Mehisti Hanım

Mehisti Hanım (مہستی خانم, "moon's presence" or "moon's desire"; born Atiye Akalsba and called also Mehisti Kadın; 27 January 1892 – c. 1964) was the fourth consort of Abdulmejid II, the last Caliph of the Ottoman Caliphate.

Early life
Mehisti Hanım was born in 1892 in Adapazarı, Istanbul. Born as Atiye Akalsba, she was member of Abkhazian noble family, Akalsba. Her father was Hacımaf Efendi Akalsba and her mother was Safiye Hanım. She had one brother, Fazıl Bey, and two sisters, Mihridil Hanım, and Mihrivefa Hanım.

In 1895, at aged three, her father entrusted her to the Yıldız Palace's imperial harem with her sisters. Here her name according to the custom of the Ottoman court was changed to Mehisti. She was then sent to the court of Şehzade Abdulmejid. She had blue eyes and long brown hair.

Marriage
Mehisti married Abdulmejid on 16 April 1912 in the Bağlarbaşı Palace, a month after Abdülmejid's marriage with his third consort, Mihrimah Bihruz Hanim. Hatice Hayriye Ayşe Dürrüşehvar Sultan, the couple's only daughter was born in the Çamlıca Palace on 26 January 1914.

At the exile of the imperial family in March 1924, she followed her husband and the other members of his entourage. They moved firstly to Switzerland and then to France where they settled in Paris. During exile, her daughter, Dürrüşehvar married Prince Azam Jah, the eldest son and heir of the last Nizam of Hyderabad State, Osman Ali Khan, Asif Jah VII, at Nice, on 12 November 1931 in a double ceremony with Nilüfer Hanimsultan, cousin of Dürrüşehvar, and Moazzam Jah, brother of Azam. Dürrüşehvar went to live in British India.

After her marriage, Dürrüşehvar took Mehisti with her. But, when the family traveled from India to Europe, and came to France, she and her daughter would stay with Abdulmejid. Neslişah notes that before Dürrüşehvar's marriage Mehisti was allowed to eat in the second sitting, along with Abdulmejid's second consort Hayrünnisa Hanım, the secretaries Behruze and Ofelya and other Kalfas. However, after her marriage, Mehisti's position changed, and she was allowed to eat at the first sitting.

Abdulmejid was interested in classical music. At times, he would perform with his wives, and the kalfas. He would be at the piano, Şehsuvar Hanım and Mehisti would play the violin, and Hayrünnisa Hanım the cello.

Death
After Abdulmejid's death in 1944, Mehisti settled in London. She died in 1964, and was buried in Brookwood Cemetery. After Dürrüşehvar's death in 2006, she was buried beside her.