Neshedil Kadinefendi
| Neshedil Kadinefendi | |||||
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| Born |
c. 1857 Georgia |
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| Died | 30 January 1924 Nice, France |
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| Burial | Khedival Mausoleum, Al-Rifa'i Mosque, Cairo, Egypt | ||||
| Spouse | Isma'il Pasha | ||||
| Issue | Princess Emina Aziza Princess Nimetullah a still born son |
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| House | House of Muhammad Ali | ||||
| Religion | Orthodox Christian at birth, converted to Islam after her capture | ||||
| Full name | |
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| Neshedil |
Neshedil Kadinefendi (Turkish: Neşedil Kadınefendi)(Arabic: نشئة دل فادين افندی)(c. 1857 - 30 January 1924) was a consort to Khedive Isma'il Pasha of Egypt.
Born in 1857 in Caucasus, Neshedil was a Georgian, whose early childhood had been spent in the mountains. Disaster overtook the clan when Neshedil was aged seven. She along with her brother were captured during the raid and were sold to a slave dealer. He took them to Istanbul, where they were separated, and she never again saw or heard of her brother. She herself was brought by the wife of a pasha, who educated her according to the custom of the time. The child was kindly treated, received careful religious instruction, and was taught to read but not to write, as the latter accomplishment might have been an inducement to her pen love letters. She also became an accomplished needlewoman and learned to make the finest lace, oya, and embroidery.
At fifteen she was sold to the Khedive Ismail and went to Egypt. Together with other young Circassians she spent a year in the Guezireh Palace, being trained for a life for court, and was named Neshedil (meaning "joy of soul"). She was about sixteen Khedive Ismail gave her a separate establishment in the Zaaferan Palace, with fifty Circassian and thirty Abyssinian slaves of her own. Her clothes, lingerie, and house linen were ordered from Paris. After she had settled in her new surroundings, the Khedive said that it was time for her to go and visit his senior wives at the Abdin Palace. Trembling inwardly, she went dressed in the finest Brussels lace over a pale blue satin, with a necklace and earrings of rubies and diamonds. Outwardly she maintained her composure and her radiant beauty caused a sensation. Neither of them had expected so much grace and loveliness.
Ismail's unflagging devotion to her raised such a storm of jealousy that after the birth of her second child, during one of her visits to Abdin, she was served with poisoned coffee. Feeling desperately ill, Neshedil hurried home, nearly dying on the way. The efforts to save her were successful. She slowly came back to life, but never to her former health. After giving birth to a premature son, she was debarred from having other children. Neshedil Kadin Effendi never mentioned names and disliked to talk about the incident. Ismail was so enraged that he made over to her name the title deeds of the Insha and small Ismailieh Palaces, a gift such as he had never made to any of his former wives, and offered her a set of diamonds, comprising a tiara, with matching earrings, necklace, brooch, belt, bracelets, and rings. He also advised her never again to take food or drink outside her own house. Contrary to his expectations, on receiving his gift Neshedil burst into tears, fell on her knees, and implored him not to give her anything that might cause further jealousy. She firmly refused the jewels, and only when threatened with the Khedive's displeasure reluctantly accepted the palaces. In Zaaferan Palace two daughter had been born to her, Emina Aziza, in 1874, and Nimetullah, in 1875, both in September.
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Wikipedia