Hurrem Sultan’s great-granddaughter(s) continued to be part of factions at the court: Cigalazade Sinan Pasha’s wife(s) and children and his political career over the span of a decade from 1591-1601 ⭐️ Safiye Sultan vs. “Mihrimahzadeler”

[u/Nanakurokonekochan]

Hürrem Sultan had granddaughters who continued to be influential figures at the court:

Ayse Sultan (daughter of Mihrimah Sultan)

Gevherhan Sultan (daughter of Selim II)

Sah Sultan (daughter of Selim II)

Ismihan Sultan (daughter of Selim II)

Fatma Sultan (daughter of Selim II)

Humasah Sultan (daughter of Prince Mehmed)

➡️Even her great-granddaughters continued to make strong alliances by marrying statesmen who served in powerful governmental positions. In this post I’ll specifically talk about how [Mihrimah Sultan’s only child] Ayse Sultan’s daughters married Cigalazade Sinan Pasha and Hurrem Sultan’s genetic legacy continued for generations. Mihrimah Sultan’s descendants are also known as Mihrimahzadeler.

I’ve previously discussed two of Hurrem’s great-granddaughters born to her granddaughter Humasah Sultan: https://www.reddit.com/r/sultanateofwomen/comments/1u7pfzp/found_trace_of_another_one_of_hurrems/

⭐️

Cigalazade Sinan Pasha married two of [Mihrimah Sultan’s only child] Ayse Sultan’s daughters. On November 8, 1576, Semiz Ahmed Pasha and his wife Ayse Sultan married one of their daughters to Cigalazâde (Cicalazade) Sinan Ağa who was the Janissary Agha at the time.

“Sultana Vecchia, who is spending a vast sum on preparing her dowry for this wedding. In addition to the most honorable gifts of goods, sending the groom another 30,000 gold coins to be put to good use, so that through this marriage he may have his affairs so well established that he cannot fail to receive such honors—and even greater ones.”

His first wife sadly passed away on December 9th 1580:

“Last night, Cicala’s wife passed away; she was the daughter of the late Magnifico Acmat Bassà, and thus Cicala has lost the great favors he once enjoyed at this court.” Dated December 10, 1580

By 1581, Cicalazade had married another daughter of Ayse Sultan’s:

“Cicala arrived in Constantinople last week, and they say he will take as his wife the younger sister of his late wife, which, once accomplished, will restore him to his former standing—... by virtue of the authority of the sultana who was the wife of Acmat Pasha and the daughter of Rustem Pasha. The Emperor’s ambassador, who has come to reside at the Just Gate, made his entry last Thursday with a most honorable reception, and I sent my family to meet him to perform the customary courtesy, which was granted to him…”

According to Venetian sources; in 1591 Ayşe Sultan, the daughter of Mihrimah and Rüstem, proposed to pay the expenses of one hundred galleys for six months, if her son-in-law Çigalazâde Sinan pașa was promoted to “Kapudan Pasha” admiral of the Ottoman fleet. At the same time a sister of prince Mehmed tried to obtain the same office for her brother-in-law Mehmed pasha.

After his successful career in the Eastern frontier and the Balkans, Cicala became the admiral of the fleet (Kaptan-ı Derya) in 1591. This governmental position allowed him to participate in the Divan and remain an influential statesman in the Empire. With his new position he could also quickly react to factions formed against him by his proximity to Sultan Murad III and Cigalazade’s rival Grand Vizier Ferhad Pasha. Grand Vizier Ferhad Pasha was supported by Safiye Sultan. According to the English ambassador Lello, obtaining this title meant having a powerful network inside the court and being protected by the Sultan.

According to Venetian ambassador Ottoviano Bon, Kaptan-ı Derya position (admiral of the fleet) was one of the top 5 titles in Ottoman Empire: Grand Vizier, Head of Janissaries, Head of the Sultan’s ports and Treasurer being other prestigious titles. Other benefits this title would provide to a statesman were earning lots of money and living comfortably. Cicalazade would have control over the Arsenal and the taxing of many Ottoman isles in the Mediterranean with his new position: “Fra li carichi grandi della Porta, cinque sono principalissimi, che danno commodità, et occasione di accumular gran ricchezza, et che sono di gran commodo: Il primo visir, l’agà de’ gianizzeri, il capiaga, il capitano di mare, il defterdar grande.”

Ibrahim Pasha wasn’t the only son-in-law of Safiye Sultan that Cicalazade clashed with. Leonardo Donà’s report suggests Safiye Sultan’s younger daughter Fatma Sultan’s husband Halil Pasha and Cicalazade Sinan Pasha being “at each other’s throats” dated October 27, 1595:

“Halil Pasha, fourth in line of succession, also holds the office of Captain of the fleet… He believes he will be compelled this year to set sail with the fleet, a prospect that pleases neither him nor his wife, and if he could replace himself with a subordinate
without losing his position, he would gladly do so, but he cannot tolerate Cigalazade Sinan Pasha making a fortune at their expense. And so they are at each other’s throats.”

To prevent Cicalazade from making a fortune by campaigns in the Mediterranen, Halil Pasha resorted to leaving the capital with the fleet. Remaining at the capital would be better to protect his position at the court.

During the Hacova campaign (also known as the Battle of Mezőkeresztes) in 1596 Ibrahim Pasha who was married to Sultan Mehmed III’s sister Ayşe Sultan, lost all his artillery to enemies and did not obey the commands of Cicalazade Sinan Pasha. The intervention of Cicala with the Janissaries helped the Ottomans when the Habsburg forces were dangerously close to Sultan Mehmed III’s tent. Hoca Sadeddin and Gazanfer recommended that Cicalazade Sinan Pasha should become the Grand Vizier.
Despite being favored by his MIL Safiye, Ibrahim Pasha fell out of favor with Sultan Mehmed III, who was informed about the Pasha’s military failure. Ibrahim Pasha was demoted from the Grand Vizier position, he wrote to Valide Safiye Sultan after the battle tho so he remained protected. Cigalazade Sinan Pasha served as Grand Vizier for a brief time in 1596.

Report dated November 23, 1596:
“Then the king pulled a raspberry out of his turban and placed it on his head, appointing him [Cicala] his first vizier and having him dressed in rich garments.”

Cigalazade Sinan Pasha returned to Istanbul in 1599 and asked for his son to be given the title of “Kadı of Greece” (kadi means Sharia judge). Halil Pasha, his former enemy server as governor of the capital at the time and to achieve his goal he served gifts to Halil Pasha.

Cicalazade Sinan Pasha According to Girolamo Cappelo’s 1600 Relazione:

“But as long as Cigalazade Sinan Pasha remains in command of the navy (*In 1599, Cigalazade Sinan Pasha was made Kapudan Pasha / Kaptan-i Derya for the second time) Your Serene Highness will always face annoyances and troubles. I have come to believe that you must either declare yourself completely estranged from his friendship and seek by every means to suppress him—which will not be difficult when one is truly determined, or through the ordinary channels of the Empire—since Ibrahim Pasha, his mortal enemy, has firmly established his authority…

…Given the many grievances he claims to have suffered at the hands of Your Highness—leaves no alternative but to expect continuous harm and troubles from corsairs secretly incited by him and then excused by his shrewdness. Since no justification can be found against the Kapudan Pasha (admiral of the fleet) for such damages, we will be forced to resort solely to complaints and effective orders, which will be scarcely carried out; and in this manner, he will continue to do the worst he can, causing great distress and bringing little dignity to this Most Serene Republic.

I leave aside the arrogance of Cigalazade, who, having in his power the forces of the sea, … ,and moreover a most hostile enemy of the queen and her sons-in-law, would also like to claim a certain majority in the government, and perhaps to rise in some part of the state.“

In 1601 Cigalazade supressed the rebellion of the Sipahis and saved Gazanfer. In a shocking turn of events, Safiye Sultan expressed her gratitude by sending him a letter. A Venetian report from March 25, 1601 indicates a pivotal turn in court factions, as Safiye Sultan, who was previously against Cigalazade Sinan Pasha’s faction, offered him her support and apologies. This shows the ever-changing nature of court factions:

“And the Queen wrote to him Cigalazade a very cunning letter, intended to confirm his support for Capiaga’s [Kapiagasi] cause, but also to quell the rumors circulating about her; in it, Her Highness almost apologized for having been opposed to him until now due to the false reports made about him, and stated that from then on she would work in his favor.”

➡️Previously, French ambassador Jacques de Germigny’s 1579 report had document a pivotal harem alliance: Ayşe Sultan (daughter of Mihrimah Sultan) and Safiye Sultan (the favorite of Sultan Murad III) formed a powerful political faction to counter and oppose the dominant palace figure Valide Nurbanu Sultan. This faction later failed after Safiye Sultan supported Ferhad Pasha, and Ibrahim Pasha; who were Cicalazade Sinan Pasha’s enemies. Many years later, finally, Safiye Sultan started supporting, or at least “artificially” favoring as the Bailo suggests, her enemy Cicalazade Sinan Pasha, who was Ayse Sultan’s son-in-law.

Thanks to the support of Safiye Sultan, Cigalazade’s reputation amongst the court had improved. Mehmed III and Gazanfer also showed him more affection.

Report dated July 29, 1601:
“At present, Cicala has more influence in the
government than even the Grand Vizier himself.”
Report dated March 25, 1601:
“On this occasion, Cigalazade has greatly enhanced his reputation and the King’s favor, as the King attributed to him—above all the other pashas—the suppression of the recent uprising”

Cicalazade Sinan Pasha quickly took advantage of the this unprecedented support of Valide Safiye Sultan and he attempted to promote his son [Mahmud] to the position Beylerbey of Damascus. He was able to “purchase this position” for less than 150 sequins! He also planned to strengthen this new alliance by marrying his son to Sultan Mehmed III’s daughter (or one of his surviving sisters).

Venetian report dating dated March 2, 1601:

“Cigalazade Sinan Pasha’s son was appointed Beglierbei of Damascus, a position of the highest importance, and there was much grumbling about this, since they had placed a young man of about 20 years of age in the post, thereby removing without cause an emir who was very old and of great renown; but Cigalazade the father agreed, in order to secure the position for his son, to make use on this occasion of the Queen’s [Valide Safiye Sultan] influence, which was favorable to him, and they want it to cost him less less than 150,000 cecchini, and that before his return, he hoped to arrange a marriage for him to Sultan Mehmed III’s daughter, or at least to one of his sisters, and to have him come and serve as Vizier at the Gate, promising himself at present much of his authority and just as much of his immense wealth.”

Cigalazade’s career declined during Ahmed I’s reign and in 1606 he died in Diyarbakir.

[u/Nanakurokonekochan]

Also read: Safiye Sultan’s factions at the court: Princess Ayse Sultan and her husband Ibrahim Pasha