Career
According to Anno Domini Alderson, her origin is unknown. Some sources claim that she was ethnically Greek, originally named Helena. According to an alternative theory, she was from Bosnia and Herzegovina and her original name was Helen, this is supported by Turkish drama Muhteşem Yüzyıl: Köseminary
She was one of the concubines of Mehmet III when he served as the governor of Manisa and gave birth to Ahmed I in 1590.
Prior to Ahmed I"s accession to the throne, she has not enjoyed any kind of power and wasn"t Mehmed III"s Haseki Sultan (chief wife) as Mehmed had none. She might have been completly overshadowed by Safiye Sultan, Ahmed I"s paternal grandmother who continued to manage the harem.
The contemporary historian Ibrahim Pecevi questioned her wisdom. Leslie Peirce points out that Ahmed I tended to disregard her advice.
While respecting the tradition that a mother"s right is God"s right, he ingeniously circumvented her will.
She did not manage to receive either influence or economic funds as had the two previous Valide Sultans, this was probably due in a large measure because of the fact that she wasn"t Mehmed III"s Haseki Sultan and was a simple slave before she became the Valide Sultan. At the opposite, when Mustafa ascended the throne in 1617, Halime Sultan received 3,000 aspers/a day although her mother-in-law Safiye Sultan was still alive a neighbor at the Old Palace. The law was initially put into effect by Fatih Sultan Mehmed for the purpose of preventing probable fighting among the sultan"s brothers who were the potential claimants to the throne.
However, the Valide Sultan was well liked because she didn"t interfered into politics and was known for her kindness, wisdom and mercy and for her mild caracter.
She died on 5 November 1605 at Topkapi Palace at a young age (30-35), her death is a matter of controversy. They were some speculations that she was possibly poisoned either by Safiye Sultan, Halime Sultan, or Kösem Sultan.
She was buried near Mehmet III"s tomb at the courtyard of Hagia Sophia. In the 2015 television series Muhteşem Yüzyıl: Kösem, Handan Sultan is portrayed by Turkish actress Tülin Özen.
