Melike_Mama_Hatun
Mama Hatun
Female ruler of the Saltukids
Melike Mama Hatun, or simply Mama Hatun or Mamakhatun, was a female ruler of the Saltukids, with its capital in Erzurum, for an estimated nine years between 1191 and 1200.
During her reign she had a caravanserai, a mosque, a bridge, and a hammam built in the town of Tercan, located midway between Erzincan and Erzurum, which are still standing and are named after her.[2]
Her tomb, built by masters from Ahlat, is also in Tercan,[3] although the attribution to Mama Hatun is only the result of a strong oral tradition.[1] One of the secondary tombs is dated 1203, which tends to corroborate the general date of the building.[1] An inscription mentions the builder of the structure:[1]
The work of Abu’l Muna bin Mufaddal al-Awhal ... al-Khilati, the builder, may God pardon him, as well as his father and his mother.[1]
The town itself was called Mamahatun until recently, and is still referred to as such locally. During her reign she built mosques, a medrese, several mekteps, shadirvans, caravanserais, and other types of Islamic architecture. She also built many hammams throughout her rule.
Mama Hatun also remains a vivacious figure in Turkish folk literature to this day.