Fatma Sultan binti Ahmed I and Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa's marriage did NOT end in divorce in 1628
To finally put a dot on the question regarding Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa and Fatma Sultan's marriage, I have made this post.
Necdet Sakaoǧlu in "Bu Mülkün Kadın Sultanları", claims that Fatma Sultan married Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa in 1624 and divorced him:
"Giz'in makalesinde Fâtıma Sultanın saptanabilen kocaları şöyle sıralanmıştır: (1.) 1624'te Kaptanıderya Çatalcalı Hasan Paşayla (ö. 1631) evlenip boşanmış; (2.) 1626'da evlendiği Vezir Çatalcalı Kara Mustafa Paşa 1628'de idam edilmiş; (3.) 1631'de nikâhlandığı Kaptanıderya Canbulatoğlu Mustafa Paşayı, IV. Murad 1636'da idam ettirmiş."
In her 1993 book "The Imperial Harem", Leslie P.Peirce wrote that Fatma Sultan's marriage to Çatalca Hasan Paşa was dissolved by Murad IV later than what Necdet Sakaoǧlu claims, in 1628:
"In 1628 the sultan moved to sever the damad tie that linked Kösem to the admiral Çatalca Hasan Pasha, husband of her daughter Fatma. Angered by his mother's excessive patronage of Hasan Pasha, Murad had the marriage dissolved. Hasan Pasha had enjoyed the protection of the powerful chief black eunuch as well as that of the valide sultan. (...) Murad's move against the otherwise successful admiral may have been the result of his growing desire to shake off the influence of his inner palace advisers and assert his control over prominent and powerful officials of the government. Kösem Sultan reportedly attempted to appease her son with a gift of elaborately outfitted horses and a banquet costing ten thousand aspers."
From "The Imperial Harem" by Leslie P. Peirce, on page 245.
The source Leslie P.Peirce conveys for this is "Venetian ambassadorial report, 2 September 1628, in Hammer, Histoire, 9:127".
This is what Hammer states, in his work's original German, about the matter:
"Er fing nun an, seine Kraft zu fühlen, und die Vormundsohaft der Mutter, der Sultaninn Mondgestalt oder Kösem, welche bisher mit ihrem Geschöpfe, dem Kislaraga Mustafa, in des Sultans Nahmen geherrscht und die Grosswesire ernannt, müde zu seyn. Er zürnte des zu grossen Schutzes, den sie ihrem und des Kislaraga Geschöpfe, dem neueu Kapudanpascha und Schwager Hasan gewährte. Um seinen Unwillen kund zu geben, und Schwager und Mutter zittern zu machen, liess er dem Kapudanpascha die Gemahlinn Schwester wegnehmen. Diess war kurz vorher, vor der Hinrichtung des Schwagers Kara Mustafa, geschehen, welcher seiner Erpressungen in Asien willen geköpft worden; das Harem einer Sultaninn durfte als Zufluchtsstätte eines dem Tode bestimmten Verbrechers nicht entweiht werden, sollte aber demselben als Heiligthum keine Sicherheit gewähren; doch blieb's für diessmahl bey diesem schrecklichen Wetterleuchten der Ungnade des Sultans. Um ihn zu besänftigen und zu versöhnen, wandte die Walide zehntausend Ducaten auf ein Fest, das sie dem Sohne gab, ausser einem Geschenke von Pferden mit Juwelen geziemirt. Einer lebensgefährlichen Krankheit widerstand die kraftige Jugend des Sultans. (...) b) Regina madre ha fatto solenne feste al Re, ha speto 10,000 zechini oltro un donativo di Cavalli con fornimenti gioellati per riconciliarsi seco, disgustato il Re per la protezione che tiene del Capitanbassa, che troppo potentemente vien sostenuto dalla madre: per questo mandò il Re a levar la Sultana moglie del Capitanbassa. Rel. ven. 2 Sett. 1628. c) Rel. ven. und im Berichte vom Dec. 1627. Mustafa cognato del Re decapitato per estorsioni in Asia. d) Al Re si e cavato due volte sangue, si era dubitato assai della sua vita; e corpulento e disordinato, si governa secondo il suo cappricio ed appetito, si e risanato in virtù della gioventú e si e ridotto nel Seraglio di Costantinopoli. 30 Sett. 1628. Rel. ven."
From "Geschichte des Osmanischen Reiches 1623 - 1656" by Joseph von Hammer-Pürgstall, on page 99.
The words used by Joseph von Hammer don't imply the dissolution of the marriage at all. Rather, the word "wegnehmen" translate to "take away" or "seize". This is also true for the words used in the Relazione that Hammer references, "a levar" means "take away". Both of them don't imply a dissolution of marriage, but that Murad IV took Fatma Sultan away from her husband. Joseph von Hammer himself, as I'll show at the end, even mentions that Fatma Sultan and Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa are married pages later in his text after this date.
Moreover, an important mistake is made by Joseph von Hammer in his own text: while refering two Relazioni, one that says in September 2nd, 1628, Murad took Fatma Sultan away from her husband Hasan Paşa, and another from December 1627 that Kara Mustafa Paşa, Murad's brother-in-law, was executed in Anatolia, in his own text Hammer contradicts the dates of the Relazioni and says Kara Mustafa Paşa's execution happened after Fatma Sultan was taken away from Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa. This is probably a confusion. For this reason, I believe, a few modern historians claimed Fatma Sultan married Hasan Paşa as first husband and then, after a divorce, married Kara Mustafa Paşa after as second husband. My findings in the reports of French ambassador Philippe de Harlay don't support this. Rather, Kara Mustafa Paşa was Fatma Sultan's first husband, whom she was married to for a year and almost two months before his execution on December 11th, 1627, and Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa was her second husband, whom she married on April 1628, and whom she was never divorced from.
Was there ever a dissolution of the marriage between Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa and Fatma Sultan in 1628?
As I have discussed above, there seems to be a misunderstanding caused by both the confusion regarding the date of Kara Mustafa Paşa's execution and possibly a translation error.
A report sent to Rome on January 10th, 1629, shows that Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa was still the husband of Murad IV's sister and was very influential, although the report conveys the false rumor he would become Beylerbeyi of Egypt:
"Il Generalo del Mare que di presente governa per la intercessioni della moglie sorella del Rè si spera que farà Bassà del Cairo, poiché quello fù fatto è stato levato."
From "Gualterucci Alexandri, Badelli Antonii et Reggio Roma, Lonato Petri Antonii Mediolano, incertorum ex variis urbibus monita seu nuntii (vulgo avvisi) missa ad Franciscum Mariam II, Urbini ducem." on Archive "Manuscript - Urb.lat.1099.pt.1", on page 147r. Link: https://digi.vatlib.it/view/MSS_Urb.lat.1099.pt.1
The French ambassador Philippe de Harlay doesn't report a dissolution of Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa and Fatma Sultan's marriage. The dating of the Relazione mentioned by Hammer for Murad IV taking away Fatma from Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa is September 2nd, 1628. But in his dispatches after this date, Philippe de Harlay continues to refer to Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa as a brother-in-law of Murad IV and as an influential man at the Ottoman court.
On his dispatch dated November 10th, 1629, the French ambassador Philippe de Harlay mentions that the "four brothers-in-law" of Murad IV, including Kaymakam Damad Topal Recep Paşa, would be opponents of the Grand Vizier, and that the four of them are under the influence of their wives, who were influential through Valide Kösem Sultan:
"On escrit qui les quatre beaux freres du Grand Sgr quy ne l'ayment font, chercheront a le ruyner et le vouldront rendre garoud de tout levénément de cette guerre, bien qu'eup mesme l'ayent conseillee fous ce d'affayre de luy et demeurér icy maistres des affayres lar le moyen de leurs femmes lesquelles possédent absoluement la Sultane Mere du Grand Sgr, tellement puyssante et authoritee que cela ne se peult réprésentér."
From "Papiers de l'ambassade de Philippe de Harlay, comte de Césy, à Constantinople", on Archive 16153 or "IV Minutes et quelques copies de dépêches de Mr de Césy, janvier 1628-décembre 1631", on page 233. Link: https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b9063795s/f262.item.zoom
Another report of Philippe de Harlay, mentioning the "four brothers-in-law", in November 29th, 1629:
"Toutesfois il ce void qui les principaulx de la loy s'assemblent souvant che luy pour consulter des voyes quils pourrant tenir pour pour le garantir de l'oppression dudit Caymacam et des troys aultre beaus freres du Grand Sgr lesquels par le moyen de leurs femmes ce donnent la license de fayre tout quy leur plaisé, et tient on qui dans ces coloques il fest supposé de changer pour son extreme imbecillité et qui qu'il fallait attendre pour cet effect le retour du premier Vizir grand ennemy des quatre beaux freres."
From "Papiers de l'ambassade de Philippe de Harlay, comte de Césy, à Constantinople", on Archive 16153 or "IV Minutes et quelques copies de dépêches de Mr de Césy, janvier 1628-décembre 1631", on page 239. Link: https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b9063795s/f269.item.zoom
The fact that Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa is among the "four brothers-in-law" frequently mentioned by Philippe de Harlay is confirmed on another dispatch, dated December 9th, 1629, on which Philippe de Harlay states that the most powerful men of the Porte are Damad Kaymakam Topal Recep Paşa and Kaptan-i Derya Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa, referencing to Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa as part of the "four brothers-in-law":
"Il est vray qui le Mofty durant ces desordres fait ce qu'il peult pour y apporter quelques remeddes, mays luy mesme ne seult s'exemptér de l'oppression des quatre beaux freres du Grand Sgr dont les deux a scavoir le Caymacam et le Bacha de la Mer gouviernent tout."
From "Papiers de l'ambassade de Philippe de Harlay, comte de Césy, à Constantinople", on Archive 16153 or "IV Minutes et quelques copies de dépêches de Mr de Césy, janvier 1628-décembre 1631", on page 247. Link: https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b9063795s/f277.item.zoom
All these reports confirm that Fatma Sultan and Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa were never divorced or separated from each other after September 2nd, 1628, when the discord with Murad IV took place. Rather, Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa and Fatma Sultan's marriage continued until Fatma Sultan became a widow on August 1631. In addition, Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa was in a greatly favored position after this discord with Murad IV in 1628.
Then what happened between Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa, Fatma Sultan, Murad IV and Kösem Sultan in 1628?
While I was unable to find any reference to Murad IV "taking away" Fatma Sultan from her husband with exception of Joseph von Hammer, it remains the question of what exactly happened in September 2nd, 1628, and why.
Although not certain if it relates to the same event of Relazione from September 2nd, 1628 mentioned by Joseph von Hammer, at least one report sent to Rome, with news from Istanbul dated July 28th, 1628, mentions a curious situation: it states that Sultan Murad IV was likely sparing Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa's life because of the pleas of his mother, Valide Kösem Sultan, and his sister Fatma Sultan:
"Di che qua se n'è sentito gran consolatione per tal nova, et sono per tale effetto stati fatti gran presenti al Bei, che l'ha portata, dicendosi che Dangliran si no levato dalli Assedio di Cafe, et ritiratosi con la sua gente alla volta di Polonia senza esser stato seguitato da Tartari, onde si dubita, che questa non sia stata una fintione a priegli del Capitan Bassà Generale della Armata, intendendosi che con detto Dangliran passava bonissima inteliggenza; É pero il Gran Signore hà spedito gente per far levare la testa al sudetto Bassà; ma la Madre, et la Moglie sorella del Gran Signore l'hanno pregato tanto à perdonarli, che si crede habbino ottenuto la gratia."
From "Tadino Bernardini, Gualterucci Alexandri, Badelli Antonii, Ginelli Dionysii Roma, incertorum ex aliis urbibus monita seu nuntii (vulgo avvisi) missa ad Franciscum Mariam II, Urbini ducem", on the archive "Manuscript - Urb.lat.1098.pt.2", on page 481r. Link: https://digi.vatlib.it/view/MSS_Urb.lat.1098.pt.2
Could Fatma Sultan have divorced Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa after 1628 instead?
No, Fatma Sultan didn't divorce Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa after 1628.
Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa was sent on a mission to the Balkans in 1631, on which he eventually died. On his dispatch dated April 5th, 1631, Philippe de Harlay, on the occasion of Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa leaving Istanbul, mentioned him as the Sultan's brother-in-law, showing that he still was a Damad:
"Et un des beaux freres du Grand Sgr nommée Assan Bacha cy devant Bacha de la Mer doit partir aujourdhuy pour la Romelie affin de treisper tous ceulx qui doive aller a l'armie."
From "Papiers de l'ambassade de Philippe de Harlay, comte de Césy, à Constantinople", on Archive 16153 or "IV Minutes et quelques copies de dépêches de Mr de Césy, janvier 1628-décembre 1631", on page 425. Link: https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b9063795s/f464.item.zoom
On his dispatch dated August 17th, 1631, upon reporting the death of Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa, Philippe de Harlay states that besides the suspicions of Topal Recep Paşa's involvement in Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa's death and Murad IV's displeasure at hearing about Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa's death, he gave the wealth to Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa's widow Fatma Sultan, who would wait 40 days before taking a new husband:
"Et pour donner compta a Vme. Mte. des couporte d'Helles Bacha telle entendre sil luy plait comme il a ensierement desarmé depuys le commandement qu'il en a reçeu par un capitayne des gardes du Grand Sgr qu'ils appellent icy un Capigy Bachy, ce qui a donne aultant de contentemeut a sa Hautesse quelle a receu de desplaisirs de la mort d'Assan Bacha son beau frere cy devant Bacha de la Mer lequel revenant de la Romelie n'a esté qui douze heures maladde, non sans soupçon de poison car on tient qu'il venuit avée asseurance destre Caymacam. Le Grand Sgr n'a rien pris de son bien jusqu'a cette deure, ayant layssé toutes choses entre les mains de la veufve sans parti, car les femmes ce peuvent marier icy quarante jours apres la mort de leurs marys."
From "Papiers de l'ambassade de Philippe de Harlay, comte de Césy, à Constantinople", on Archive 16153 or "IV Minutes et quelques copies de dépêches de Mr de Césy, janvier 1628-décembre 1631", on page 485 and 486. Link: https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b9063795s/f526.item.zoom
All these dispatches from the French ambassador Philippe de Harlay presented in this post give a clear answer that Fatma Sultan binti Ahmed I never divorced Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa in 1628 or afterwards.
I would add this particular French journal from 1631, reporting the death of Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa, which refers to him as Sultan Murad IV's brother-in-law and which I have posted before: https://www.tumblr.com/rhaenahanzades/808568319203524608/death-of-%C3%A7atalcal%C4%B1-hasan-pa%C5%9Fa?source=share
If any more evidence is needed, Ottoman historian Mustafa Naima also refers to Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa as a Damad and as married to Fatma Sultan when he left Istanbul in 1631 to Budin, besides describing the political maneuvers taken by his rival brother-in-law Kaymakam Damad Topal Recep Paşa against him that led to his dismissal from Kaptan-i Derya position:
"1040 senesi Safer ayının sonunda [1630 Rebiülevveli başı] Boǧaz'dan gelip şenliklerle Tersane-i Âmire'ye ulaştı. Bu sefer sırasında Hasan Paşa, padişahın kız kardeşi Fatma Sultan'ı alıp damat olduǧundan Receb Paşa kaymakamlık mansıbını kendisinden alması vehmine düşüp Hasan Paşa'ya düşman oldu. Murtaza Paşa da Hasan Paşa hakkinda dedi kodu ve kötüleme yüzünden hareket edip kötü haline dair birtakım kaǧıtlar yazmıştı. Hasan Paşa'nın kapu kethüdası Konyalı Abdülfettah Aǧa ki, Saraçzade diye tanınır ve Koca Murad Paşa emriyle boǧulan hunhar Saraçzade Ahmed Bey'in küçük kardeşidir, paşasına ihanet hususuna yardım etmekle işler tersine döndü. Hatta Hasan Paşa, Özü altında Murtaza Paşa'nın kendi aleyhinde olduǧunu sezmekle yakalayıp katletmek istemişti. Ama Murtaza Paşa uyanık adam olduǧundan tuzaǧına düşmeyip daha önce Akkirman semtine kaçmıştı. Kaptan Hasan Paşa İstanbul'a gelince Receb Paşa makamını korumak için onu azletmeye çalışıp onu padişaha şikayet etmişti.Bu senenin Rebiülevvel ayının 12. Pazar günü Sultan Ahmed Camii'nde mevlid-i şerif toplantısı olup vezirler, vekiller, ulemanın âyanı orada hazırdı. Padişah hazretleri de gelip bolca şeker ve şerbet daǧıtılıp o gün Receb Paşa'nın girişimleri işe yarayıp Hasan Paşa kaptanlık görevinden azledildi. (...) Bu kere Hasan Paşa da damat olduǧu için eli boş kalması uygun görülmeyip Budin Eyaleti ile İstanbul'dan taşraya çıkardılar. Sonra Budin'i başkasına verip kendisini Rumeli'de asker sürmeye memur ettiler. O da emir gereǧi asker sürerek Yenişehir'e vardı. Oradan kalkıp Tırhala'ya giderken Doǧan Köprüsü adlı konaǧa konduǧunda sıtmaya tutulup vefat etti. Bazıları Receb Paşa tarafından zehirlendiǧine yordular."
From "Günümüz Türkçesiyle Naima Tarihi", vol.3, by Seyit Ali Kahraman.
While Leslie P.Peirce uses Joseph von Hammer as a source to claim a dissolution of marriage that never happened, Joseph von Hammer in fact confirms the couple was still married for years after the events he mentions in 1628 and which is what Leslie P.Peirce references. One example is below, of Joseph von Hammer echoing Ottoman historian Mustafa Naima by saying Fatma Sultan was married to Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa when Topal Recep Paşa plotted against him and also that, according to a Venetian bailo's relazione, Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa did expected to become Kaymakam, replacing Topal Recep Paşa, by means of his mother-in-law Valide Kösem Sultan, but this plot wasn't successful:
"Während der Kapudanpascha Hasan, der Gemahl Fatima's, der Schwester des Sultans, zu Ocsakow, schmiedeten wider ihn sein Schwager Redschebpascha, der Kaïmakam, und Murtesapascha, der Statthalter von Ofen, Ränke, ihn seiner Stelle zu entsetzen. Der Kiaja des Pascha, Seradschfade, Bruder des vom alten Muradpascha hingerichteten Serradschfade, both dazu die Hände, aber Hasan, dem Complotte auf der Spur, tödtete ihn, und würde auch den Murtesapascha getödtet haben, wenn dieser nicht zeitlich genug nach Akkerman entflohen wäre. Zu Constantinopel kam des Kaimakams Anschlag, dem Schwager den Oberbefehl der Flotte zu nehmen, zur Reife. Am Geburtsfeste des Propheten wurde Hasan absegetzt, und die Admiralschaft dem jüngst als Oberststallmeister aus dem Serai getretenen Sohne Dschanbulad's verliehen, welcher wissenschaftlich gebildet, besonders eine ungemein schöne Hand schrieh. Hasan, wiewohl von der Sultanin Chasseki, welche unlängst dem Sultan einen Prinzen geboren, begünstigt, konnte doch nicht, wie man glaubte, die Admiralschaft erhalten, sondern wurde mit dem Auftrage, Truppen auszuheben und zusammen zu treiben, nach Rumili geschickt.ª (...) a) Sultana, madre del figlio nato al Re, presentata (heschenkt) dai grandi principalmente dal Capitanbassa, di cui ognuno predica vicino al risorgimento. Marzo 1631. Asanbassa col mezzo della Regina Madre procura di esser eletto Caimacam, ma e scoperta la trama. Mehmetaga voleva esser Defterdar, ha perduto la testa. Aprile 1631. Rel. ven."
From "Geschichte des Osmanischen Reiches 1623 - 1656" by Joseph von Hammer-Pürgstall, on page 128.
In fact, like Mustafa Naima and the Venetian relazione from April 1631, the ambassador Philippe de Harlay also mentions that Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa was said to be given the place of Kaymakam, replacing Topal Recep Paşa, who was ill with gout and "useless", on Philippe de Harlay's dispatch of June 30th, 1630:
"Le Bacha de la Mer est party de ce part avée quarante galeres et se tiene depuys quelques jours vers la Colonne de Pompée icy pres a l'amboncheuse du Canal de la Mer Noyre attendant des nouvelles des Barques qu'on dit estre dessondues par le Tanays et par le Boristhene. Et duránt ce sejour il s'est parlé de le faire Caymacam pour les cepticemes incommeddités des gouttes qui vendent innutille celuy qui occuppe cette charge."
From "Papiers de l'ambassade de Philippe de Harlay, comte de Césy, à Constantinople", on Archive 16153 or "IV Minutes et quelques copies de dépêches de Mr de Césy, janvier 1628-décembre 1631", on page 318. Link: https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b9063795s/f351.item.zoom
To summarize the biggest point of this post: Contemporary sources refute any theory of a divorce or separation between Fatma Sultan and Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa - what is supported by contemporary sources is that Fatma Sultan and Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa stayed married to each other and Çatalcalı Hasan Paşa's career was immensely supported by his wife Fatma Sultan and his mother-in-law Kösem Sultan, as he became one of the most influential men of the Porte in 1629 according to the French ambassador and was thanks to his marriage to Fatma Sultan and damad status that he also received a post after his dismissal in 1630 according to chronicler Mustafa Naima as it was inappropriate for him, a damad, to remain without one. The basis provided for the claim of a divorce or dissolution has been nothing more than a confusion or translation error from Joseph von Hammer's history series, who does not claim a divorce happened between this couple at all.
