Mariam Shermazanashvili

Atatürk University
PhD Student, Faculty of Turkish Language and Literature
MA, PhD Candidate
Tbilisi, Georgia
shermazanashvilimari1@gmail.com

The present study addresses one of the particularly interesting and significant aspects of Ottoman history—the influence of women of Georgian origin within the imperial governing hierarchy. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, as a continuation of the tradition associated with the “Sultanate of Women,” several Georgian women reached the highest ranks of the Ottoman imperial harem and acquired the title of Valide Sultan (Mother Sultan).

The paper examines the activities of such historical figures as Mihrişah Valide Sultan, Bezmiâlem Valide Sultan, and Pertevniyal Valide Sultan. Particular attention is paid to their role in the modernization of the Ottoman Empire, especially their support for the Nizam-ı Cedid and Tanzimat reforms.

The study also focuses on their charitable and architectural legacy in Istanbul, which formed an integral part of Ottoman social policy during the period. Their foundations, public works, and architectural patronage demonstrate the considerable social and political influence exercised by the Valide Sultans and highlight the broader role of women of Georgian origin in the political and cultural history of the Ottoman Empire.