Murad III
This replica from the 16th century exhibited in your room is of one of the 87 talismanic shirts from the Collection of Sultan’s Clothing at Topkapi Palace and it is considered to have belonged to Murat III according to the prayers, motives and meanings of the talisman on the shirt and therefore was adorned with one of his poems…
May this talisman bring you victories; make you the conqueror and your country prosperous…
Having auburn hair, hazel eyes and fair skin, the fame of Murat III was beyond harem…
He was not only one of the wisest sultans of Ottoman Empire, but he brought Ottoman Empire to its broadest frontier during its history. Murat III was known for his compassion… He knew he met the love of his life the moment he saw Safiye. His mother and Safiye were the most important things in his life… His mother Nurbanu was the daughter in law of Legendary Hurrem Sultan… Nurbanu learnt a lot from her mother in law Hurrem Sultan about the order and operation of the palace. Mother Sultan Nurbanu, however, could not share his precious son with Safiye. She was slightly jealous but also wanted to save his son from the influence of Safiye so she kept sending him odalisques from the harem. Other women now were shadows over his love for Safiye…
Murat was an idealistic sultan; improving the Empire and broadening the frontiers were his only objectives. He would wear the original version of the shirt presented in your room during the expeditions he would venture. Although there is no proof of it, maybe because of the talisman of Al Fath (conquest) Surah written on the original shirt, Murat III made Ottoman Empire victorious. Another feature of this shirt is that various techniques are used for ornamenting. Red, black, yellow and gold colours are intensely used on thick clothing. The medallions on the both side of the neck slit are not witnessed on any other talismanic shirt; therefore this special shirt is considered to be engraved in North Africa.
Besides being renowned for his compassion and wisdom, Murat III was also an excellent poet. He focused on islamic mysticism about which he left various Arabic and Turkish works behind. Writing poems were maybe the only time he could be his true self. Last two stanzas of his poem called "Wake Up O My Eyes" are written on the shirt presented in your room. Murat III often mentioned about the mortal world, self and being well mannered.
It was a snowy January day when Murat III had a stroke and passed away at 49 in Topkapi Palace. Maybe he was at peace for how well he served his country yet he was forever regretful for how unfair he was to his love Safiye…
