Neshedil Kadinefendi

Neshedil Qadin (, ; 1857 – 30 January 1924; meaning "Gay-Hearted", "Joy of Soul") was a consort to Khedive Isma'il Pasha of Egypt. Early life Born in 1857 in Caucasus, Neshedil was a Circassian, 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. Life with the Khedive 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. She was about sixteen Khedive Ismail gave her a separate establishment in the Saffron 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 Abdeen 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 Abdeen, 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 never mentioned names and disliked to talk about the incident.