Second reign of Mustafa I

In place of Osman, the weak and incompetent Mustafa was restored to the throne with
the support of Kösem. While power initially went to Kösem and his mother, the
Janissaries and others who had carried out the revolt then reacted violently to the
regicide of Osman and killed all those whom they considered responsible while at
the same time attempting to protect the remaining sons of Ahmed against the efforts
of Halime to eliminate them to protect her son.

In an effort to build her own position, Kösem secured the appointment as grand
vizier of Mere Hüseyin Pasha, an Albanian who presented himself as a reformer,
promising to move against the assassins. However, Hüseyin Pasha used the situation
to his own advantage, raiding the state treasury for his own benefit under the
pretext of punishing those responsible for the regicide of Osman.[41]

During the closing months of Mustafa's second reign, he ordered the execution of
everyone involved in Osman's death, including Kösem's sons. But before his orders
could be carried out, both Kösem and the eunuch corps intervened and deposed him
again. Kösem eventually reached an agreement with the viziers to install her son
Murad as sultan.[34][39] Mustafa would go on to spend the rest of his life in the
Kafes.[42]

Valide sultan
Reign of Murad IV

Oil painting depicting the young Murad IV (anonymous, c. 17th century)

Kösem entered the Topkapı Palace with a great ceremony which included having a
thousand dervishes marching with prayers to celebrate her forthcoming.[43] She was
once again thrust into the political arena when her son ascended to the throne on
10 September 1623 as Murad IV. Since he was a minor, she was appointed not only as
valide sultan but also as official regent (naib-i-sultanat).[34]

In 1623, the Ottoman court sent a letter to the Republic of Venice, formally
announcing Murad IV's succession to the throne and referring to Kösem as valide
sultan: "Her Majesty the Sultana Valide [...] for the late Sultan Ahmed, whom Allah
took with him, was a very important person and he loved her so much that he
honoured her by marrying her." The letter further indicates that Kösem would rule
in her son's name: "We have great hope and faith in the valide sultan, who - among
all women enjoying the position - is distinguished by maturity and virtue of
character."[44]

Shortly after Murad's enthronement, a Venetian ambassadorial message remarked on

Kösem's political experience:

"[A]ll power and authority [is with] the mother, a woman completely different from
that of Sultan Mustafa, in the prime of life and of lofty mind and spirit, [who]
often took part in the government during the reign of her husband."[45]

A month before the Venetian despatch, the English envoy Thomas Roe predicted that
the new sultan would be "gouemed by his mother, who gouemed his father, a man of
spirit and witt."[45]

After Murad's accession, all his brothers were confined in the Kafes, a part of the
imperial harem where the palace eunuchs kept possible successors to the throne
under a form of house-arrest and constant surveillance.[46][47]

As regent, Kösem effectively ran the empire through her son, Murad, attending and
arranging divan (cabinet) sessions from behind a curtain. She was in charge of
appointing political figures and overseeing the state's administration, which
allowed her to establish connections with statesmen, judges, and other court
figures.[16] She would meet with foreign ambassadors from other countries to
discuss international treaties. The leading viziers wrote letters directly to her
and, in response, Kösem used her kira to compose letters to the viziers.[48]

Kösem seemed to have distinct expectations about her role when she first became
regent. According to the Turkish historian Özlem Kumrular:

"It is clear from the request made by the grand vizier (Kemankeş Kara Ali Pasha)
that during this period Kösem wanted to be with her underage son in the audience
hall and listen to any requests made by dignitaries. She wanted to accompany the
sultan and at the same time hold the power in her own hands. The grand vizier
stated in a very gentlemanly way that this desire was not in accordance with the
law (kanûn): 'My Lord and Ruler, what you are doing is against the law. Please
don't even articulate it. After all, I am your faithful servant and I do not wish
to be separated from you.'"

In 1623, Kemankeş Kara Ali Pasha was appointed grand vizier. His worst blunder was
permitting the Safavid Shah Abbas to capture Baghdad and Erivan in 1624, and then
hiding the news from Kösem and Murad, who was twelve years old at the time. Already
displeased, Kösem immediately deposed him and had him strangled with the support of
the Chief Black Eunuch Mustafa Ağa. He was replaced as grand vizier by Çerkes
Mehmed Pasha.[40]