Nefise Hatun

Nefise Melek Sultan Hatun (; - post 1403) was an Ottoman princess, and daughter of Sultan Murad I. She was the wife of Alaeddin Ali Bey of Karaman and mother of Mehmed II of Karaman and Alaeddin Ali II of Karaman. She is known as the first politically active Ottoman princess.

Origin Nefise Melek Hatun was born in Bursa around 1363. Her father was the Ottoman Sultan Murad I, while the identity of her mother is not known.

Marriage In 1378, Nefise's brother Bayezid married Devletşah Sultan Hatun, princess of Germiniyan. During the wedding reception, Nefise's father Murad I negotiated with the representatives of Karaman, Ali Bey and Davud Bey, to give her in marriage to Alaeddin Ali (ruler of Karaman, grandson of Ali and brother of Davud). Karaman was one of the most powerful beyliks and, at the time, the main opponent of the Ottomans. The marriage was supposed to be the basis of an alliance between the two states, that were at that time adversaries.

Nefise's dowry included 100,000 gold coins, one hundred horses, ten herds of camels, nine carpets, nine chests of jewels, gold, and precious stones, and more than fifty rolls of silk, velvet, and gold fabrics from France, Syria, Egypt, and Turkey. Her dowry in case of divorce consisted of the territories of Aksehir and Aksaray, including the neighboring villages and all income of these territories. At that point, the marriage was announced in both the states during Friday prayers.

The wedding ceremony was held in Bursa, with Candarli Kara Halil as the bride's representative and Mevlana Muslihiddin as the groom's. Soon after, Nefise set out for Karaman. During the journey, the procession was attacked by Mongol raiders, who were, however, put to flight by the cavalry units escorting the princess. In Karaman, the wedding ceremony was repeated, this time in the presence of both bride and groom. Among the guests were the rulers of Saruhan, Aydin, Menteşe and Eshrefoglu. In Karaman, Nefise became known as Sultan Hatun (Lady Sultana) in reference to her birth status. At that point, Nefise secretly left Konya with her three sons and went to her father, pleading on behalf of her husband. Nefise's embassy was successful and Alaeddin was pardoned in exchange for a formal act of submission and the cession of the territories of Beysehir.

Bayezid sent Alaeddin's head to Karaman with orders to wait and open the gates to the Ottoman army. While the people, the government and Alaeddin's sons wanted to resist, Nefise, who was entrusted with the regency, decided to surrender. She then went to Bayezid with her sons and surrendered unconditionally, on the condition that he spare the city. Bayezid accepted, but imposed that Nefise and her sons return to live in Bursa, where mother and sons lived in luxury but strictly separated.

Mustafa Çelebi, son of Bayezid, became governor of Karaman in place of Mehmed, eldest son of Alaeddin and Nefise.

Death Nefise remained in Bursa until, in 1403, she was reached by the news of the death of Bayezid I (who died in Akşehir as a prisoner of Timur). At that point, she and her sons immediately returned to Karaman, where she lived at the court of her son Mehmed, who became the new Karamanids ruler (Mustafa Çelebi fought with his father and disappeared after the battle). She died on an unknown date and was buried in the mausoleum that she built in the city, now lost, although it is believed to have been located in the Khatuniye madrasa, built by Nefise herself.

Issue By her marriage, she had at least three children, three sons:

Nasiraeddin Mehmed II of Karaman (1379 - 1423), ruler of Karamanids after his father; Bengi Alaeddin Ali II of Karaman (1381 - 1424), ruler of Karamanids after his brother; Oğuz Bey.

Patronage In 1388, in Karaman, Nefise established the Theological College. She also founded the Khatuniye madrasa (today a museum) and a hammam, the revenues from which were used to finance the construction of her mausoleum.

Legacy Nefise Hatun was the first Ottoman princess known to have actively participated in politics. She was defined as "a predatory bird" and "in everything equal to a man". Much has been written about her unswerving loyalty to her husband and sons rather than to her father (Murad I) and brother (Bayezid I), but judgments on this are matter of speech, ranging from praise to blame.

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