1. Mihrimah Sultan was born in 1522 in the family of the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman I and his legal wife Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska.
Mihrimah was the beloved and only daughter of the Sultan who survived infancy. But, historian Anthony Alderson writes that Suleiman had two more daughters, one of whom reached maturity and was even married, and the other died a year before the birth of Mihrimah. Another historian Chagatay Uluchay calls the daughter of Suleiman Razie-Sultan, about whom there is no information, except for the inscription on the grave in the mausoleum of the milk brother of the Sultan Yahya-efendi.
2. In the series "Magnificent Century" we were shown how Mihrimah fell in love with the brave commander Bali Bey. He was presented to us in the form of a fatal handsome man who breaks the hearts of women. The daughter of Sultan Suleiman could not resist his charisma. Did they have a relationship in real life? No! No love relationship could connect them.
Firstly, Bali Bey is much older than Mihrimah and was already married at the time of her birth. He married back in 1522 with his cousin, the granddaughter of Sultan Bayazid II. Divorce from the Sultana was practically impossible and was equated with high treason. And there was no reason to divorce. The couple lived in love and harmony and raised their son.
Secondly, Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska had her own plans for her daughter, whom she wanted to marry to a man of status and influence, and most importantly, subject to her. Such a person was Rustem Pasha - a faithful servant and comrade-in-arms in all the plans of the great Haseka Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska.
3. Rustem Pasha was a very smart and perspicacious person. He managed to win the favor of not only Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska Sultan, but also Sultan Suleiman himself.
Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska convinced Suleiman that Rustem Pasha was ideal for the role of husband for their only daughter, and the Sultan gave his consent.
On November 26, 1539, celebrations began on the Hippodrome Square on the occasion of the circumcision of the younger brothers Mihrimah - shehzade Bayazid and Dzhihangir. During the celebrations, on December 4, a marriage was concluded between Rustem and Mihrimah. At that time, the bride was 17 years old, and the groom was 35.
After the wedding, the couple remained in Istanbul, where, together with Hürrem Sultan, they formed a narrow circle of influence on the Sultan. Rustem Pasha made a rapid career. In 1541 he took the post of second vizier, and in 1544 he became the grand vizier of the Ottoman state.
It is not known for certain how many children they actually had. Only one of their daughters, Ayse Hyumashah Sultan, entered history.
4. Mihrimah had four full-blooded brothers and one half-brother who reached maturity.
Although there is no evidence that Mihrimah or her mother was involved in the fall of her older half-brother Mustafa, many sources believed that they were clearing the way to power for one of Hurrem's sons, Selim or Bayezid. Mustafa's coming to power was disadvantageous to none of them.
After the execution of Mustafa in 1553, the Janissaries demanded the execution of Rustem, but Mihrimah saved his life, persuading his mother to influence the decision of Suleiman. Rustem was removed from his post, but saved his life.
In 1555, Rustem Pasha accused the current Grand Vizier Kara Ahmed Pasha of bribery and forced Sultan Suleiman to execute him. Thus, Rustem Pasha, with the support of Mihrimah and Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska, again regained the position of Grand Vizier.
Mihrimah, together with her husband, supported Shehzade Bayazid as the heir to the throne. However, shortly before the death of her husband and the fall of Bayezid in 1561, she went over to shekhzade Selim, who, upon accession to the throne, gave her sister 50 thousand gold for urgent needs. After the death of her father, Mihrimah became the most influential and respected woman in the harem, first of her brother Selim II, and then of her nephew Murad III. It was Mihrimah who gave her nephew the concubine Safiye, who became Murad's favorite for many years.
5. Mihrimah died in 1578 at the age of 56. By order of Sultan Murad, she was buried next to her father in his mosque, which emphasized her special status as the only and beloved daughter of the Sultan.
Mihrimah is the name of two mosques in Istanbul. One was built by order of Sultan Suleiman in Uskudar, the other - by order of Mihrimah herself in Edirnekapı.
There is a legend connected with Mihrimah mosques: supposedly the famous architect Sinan was secretly in love with Mihrimah. According to Sinan's idea, the mosques were built so that on March 21 - the birthday of Mihrimah, whose name means "sun and moon" - at the very moment when the sun hides behind one mosque named after her in Edirnekapı, the moon appears from behind the mosque her name in Uskudar.