Üsküdar: Prestige Area of the Ottoman Court Women
Murat KalafatThe existence of women as founders/patrons in Turkish Architecture can be dated back to Hun and Göktürk periods. Although this situation shows continuity in the following ages, the most intense period was the Classical age of the Ottoman Empire. These patrons built architectural products that kept their names alive in various regions of the empire. However, it can be observed that the most magnificent monuments built by Harem women were mostly located in Istanbul – especially in Üsküdar. Almost all of the monumental structures in Üsküdar were built by Harem women, especially by the Valide Sultans. These buildings/complexes can be described as prestige structure of the patrons in the context of both organization and monumentality. Aside from the mentioned structures, only three other monumental architectural examples were built by male patrons: Rum Mehmed Pasha Complex, Şemsi Pasha Complex and Selimiye Complex. References to the causes of this situation should be searched under environmental conditions. The analysis of environmental conditions can be possible by determining the characteristics of Üsküdar as a city, and revealing the points where it is different from other regions or cities. Accordingly, the historical, geographical, political and demographic characteristics of the city should be analyzed. Thus, a theory can be established about the reasons for this concentration in Üsküdar.
Üsküdar: Harem Kadınlarının Prestij Sahası
Murat KalafatTürk Mimarisi içerisinde kurucu olarak kadınların varlığı Hun ve Göktürk dönemlerine kadar geri götürülebilmektedir. Bu durum ilerleyen dönemlerde süreklilik göstermekle birlikte, en yoğun yaşandığı çağ Osmanlı’nın “Klasik” dönemidir. Bu kurucu/bâni grubu, imparatorluğun çeşitli bölgelerinde isimlerini yaşatan mimarlık ürünleri yaptırmışlardır. Ancak başkent olması nedeniyle en görkemli anıtsal mimari örneklerin bulunduğu İstanbul ve özellikle Üsküdar’da belirli bir yoğunlaşma izlenebilmektedir. Üsküdar’daki geniş organizasyonlu ve anıtsal mimari örneklerin tamamına yakını, Valide Sultanlar başta olmak üzere Harem kadınları tarafından inşa ettirilmiştir. Ayrıca Üsküdar’da bulunan bu yapılar, hem organizasyon hem anıtsallık bağlamında, bânilerinin “prestij yapısı” olarak nitelendirilebilecek uygulamalardır. Bahsedilen yapılar haricinde sadece üç adet anıtsal mimari örnek erkek baniler tarafından inşa edilmiştir: Rum Mehmed Paşa Küliyesi, Şemsi Paşa Külliyesi ve Selimiye Külliyesi. Bu durumun sebeplerini anlamak için başvurulacak referanslar ise çevre koşullarda aranmalıdır. Çevre koşulların değerlendirilmesi, Üsküdar’ın bir kent olarak niteliklerini saptamak ve diğer bölgelere göre farklı olduğu noktaları ortaya koymakla mümkündür. Buna göre şehrin tarihi, coğrafi, siyasi ve demografik özellikleri analiz edilmelidir. Böylelikle Üsküdar’daki bu yoğunlaşmanın sebepleri hakkında bir yaklaşım geliştirilebilecektir.
As in many cultures throughout history, people who have economic and political power in Turkish culture have played a founder/patron role in public architecture examples. Public architecture is not only a charity work, but also the public image of the person who put the structures into service to the public. In other words, monuments which bear the name of the patrons provide to the founders/patrons visibility in the region where the structure is located. It is an indisputable fact that men have built more buildings than women in terms of the gender of the founders during the Ottoman period. However, Turkish women took part in architectural activities as founders/patrons too.
It can be observed that the number of architectural activities of women as patrons increased following the Classical Age, at which point, the economic and political power of the Ottoman Empire was at its peak. Harem women -mothers, wives and daughters of the Ottoman Sultans- were the predominant ones within this founder/ patron group. They built many more structures than other female groups throughout the Empire. Therefore, women of royal dynasty (Harem women) provided their public visibility through architecture, from Istanbul to Anatolia and even to the Arabian Peninsula. It is observed that this situation is far more visible in Üsküdar than the other cities of the Empire, but the Historical Peninsula is in Istanbul. When the monumental structures of Üsküdar are examined, it is also understood that the majority were built by -or dedicated to- women patrons. There are only three monumental architectural examples built by male patrons: Rum Mehmed Pasha Complex, Şemsi Pasha Complex and Selimiye Complex.
Most of the monumental buildings in Üsküdar were built by -or dedicated toGülfem Hatun, Mihrimah Sultan, Nurbanu Sultan, Kösem Sultan, Gülnuş Sultan, Mihrişah Sultan, and Rabia Şermi Sultan. These buildings are monumental and mostly large complexes rather than small-scale units. When the other architectural activities of the founders are examined, it is seen that they prefer Üsküdar to position their monumental or multi programed structures. Also, almost all of the multi programmed and monumental structures of Üsküdar were built by Ottoman Harem women. By revealing the reasons for this situation, it can be possible to give a different perspective to the urban identity of Üsküdar.
In order to establish a theory, the historical, demographic, political and geographical characteristics of Üsküdar should be analyzed. Thus, the identity of the city can be revealed and the abovementioned architectural activities will be understood.
Üsküdar has been an important settlement throughout history since the Byzantine period. When the history of the city is examined it is understood that the strongest definition of Üsküdar’s role on the stage of history is its being the location of headquarter of the rebels-enemies, who intended to take the Byzantine throne.
In 1352, the city was joined to the Ottoman territories by Orhan Gazi. In the Classical Age of the Ottomans, together with Eyüp and Galata, Üsküdar was descibed with the name of “bilad-ı selâse kadılıkları”. This description, which represents the three major towns outside the city, reveals the position of Üsküdar in the capital. The ratio of the city to the Istanbul population at the end of the 19th century was 95671/873565. Although this ratio seems to be small, Üsküdar is second after Beyoğlu in terms of population.
Üsküdar was visited by both the emperors and Harem women in the Byzantine and Ottoman periods, for excursions and hunting. This feature should be considered as revealing the difference of Üsküdar from other regions of Istanbul.
When the books of European travelers who came to Istanbul in 16th-19th centuries by the attraction of Eastern charm are examined, it can be seen that they could not find the mysticism which they were looking for in the European side and that they felt that emotions in Üsküdar.
The most stressed feature of Üsküdar as a city was holiness. Üsküdar and other Anatolian territories are considered as “Arazi-i Tahire”, because they are not separated from Mecca and Medina by large rivers. The number of tekkes (Islamic monasteries) in the city represents the perception of holiness. Moreover, 83 tombs and 8 cemeteries are important elements that make up the mystical atmosphere of Üsküdar.
The examples built by Harem women in Üsküdar are Gülfem Hatun Complex, Mihrimah Sultan Complex, Atik Valide Complex, Çinili Complex, Yeni Valide Complex, Ayazma Mosque, and Beylerbeyi Mosque. These buildings are emphasized urban images, due to their monumentality and being multi-programmed complexes as well as their positions in the city.
In this context, due to the abovementioned characteristics, Üsküdar is the secondary prestige area of Istanbul after the Historical Peninsula where Ottoman Sultans and Pashas mostly preferred to locate their architectural monuments. The most important position which can be considered after the Ottoman Sultans and Pashas in terms of politic and economic power is the position of Valide Sultan. The abovementioned examples were built by -or dedicated to- Valide Sultans except for the complexes of Mihrimah Sultan and Gülfem Hatun.
Üsküdar is a secondary version of the prestige area status of the Historical Peninsula. While sultans and pashas -also Harem women- mostly preferred to locate their buildings in the Historical Peninsula, valide sultans and Harem women preferred Üsküdar. This situation shows that there was a hierarchical urban image area in Ottoman capital. Thus, Üsküdar gained the status of being a prestige area which Harem women -especially the valide sultans- put forth their images in the eyes of public.
