Background
Leyla Achba was born in Istanbul into the Anchabadze dynasty as an Anchabadze princess, the daughter of an Abkhazian Prince Mehmed Refik Bey Achba and his wife Georgian Princess Mahsheref Emukhvari.
Leyla Achba was born in Istanbul into the Anchabadze dynasty as an Anchabadze princess, the daughter of an Abkhazian Prince Mehmed Refik Bey Achba and his wife Georgian Princess Mahsheref Emukhvari.
She is known for writing memoirs, which give details of the sultan court life and became the first Ottoman court lady to write memoirs. The family belonged to the old Georgian nobility, which had emigrated to the Istanbul during the Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878). Her paternal grandaunt was Verdicenan Kadınefendi, a wife of Sultan Abdülmecid I.
By 1919 she also went in the court service, and as some of her relatives.
She also became a Lady-in-waiting of the last Ottoman empress Emine Nazikeda Kadın Efendi.
Princess Leyla Achba served her, until the empress and the rest of Sultan"s family was sent to exile. In the palace she received private education and could speak French and English fluently.
Shortly before her death she wrote memoirs, which give details of the sultan court life. Princess Achba was the first Ottoman court lady who wrote memoirs.
Her cousin princess Mihri Achba (later known as Mihri Müşfik) was the first female artist in Turkey.