Ottoman Caliph, Sultan Murad III and his Beloved Wife, Safiya Sultana — 1575

 

Safiye Sultana was the beloved wife of Sultan Murad III, son of Sultan Selim II and grandson of the great Ottoman Sultan, Suleiman the Magnificent (Suleiman I) and his wife Khurram Sultana. Safiya was a very powerful figure during the Sultanate of Women in the Ottoman era. 

Officially the Sultanate of Women is stated to be approximately a 130-year period (1530s-1650s) in the Ottoman Empire where mothers and wives of the Sultans wielded immense political power, influencing state affairs, foreign policy, and succession, especially when their sons succeeded their fathers were below 20.  But actually the trend of women as co-rulers with their husbands lasted within the Ottoman system for much longer than 130 years, almost till the end of the Ottoman rule early 1900s. 

This practice was introduced by Suleiman the Magnificent of Ottoman imperial women holding court, managing finances, and acting as regents, marking a significant shift from tradition to direct political engagement. 

Murad III became Caliph when he was only 18 as his father, Sultan Selim II died from an accident after 8 years in power.