Nazperver Kadınefendi

Nazperver Kadın (Ottoman Turkish: نازپرور قادین‎; born Princess Emine Chkhotua; 12 June 1870 – 9 March 1929), meaning "Breeder of grace", was the fourth wife of Sultan Mehmed V of the Ottoman Empire.

Nazperver Kadın was born on 12 June 1870 in Beşiktaş, Istanbul. Born as Emine Chkhotua, she was a member of an Abkhazian princely family, Chkhotua.Her father was Prince Ismail Bey Chkhotua, and her mother was Princess Aliye Hanım Dziapş-lpa, the daughter of Prince Mahmud Dziapş-lpa. She had a sister named Behiye Hanım. She was the maternal niece of Dürrünev Kadın, first wife of Sultan Abdülaziz.

In 1874, Emine had been brought to Istanbul as a young child, where her father entrusted her and her sister to the care of her aunt Dürrünev Kadın. her name according to the custom of the Ottoman court was changed to Nazperver.

Abdülaziz was deposed by his ministers on 30 May 1876, his nephew Murad V became the Sultan. He was transferred to Feriye Palace the next day. Her aunt Dürrünev, and other women of Abdülaziz's entourage didn't wanted to leave the Dolmabahçe Palace. So they were grabbed by hand and were send out to the Feriye Palace. In the process, they were searched from head to toe and everything of value was taken from them. Nazperver followed her aunt to Feriye Palace. On 4 June 1876, Abdülaziz died under mysterious circumstances.

One day, when Mehmed was in his forties, he visited his aunt-in-law Dürrünev Kadın in the Feriye Palace. Here he saw Nazperver, then eighteen years old, and fell in love with her. He asked his aunt-in-law to give him Nazperver in marriage. She acceded to her nephew-in-law's demand, and the marriage took place in 1888 in the Veliahd Palace. Nazperver didn't bore Mehmed any children.

On 27 April 1909, after Mehmed's accession to the throne, she was given the title of "Fourth Consort". Upon the death of Dürrüaden Kadın in October 1909, Nazperver was given the title of "Third Consort".

After the declaration of Ottoman Empire's entry in World War I in 1914, women who took part in several organizations. During this time, Nazperver also took part in the Women's Organization for National consumption (Turkish: İstihlak-ı Milli Kadınlar Cemiyeti). The purpose of the organization was to promote the use of locally produced goods.

Safiye Ünüvar, a teacher at the Palace School, who met her in 1915, described her as being plump, and tall. According to Ünüvar, Nazperver did not appeared particularly learned, but she did had a refined and kindly air about her that made a good impression. She also speculated that having no children weighed heavily upon her, despite the fact that the Sultan treated her most kindly and graciously, and so she lived out her life in this rather downhearted fashion.

On 30 May 1918, Nazperver met with the Empress Zita of Bourbon-Parma in the harem of Yıldız Palace, when the latter visited Istanbul with her husband Emperor Charles I of Austria. During the Empress's visit, she liaised with her in French, which she had been taught by her aunt Dürrünev Kadın.

Nazperver and Dilfirib Kadın, Mehmed's fifth wife were with him, when he died on 3 July 1918.

After Mehmed's death Nazperver settled in a mansion at Vaniköy, where she died on 9 March 1929. She was buried in Yahya Efendi Cemetery, Istanbul.

• Uluçay, M. Çağatay (2011). Padişahların kadınları ve kızları. Ötüken. ISBN 978-9-754-37840-5.
• Açba, Harun (2007). Kadın efendiler: 1839-1924. Profil. ISBN 978-9-759-96109-1.
• Sakaoğlu, Necdet (2008). Bu Mülkün Kadın Sultanları: Vâlide Sultanlar, Hâtunlar, Hasekiler, Kandınefendiler, Sultanefendiler. Oğlak Yayıncılık. ISBN 978-6-051-71079-2.
• The Concubine, the Princess, and the Teacher: Voices from the Ottoman Harem. University of Texas Press. 2010. ISBN 978-0-292-78335-5.