Düzdidil Kadın


Düzdidil Kadın was the third wife of Sultan Abdulmejid I of the Ottoman Empire.

Early life

Düzdidil Kadın was born in 1825 in North Caucasus. Born as Ayşe Dişan, she was a member of Ubykh family, Dişan. Her father was Şıhım Bey Dişan and her mother was an Abkhazian princess belonging to Shervashidze.
Upon Yahya Bey's decision, Ayşe had been brought to Istanbul as a young child, where she entrusted to the imperial harem, along with her nanny Cinan Hanım, and a maid Emine Hanım. Here her name according to the custom of the Ottoman court was changed to Düzdidil.

Marriage

Düzdidil married Abdulmejid in 1839, and was given the title of "Third Consort". On 31 May 1840, she gave birth to the Abdulmejid's first child and daughter, Mevhibe Sultan in the Old Çırağan Palace. The princess died on 9 February 1841.
On 13 October 1841, she gave birth to twins, Neyyire Sultan and Münire Sultan in the Old Beşiktaş Palace. The princesses died two years later on 18 December 1843.
On 17 August 1843, she gave birth to her fourth child, Cemile Sultan in the Old Beylerbeyi Palace.
On 23 February 1845, she gave birth to her fifth child, Samiye Sultan in the Topkapı Palace. The princess died two months later on 18 April 1845.
Charles White, who visited Istanbul in 1843, wrote following about her:

Death

Düzdidil had fallen victim to the epidemic of tuberculosis then raging in Istanbul. A luxuriously decorated prayer book was commissioned around 1844 for her. As was fitting for her position, the prayer book was lavishly ornate.
She died on 18 August 1845, and was buried in the mausoleum of the imperial ladies at the New Mosque Istanbul. Cemile Sultan was only two years old when Düzdidil died. She was adopted by another of Sultan Abdulmejid's wives, Perestu Kadın, who was also the adoptive mother one of her half brothers, Sultan Abdul Hamid II.
After her death, her nanny, Cinan Hanım, went back to Caucasus, while her maid, Emine Hanım, served in the imperial harem for sometime, after which she married and left the palace.

Issue

Together with Abdulmejid, Düzdidil had five daughters: