Fatma Hanım

Fatma Hanım, whose date of birth could not be determined, was the wife of İsmail Hakkı Sâmi Efendi, one of the last great masters of Ottoman calligraphy. Sâmi Efendi rose to the post of examiner in the Imperial Order Chancery and was considered one of the strongest calligraphers of his time in celî sülüs, celî ta‘lik, celî divanî and tughra.

Fatma Hanım’s family circle also touches on a sorrowful period in Sâmi Efendi’s life. After their daughter Saadet Hanım died on 20 January 1903, Sâmi Efendi paused his calligraphy practice; he also had to take an advance against his salary to cover the burial expenses of both Saadet Hanım and Fatma Hanım.

Fatma Hanım died on Saturday, 11 Rabi al-Akhir 1322 (25 June 1904), and was buried in the Fatih Mosque Cemetery.

Eight years after Fatma Hanım’s death, Sâmi Efendi, who died on 1 July 1912, was also buried beside his wife and daughter in the Fatih Mosque Cemetery.