the Feriye Palace, and was buried in the mausoleum of new ladies in New Mosque, Istanbul.[7] Among all her fellow consorts, she felt the closest to Perestu Kadın and always held her in high regard. After her death, Abdul Hamid was adopted by Perestu, who had also been the adoptive mother of Cemile Sultan.[8] In 1887, Abdul Hamid constructed a mosque in Rhodes in her memory.[9]

• Kadın (title)
• List of consorts of the Ottoman Sultans
• List of mothers of the Ottoman sultans
• Ottoman Imperial Harem

• Uluçay, M. Çağatay (2011). Padişahların kadınları ve kızları. Ötüken. ISBN 978-9-754-37840-5.
• Açba, Harun (2007). Kadın efendiler: 1839-1924. Profil. ISBN 978-9-759-96109-1.
• Sakaoğlu, Necdet (2008). Bu Mülkün Kadın Sultanları: Vâlide Sultanlar, Hâtunlar, Hasekiler, Kandınefendiler, Sultanefendiler. Oğlak Yayıncılık. ISBN 978-6-051-71079-2.
• Brookes, Douglas Scott (2010). The Concubine, the Princess, and the Teacher: Voices from the Ottoman Harem. University of Texas Press. ISBN 978-0-292-78335-5.
• Paşa, Ahmed Cevdet (1960). Tezâkir. [2]. 13 - 20, Volume 2. Türk Tarih Kurumu Basımevi.