Marriage
In 1792, when Esma was fourteen, her cousin Selim III arranged her marriage to Küçük Hüseyin Pasha, who was captain of the seas. Hüseyin Pasha was born in 1758, and was of Georgian origin, he was presented to the palace by Silahtar Ibrahim Pasha, and has taken his education from Enderûn, he entered in the service of Şehzade Mehmed, the half-brother of Sultan Selim that died in infancy, as Lala (tutor). On 10 March 1792, he rose to the rank of Kapudan Pasha.
The engagement took place on 29 May 1792. The wedding processions were held in Istanbul, the deputy of Esma Sultan was Darussade Agha. Following the engagement, a major disturbance took place in the Aegean Islands, Hüseyin Pasha left Istanbul and the wedding as a result was postponed, Hüseyin Pasha returned to Istanbul on 29 September 1792. Three months later on 19 December 1792, the wedding of Esma Sultan and Hüseyin Pasha took place. The next day she was transferred to Yeşil Palace at Divanyolu, which had been allocated to her.
Valuable gifts were also sent by Mihrişah Sultan at the wedding of Esma Sultan. The gifts of the Valide Sultan were as follows: one medium-sized and 706 small rose diamonds and a chandelier decorated with red rubies and diamonds; For the palace of the sultan's house in Divanyolu, 18 pieces of Austrian footbed pillows, 3 pieces of Polish-made striped and fringed, solid wire upper mat cushion, 3 pieces of mattress.
Esma and her husband were socially active and used to organise parties in their palaces, these events caused various rumours to spread around the capital, it is said that Esma had fondness for bright eyed young men. Esma was said to be very social, well versed and beautiful.
In 1797, Hüseyin Pasha was sent to Vidin to execute Pasvantoğlu Osman, who had rebelled against Selim. Following that, he besieged the Vidin Castle, due to lack of soldiers and intense cold, resentment grew against Hüseyin and other statesmen, and Pasvantoğlu was pardoned. On 2 July 1798, Napoleon Bonaparte landed in Egypt in order to take over during the French campaign in Egypt and Syria, Hüseyin Pasha and the navy sailed to the Mediterranean, and on 27 June 1801, the Ottomans decisively defeated the French with the help of the British Navy and signed the peace treaty with France. Esma Sultan was delighted to hear the success of the Pasha of liberating Egypt from the French. Hüseyin Pasha died on 8 December 1803 and was buried in Mihrişah Sultan Mausoleum at Eyüp.
She never married again.
