Emina Ilhamy’s biography, fact, career, awards, net worth and life story

Emina Ilhamy or Amina al-Hamy (Turkish: Emine Necibe İlhami; 24 May 1858 – 19 June 1931) was an Egyptian and Ottoman princess and a member of the Muhammad Ali Dynasty. She was the first Khediva from 1873 to 1892 as the wife of Khedive Tewfik Pasha and Valida Pasha to their son Abbas Hilmi II Pasha from 1892 to 1914.

Biography

Princess Emina Ilhamy Khanum was born on 24 May 1858 in Istanbul. She was the eldest daughter of Lieutenant General Prince Ibrahim al-Hami and Münire Sultan, grew up with Nazrin Kafin Effendi. She was the granddaughter of Abbas Hilmi I She had a brother, Prince Nail Bey who died after bith, and two sisters, Princess Zeyneb and Princess Tevhide. Princess Emina married her father’s cousin Tewfik Pasha on 16 January 1873, with whom she lived very happily. She was the first consort to be styled Khediva from 19 January 1873. The marriage was consummated on 23 January 1873 at Kasr al-‘Ali Palace, Cairo.

In possession of a large personal fortune, she gave a great part of it away in donations and charitable institutions, and was surnamed “Umm al-Muhsinin” (Mother of Charity). A girls’ school that she founded, whose principal ornament is a heavy, ornate sabil in Turkish baroque style, stands close to the mosque of Ibn Tulun. It is now known by the name of Umm Abbas, ‘Mother of Abbas.’ Princess Emina was as beautiful as she was kind and dignified.

At the death of her husband Khedive Tewfik of Egypt, her son, Abbas Hilmi II Pasha, whilst still attending college in Vienna, assumed the throne with the help of his mother on 7 January 1892. Emina Ilhamy was appointed Valide Pasha upon his accession, and became the most powerful woman in the realm, acting as political mentor for her son who later was deposed following the declaration of a British protectorate over Egypt. Emina Ilhamy’s son Abbas Hilmi II Pasha reigned from 1892 to 1914 and then from 1914 to 1944.

Princess Emina died in exile in her country house on 19 June 1931 at Bebek, Bosphorus, Istanbul, and was buried in Khedive Tawfik Mausoleum, Kait Bey, Cairo.

Children

Together with Tewfik she had five children:

• HH Abbas Hilmi II Pasha, Khedive of Egypt;
• HRH Prince Mohammed Ali Tewfik (Kubba Palace, Cairo, 9 November 1875 – Lausanne, Switzerland, 18 March 1955, and buried in Khedive Tawfik Mausoleum, Kait Bey, Cairo);
• HH Princess Nazli Khanum Effendi (11 April 1877 – Cairo, c. 1879);
• HH Princess Fakhr un-nisa Khadija Khanum Effendi (Cairo, 21 May 1880 – Helwan, 22 February 1951);
• HSH Princess Nimatullah Khanum Effendi (Cairo, 23 October 1882 – Nice, France, c. 1965, and buried there at the cimetière de Caucade).

Titles from birth

• 24 May 1858 – 19 January 1873 Her highness Princess Hanımsultan
• 19 January 1873 – 7 January 1892 Her highness Khediva Effendimiz
• 8 January 1892 – 19 December 1914 Her highness Valida Pasha

Honours

• Order of Honour (Nishan-i-Imtiaz)
• Order of Charity (Nishan-i-Shafakat)
• GC of the Order of the Crown of Hawaii (1883).