Mezide Mestan Kadınefendi

Mezidimestan Kadın (Ottoman Turkish: مزیدمستان قادین‎ 3 March 1869 – 21 January 1909) was the sixth wife of Sultan Abdul Hamid II of the Ottoman Empire.

Early life

Mezidimestan Kadın was born on 3 March 1869 in Gagra, Abkhazia. Born as Kadriye Kamile Mikanba, she was a member of Abkhazian noble family Mikanba. Her father was Kaymat Bey Mikanba, and her mother was Princess Feryal Hanım Marshan, an Abkhazian. She was the first cousin of Nazikeda Kadın.

In 1876, she had been brought to Istanbul as a young child, where her uncle entrusted her to the imperial harem together with her cousins Emine, Daryal and Naciye, cousins Amine (1872 - 1946), Rumeysa (1875 - 1927), Pakize (1876 - 1943), and Fatma.

Marriage

Mezidimestan married Abdul Hamid on 2 February 1885 at the Yıldız Palace. She was given the title of "Fifth Consort". On 19 December 1885, after ten months of the wedding, she gave birth to her only son, Şehzade Mehmed Burhaneddin. Mehmed Burhaneddin was the most favourite son of Abdul Hamid.

In 1895, she was elevated to the title of "Fourth Consort", and in 1901, she was elevated to the title of "Third Consort". Abdul Hamid had presented her a villa located on the grounds of Yıldız Palace.

Death

Mezidimestan died on 21 January 1909 three months before the deposition of Abdul Hamid, at the age of thirty-nine in the Yıldız Palace, and was buried in Yahya Efendi Cemetery, Istanbul.

Issue

Mezidimestan Kadın and Abdul Hamid had one son:

• Şehzade Mehmed Burhaneddin (Constantinople, Yıldız Palace, 19 December 1885 – New York City, 15 June 1949 and buried in Damascus), married and had issue.

Sources

• Açba, Harun (2007). Kadın efendiler: 1839–1924. Profil. ISBN 978-975-996-109-1.
• Uluçay, M. Çağatay (2011). Padişahların kadınları ve kızları. Ötüken. ISBN 978-975-437-840-5.
• Sakaoğlu, Necdet (2008). Bu Mülkün Kadın Sultanları: Vâlide Sultanlar, Hâtunlar, Hasekiler, Kandınefendiler, Sultanefendiler. Oğlak Yayıncılık. ISBN 978-6-051-71079-2.