İsmihan Hatun, the Lady in Rose
When İsmihan Hatun bt. İlyas died in late 1597, she left behind a husband, the soldier Mahmud Bey, a sister, Hatice bt. İlyas, and an enormous fortune. Her estate was valued at 69,498 akçe, and her inventory is a multi-page list of luxuries large and small. 21,301 akçe alone went into her wardrobe.
There’s one oddity in her estate inventory: The absence of kirmizi, the usual word for red. Red was the color most beloved of Ottoman Turks, so why would a lady wealthy enough to buy anything she liked own nothing red? At the same time, the inventory is full of references to the unusual color gülgûnî, “rose-colored.” The likely answer is that the scribe used “rose-colored” as an elegant euphemism for “red,” but I like to think of İsmihan Hatun as the Lady in Rose.
- Source: Galata Mahkemesi, 20 Numaralı Sicil (1005-1007/1596-1599), case 227, pp. 202-206
- Date: The first ten-day period of the fifth month (Cumâdelûlâ, modern Cemâziyelevvel) of 1006/December 9-18, 1597
- Location: Galata, Istanbul
- Status of Translation: Not a hot mess. Call it a lukewarm mess.
| Translation | Original | Quantity | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hazret-i Ebî Eyyûb-i Ensârî mahallâtından Arakiyyecibaşı mahallesinde vefât edip geride verâsetinin kendilerine münhasır olduğu Hatice bt. İlyas nâm kız karındaşını ve Mahmud Bey el-Cündî nâm zevcini bırakan merhûme İsmihan Hâtun bt. İlyas’ın muhallefâtıdır. | |||
| Vaka‘a’t-tahrîr fî evâili Cumâdelûlâ sene sitte ve elf. | |||
| Valuable prayer rug | Bahâ-i seccâde 10 115 | ||
| Valuable pillow | Bahâ-i minder 1 101 | 1 | 101 |
| Valuable felt mat | Bahâ-i keçe 120 | ||
| Valuable bucket | Bahâ-i bakraç 50 | ||
| Small carpet | Kaliçe 2 200 | ||
| Cylindrical bolster | Balin 120 | ||
| Felt prayer rug | Keçe-i seccâde 193 | ||
| Five covered dishes | Sahan 5 250 | ||
| Beledî döşek 1 181 | 1 | 181 | |
| Striped(?) felt mat | Alaca keçe 205 | ||
| Bowl for pouring water onto oneself in the bath | Hamam tası 31 | ||
| Flatweave carpet | Kilim 85 | ||
| Six flat baking pans | Tepsi 6 150 | ||
| Striped(?) dolama | Alaca dolama 23 | 1 | 23 |
| A pair of white "telli" detached sleeves | Beyaz telli yen çift | 1 | 40 |
| Striped(?) Egyptian ??? | Alaca-i Mısır 3 2.281 | 3 | 2281 |
| A scrap of alaca | Alaca pâre hurda 40 | 1 | 40 |
| Yellow bağdâdî silk | Sarı Bağdâdî 420 | ||
| Dark blue (?) satin | Sürmâî atlas 1265 | ||
| A piece of Kurdish satin | Kürdî atlas pâre 130 | ||
| Shift | Pirâhen 40 | 1 | 40 |
| Başlık (a type of hat) | Başlık 42 | 1 | 42 |
| Eight white headkerchiefs? | Çenber-i beyaz 8 55 | 8 | 55 |
| Yellow zıbın | Sarı zıbın 65 | 1 | 65 |
| (Dark?) green satin detached sleeves | Sebz atlas yen 70 | 1 | 70 |
| "Zıbın-ı beden"--the body of a zıbın? A zıbın made of "beden"? | Zıbın-ı beden 70 | 1 | 70 |
| Shift made of destar (muslin?) | Pirâhen-i destâr 77 | 1 | 77 |
| Shift made of destar (muslin?) | Pirâhen-i destâr 80 | 1 | 80 |
| Rose-colored belt | Gülgûnî kuşak 100 | 1 | 100 |
| Ten lengths (26") of fuchsia satin | Erguvânî atlas zirâ‘ 10 430 (43 per zira') | 10 | 430 |
| Ten lengths (26") of dark blue Bağdâdî | Bağdâdî lâciverd zirâ‘ 10 800 (80 per zira') | 10 | 800 |
| Serâser belt | Serâser kuşak 117 | 1 | 117 |
| Four "atik" (bright, yellow, red?) arakiye | Arakiyye-i atîk | 4 | 124 |
| White detached sleeves of kemha brocade | Beyaz kemha yen 2 134 | 2 | 134 |
| Multicolored yarn/thread? | Alaca-i iplik? 76 | ||
| A piece of fur | Pâre-i kürk 15 | ||
| A pair of Russian chests | Telâtin sandık çift | 800 | |
| Rose-colored knee-length çakşır of Atlas silk | Gülgûnî atlas diz çakşır | 1 | 144 |
| Two yellow zıbıns | Sarı zıbın 2 150 | 2 | 150 |
| Belt | Kuşak 150 | 1 | 150 |
| Fuchsia zıbın | Erguvânî zıbın 165 | 1 | 165 |
| Embroidered and ornamented kuşak (belt) | Dikme münakkaş kuşak 170 | 1 | 170 |
| Old câme the color of squirrel fur | Köhne sinca[b] rengi câme 170 | 1 | 170 |
| A pair of rose-colored detached sleeves | Gülgûnî yen çift 180 | 1 | 180 |
| Nezkeb (headkerchief) of Atlas silk | Atlas nezkeb 189 | 1 | 189 |
| Red câme | Al câme 205 | 1 | 205 |
| Earrings | Küpe aded 100? | 100 | |
| Saçbağı (a hair ornament of silver or gold braids that hung to the heels) ornamented with pearls | Saçbağı lü’lü’ 110 | 1 | 110 |
| Coral prayer beads | Tesbih mercan 113 | 113 | |
| Came of "Yekdâ bogasi"--bogasi is a type of cotton cloth | Yekdâ bogasi câme 2 206 | 2 | 206 |
| Aigrette | Sorguc-ı murassa‘ 1.660 | ||
| Zîgir zerd | 2 | 100 | |
| Coral prayer beads | Mercan tesbih 120 | 120 | |
| (Dark?) green satin kürdiye | Sebz atlas Kürdî 210 | 1 | 210 |
| Three new arakiyye | Arakiyye-i cedîd | 3 | 228 |
| Old vermilion came | Köhne sürh câme 246 | 1 | 246 |
| Three (pairs of?) detached sleeves of kumaş tissue | Kumaş yen 3 261 | 3 | 261 |
| Satin Çakşır | Atlas çakşır | 1 | 270 |
| A scrap of satin | Hurda atlas pâre 1 73 | 1 | 73 |
| A piece of alaca | Alaca pâre 1 35 | ||
| Mirror case | Ayna kılıf[ı] 110 | ||
| Copper ink pot | Hokka-i nühâs 12 | ||
| Düreng (…) kemha | 2 | 800 | |
| Piece of çatma velvet | Çatma | 1 | 450 |
| Bath shirt | Pirâhen-i hamam | 1 | 270 |
| Six napkins | Makrama | 6 | 540 |
| (Dark?) green satin zıbın | Sebz atlas zıbın | 1 | 273 |
| Black ferace | Siyah ferâce | 1 | 315 |
| Embroidered cushion of honor? | Münakkaş rûy-i balin | 2 | 92 |
| Embroidered wrapping cloth | Münakkaş bohça | 1 | 80 |
| Silver buttons | Sîm düğme | 140 | |
| Turquoise buttons | Pirûze düğme | 260 | |
| A belt of "sincan tor" (wild boxwood?) | Sincan tor kuşak | 1 | 340 |
| Fuchsia satin câme | Erguvânî atlas câme | 1 | 400 |
| Serâser belt | Serâser kuşak | 1 | 560 |
| Three signet rings | Hâtem | 3 | 422 |
| White came of kemha brocade | Beyaz kemha câme | 1 | 610 |
| "Havai"satin câme | Havâî atlas câme | 1 | 615 |
| Striped(?) hand towel | Alaca peşkir | 90 | |
| Striped(?) bedsheet | Alaca çarşaf | 375 | |
| Multicolored Egyptian yarn/thread? | Alaca Mısır iplik? | 80 | |
| Rose-colored Atlas silk câme | Gülgûnî atlas câme | 1 | 690 |
| Medium blue câme of kemha brocade | Mâî kemha câme | 1 | 720 |
| A pair of earrings | Küpe çift | 2 | 400 |
| Silver thimble | Yüksük-i sîm | 1 | 6 |
| Bowl and plate | Fincan ma‘a tabak | 60 | |
| A little bracelet? | Bilezik sagīr? | 1 | 780 |
| Signet ring | Hâtem | 1 | 130 |
| A pair of earrings | Küpe çift | 1 | 1000 |
| Signet ring | Hâtem | 2 | 205 |
| A pair of bracelets | Bilezik çift | 1 | 1040 |
| Pearl "dane" | Lü’lü’ dâne | 1200 | |
| Câme of red darayi silk | Al dârâyî câme | 1 | 725 |
| Rose-colored Atlas silk mintan (short jacket?) | Gülgûnî atlas mintan | 1 | 800 |
| Rose-colored Atlas silk came | Gülgûnî atlas câme 815 | 1 | 815 |
| Decorated stand for a tabletop tray | Münakkaş sofra 151 | 151 | |
| Serâser brocade bolster, cylindrical pillow | Serâser balin 600 | 600 | |
| A pair of basketwork trunks | Sandık sepet çift | 800 | |
| Old white blanket | Köhne beyaz velense | 1 | 150 |
| Pister beledî (…)70 | |||
| Old flatweave carpet | Köhne kilim 100 | 100 | |
| Chair for eating | İskemle-i ta‘âm 9 | 9 | |
| Rust-red flatweave carpet | Sürh kilim 60 | ||
| Small carpet | Kaliçe 515 | ||
| Embroidered bedsheet | Münakkaş çarşaf 62 | ||
| Yellow câme of kemha silk | Sarı kemha câme 840 | 1 | 840 |
| White bedsheet | Beyaz çarşaf 30 | ||
| Bath cloth | Futa-i hamam 176 | ||
| Old bedsheet | Köhne çarşaf 15 | ||
| A box that holds one keyl of foodstuffs? | Kutu-i keyl 13 | ||
| Four flat baking pans | Tepsi 4 131 | ||
| Ewer | İbrik 20 | ||
| Mortar | Havan 30 | ||
| Tepsi-i kebîr ma‘a sagīr 62 | |||
| Buryayi-i Mısrî 72 | |||
| Embroidered (dark?) green quilt | Münakkaş sebz yorgan 513 | ||
| White blanket | Beyaz velense 90 | ||
| Seat cushion | Minder 53 | ||
| Yanbolu felt overcoat | Yanbolu kebe 250 | ||
| (Dark?) green satin câme | Sebz atlas câme 850 | 1 | 850 |
| Striped? prayer rug | Alaca seccâde 31 | ||
| Colander? | Sahan kevgir 56 | ||
| Cooking pot | Tencere 60 | ||
| Short-spouted pitcher | Güğüm 50 | ||
| Burmayi-i Mısrî 45 | |||
| Embroidered quilt | Münakkaş yorgan 410 | ||
| White blanket | Beyaz velense (…) | ||
| Beyaz gılâf-ı pister 4? 120 | |||
| Chair | İskemle 30 | ||
| Old cylindrical bolster | Köhne balin 30 | ||
| Striped(?) thick felt mat | Alaca kebe 67 | ||
| White, fur-lined satin câme | Beyaz atlas câme ma‘a kürk 905 | 1 | 905 |
| Striped(?) wrapping cloth | Alaca bohça 202 | ||
| White bedsheet | Beyaz çarşaf 61 | ||
| White bedsheet | Beyaz çarşaf 20 | ||
| White bedsheet | Beyaz çarşaf 56 | ||
| Metal bowl or ewer? | Maşraba 20 | ||
| Covered dish | Sahan 2 99 | ||
| Small metal bucet and small covered dish | Bakrac-ı sagīr ma‘a küçük sahan 26 | ||
| Bowl | Tas 5 59 | ||
| Washbasin | Leğen-i hamam 155 | ||
| Flat baking pan | Tepsi 15 | ||
| Frying pan | Tâbe 25 | ||
| Copper tray used as a table for meals | Sini nühâs 110 | ||
| Quilt | Yorgan 315 | ||
| Pister-i beledî 230 | |||
| Beyaz pister 210 | |||
| Embroidered rust-red cylindrical bolster | Sürh münakkaş balin 133 | ||
| White cylindrical bolster | Beyaz balin 107 | ||
| Alaca perde berâ-yı yük 100 | |||
| Small carpet | Kaliçe 151 | ||
| Pister-i beledî 275 | |||
| Cylindrical bolster of kumaş | Kumaş balin 152 | ||
| Cylindrical bolster of kumaş | Kumaş balin 151 | ||
| Old felt mat | Köhne kebe 53 | ||
| Yemeni balin 50 | |||
| Bogasi eteklik berâ-yı rakkas? 44 | |||
| Frying pan | Tâbe 31 | ||
| Short-spouted pitcher | Güğüm 101 | ||
| Basin and ewer | Leğen ma‘a ibrik 70 | ||
| Candlestick | Şamdan 2 11 | ||
| Lidded bowl | Tas, kapaklı 14 | ||
| Rust-red çatma velvet quilt | Sürh yorgan-ı çatma 525 | ||
| Striped(?) cylindrical bolster | Alaca balin 140 | ||
| Cylindrical bolster of kumaş | Kumaş balin 120 | ||
| Striped(?) seat cushion | Minder alaca 25 | ||
| Old bath mat | Köhne hamam döşeme 17 | ||
| Bath mat | Döşeme-i hamam 137 | ||
| White bedsheet | Beyaz çarşaf 60 | ||
| Embroidered wrapping cloth | Münakkaş bohça 73 | ||
| Metal bowl or ewer? | Maşraba 121 | ||
| Short-spouted pitcher | Güğüm 117 | ||
| Metal bucket | Bakraç 62 | ||
| Metal bucket | Bakraç 13 | ||
| Copper tray used as a table for meals | Sini nühâs 150 | ||
| Abâyî yorgan 257 | |||
| White cylindrical bolster | Beyaz balin 97 | ||
| White cylindrical bolster | Beyaz balin 80 | ||
| Striped(?) seat cushion | Alaca minder 170 | ||
| Yanbolu felt overcoat | Yanbolu kebe 12 | ||
| Door curtain | Perde-i bâb 100 | ||
| Embroidered wrapping cloth | Münakkaş bohça 102 | ||
| Napkin | Havlu makrama 42 | ||
| White wrapping cloth | Beyaz bohça 22 | ||
| Çarşaf minder 14 | |||
| Rûy-ı beledî 80 | |||
| Cooking pot | Tencere | 1 | 100 |
| Bowl | Tas 2 45 | ||
| Hırdavât-ı esbâb 60 | |||
| Striped(?) seat cushion | Minder alaca 170 | ||
| Ten lengths (26") of kirpas (sailcloth?) | Kirpas, zirâ‘ 10 240 (24 per zira') | 10 | 240 |
| Rose-colored came | Gülgûnî câme 1.040 | 1 | 1040 |
| Embroidered cylindrical bolster | Münakkaş balin 71 | ||
| Cushion of honor? | Rûy-ı balin 24 | ||
| Five lengths (26") of canvas | Kirpas, zirâ‘ 5 70 (14 per zira') | 5 | 70 |
| Cotton canvas | Kirpas-ı penbe 3 18 | ||
| A costly belt described as "Zünnâr kuşak sîm" | Zünnâr kuşak sîm 1.060 | 1 | 1060 |
| Red satin câme | Kırmızı atlas câme 1200 | 1 | 1200 |
| Red mattress | Al döşek 31 | ||
| Hırdavât 6 | |||
| Chest | Sandık 2 64 | ||
| Canvas | Kirpas 48 | ||
| Rose-colored, fur-lined satin kürdiye | Gülgûnî atlas Kürdî ma‘a post 1.200 | 1 | 1200 |
| Cushion of honor? | Rûy-ı balin 3 | ||
| Bedsheet | Çarşaf 80 | ||
| Cushion of honor? | Rûy-ı balin 2 30 | ||
| Cushion of honor? | Rûy-ı balin 132 | ||
| Canvas | Kirpas 52 | ||
| Canvas | Kirpas 173 | ||
| Cushion of honor? | Rûy-ı balin 10 | ||
| Stand for a tabletop tray | Sofra 15 | ||
| A piece of broadcloth | Çuka-i pâre 31 | ||
| Cloth for wiping oil from the mouth after eating; often very fancy | Yağlık 2 39 | ||
| Serâser mintan(short jacket?) câme | Serâser mintan câme 1.500 | 1 | 1500 |
| - | …? …? 37 | ||
| Canvas | Kirpas 12 | ||
| Yellow satin câme lined with fur | Sarı atlas câme ma‘a post 1.600 | 1 | 1600 |
| Box | Kutu 6 | ||
| Three strands of pearls | Lü’lü’ dizi 3 3.000 | 3 | 3000 |
| Çarşaf ma‘a makrama 74 | |||
| A pair of bracelets | Bilezik çift 1 3.205 | 1 | 3205 |
| Bath mat | Döşeme-i hamam 26 | ||
| Bedsheet | Çarşaf 36 | ||
| Cushion of honor? | Rûy-ı balin 3 27 | ||
| Hand towel and a piece of tafta silk? | Peşkir ma‘a pâre-i tafta 2 72 | 2 | 72 |
| Chest | Sandık 50 | ||
| Çember made of (word lost) | Çenber-i …? 31 | ||
| Cloth for wiping oil from the mouth after eating; often very fancy | Yağlık 21 | ||
| Wrapping cloth | Bohça 73 | ||
| Ten lengths (26") of kirpas (sailcloth?) | Kirpas, zirâ‘ 10 255 (25.5 per zira') | 10 | 255 |
| Canvas | Kirpas 48 | 48 | |
| Canvas | Kirpas 101 | 101 | |
| Raw silk | Ham ipek 410 | 410 | |
| Large headkerchiefs? | Çenberler 19 | ||
| Çenber ma‘a döşek 95 | |||
| Chest and bowl | Sandık ma‘a tas 54 | ||
| İpek bogasi 900 | 900 | ||
| Headkerchief and mirror | Çenber ma‘a ayna 67 | ||
| Kilerden satılan 2.750 | |||
| Valuable female slave | Bahâ-i câriye | 1 | 600 |
| Yekûn | 69498 | ||
| Minhe’l-ihrâcât | |||
| Resm-i kısmet meblağ | 3300 | ||
| Kassâmiyye ma‘a ihzâriyye meblağ | 1000 | ||
| Dellâliyye meblağ | 1660 | ||
| Kalemiyye meblağ | 240 | ||
| Berâ-yı sülüs-i yekûn | 29992 | ||
| El-Bâkī beyne’l-verese | 38864 | ||
| Hatice's portion | Hisse-i Hatice meblağ | 19432 | |
| The husband's portion | Hisse-i zevc meblağ | 19432 | |
| Berâ-yı sülüs | 19432 | ||
| Mezbûre hâtun bu hisseden ziyâde dokuz bin beş yüz otuz bir akçe ziyâde esbâb almışdır |
Analysis
- Value of Estate: 69,498 akçes
- Debts: None
- Money Owed: None
Value of…
- Real Estate: None
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