Cretan War

Main article: Cretan War (1645–1669)

The Grand Vizier Mustafa Pasha and Kösem continued to direct the affairs of
government throughout the first four years of Ibrahim's reign. The rivalry between
them grew stronger as time went on, and early in 1644, Kösem allied herself with
Cinci Hoca, and together, they persuaded Ibrahim to have Kara Mustafa Pasha
executed.[86][87] From that point on, she concentrated her efforts on increasing
the pay of the Janissaries.[88] However, the treasury had run out of money in 1645
when it came time to pay them. Kösem tried to get financial assistance from Cinci
Hoca, the sultan's chief treasurer, but he declined. She later explained this
situation to the Janissaries, writing to them: "I want to distribute your service
pay but Cinci Hoca does not allow me", causing the Janissaries to consider Cinci
Hoca as an enemy, causing the Janissaries to murder him.[89]

Due to the shortfall in the Imperial funds, Kösem and her allies urged Ibrahim to
launch a naval assault on the Venetian-controlled island of Crete, Venice's largest
and wealthiest overseas possession. The campaign, however, was largely
unsuccessful, and the venture further drained the treasury.[90]

Palace feud
Şivekar Sultan, a former slave of Kösem, was an Armenian from the Bosphorus village
of Arnavutkoy, who is said to have weighed nearly 330 pounds.[91] According to
Rycaut, Ibrahim became so infatuated with her that he was unable to deny her
anything, which led to her downfall because she incurred the wrath of Kösem: "By
these particulars the Queen Mother becoming jealous, one day inviting her to
Dinner, caused her to be Strangled, and persuaded Ibrahim that she died suddenly of
a violent Sickness, at which the poor Man was greatly afflicted.' She then informed
the distraught Ibrahim that Şivekar Sultan 'had died suddenly of a powerful
illness."[92] However, other sources suggest that Şivekar Sultan was exiled to
Egypt or Chios after Ibrahim's death in 1648.[93] Her fall was a clear sign that
Kösem, like others, despised Ibrahim's concubines' excessive influence over
political matters. Kösem is also known to have had a strict policy for the eunuchs
in the harem, which denied them any influence in the running of the state.
Moreover, she quickly got rid of the female lovers of these eunuchs some of whom
were manumitted while others were sent to be sold in the slave market.[94]

Ibrahim allegedly tried to rape a concubine who spurned him and threatened to stab
him if he persisted. Their struggle was overheard by Kösem, who reprimanded Ibrahim
and allowed the woman to escape the harem.[39]

Meanwhile, Ibrahim's favourites had grown envious of Kösem, encouraging her son to
rebel against her. Thus, Ibrahim rejected his mother's authority and Kösem withdrew
from the harem to live in a summer house outside Topkapı Palace[95] and then in a
house in an Imperial garden in Eyüp.[13]After Kösem's departure, and in another
assault on palace protocol, Ibrahim began humiliating his sisters Ayşe, Fatma, and
Hanzade, as well as his niece Kaya, subordinating them to his concubines, to whom
he gave their land and jewels. He also forced his sisters and niece to work as
maids for his wife Hümaşah Sultan. This infuriated Kösem, who turned against
Ibrahim.[96]

Deposition of Ibrahim

Portrait of Mahpeyker Kösem Sultan, c. 19th century

Alarmed by Ibrahim's erratic behaviour, in September 1647, the Grand Vizier Salih
Pasha and Şeyülislam Abdürrahim Efendi plotted to depose him. The Şeyülislam
deferred to Kösem in the matter of her son's deposition, informing her that all of
the statesmen were in favour and that they were prepared to swear allegiance to
Ibrahim's son, Mehmed, the eldest prince. But Kösem hesitated, either out of
maternal instinct or for fear of losing her own political power.[97] Instead she
begged the co-conspirators to leave her son on the throne but under the
guardianship of the grand vizier.[98]

Made aware of the attempt to topple him, Ibrahim had the Grand Vizier Salih Pasha
executed. Initially, Ibrahim planned to have his mother, whom he suspected of being
part of the conspiracy, exiled to the island of Rhodes, However, such as indignity
was resisted by one of his hasekis[82] and instead Kösem was exiled to the Iskender
Çelebi garden in Florya. According to Naima:

"[T]he valide sultan would sometimes speak affectionately, giving counsel to the...
padishah. But because he paid no attention to her, she became reluctant to talk
with him, and for a long while resided in the gardens near Topkapi. During this
time the padishah became angry as a result of some rumors and sent Ahmed Pasha to
exile the valide sultan to the garden of Iskender (thereby breaking the hearts of
all, great and small.)"[99]