Editing Mehmed VI (section)

== Harem ==
One day in 1884, Vahdeddin visited his half-sister [[Cemile Sultan|Cemile Sultana]], where he discovered one of her ladies-in-waiting, [[Emine Nazikeda]] [[Hanım]], an [[Abkhazians|Abkhaz]] noblewomen from the Marshan family. It was love at first sight.{{Sfn|Bardakçı|1998|p=41–42}} But when he asked Cemile for Emine's hand in marriage, she flat out refused, for she treated Nazikeda like a daughter, and thought her company was irreplaceable during her daughter's tragic bout with tuberculosis.{{sfn|Bardakçı|2017|pp=8–9}}{{sfn|Açba|2004|p=67}} After more than a year pleading with Cemile she finally gave her blessing on the condition she would be Vahdeddin's only wife. Vahdeddin and Nazikeda's marriage was held on 8 June 1885.{{sfn|Uluçay|2011|p=262}} The groom was 24 and the bride 19. The couple was popular among the high society. They lived in one of the [[Feriye Palace|palaces of Feriye]], but when it was destroyed in a fire they moved to the [[Çengelköy Pavilion]].{{sfn|Bardakçı|2017|p=9}}{{Sfn|Bardakçı|1998|p=42}} They enjoyed horseback riding together in the wilderness of their estate.{{Sfn|Bardakçı|1998|p=42}} Their first daughter was born three years after their marriage: Fenire Sultana, who died a few weeks later.{{Sfn|Bardakçı|1998|p=42}} They had two daughters that survived to adulthood: [[Ulviye Sultan|Fatma Ulviye Sultana]], (1892–1967), and [[Sabiha Sultan|Rukiye Sabiha Sultana]] (1894–1971), who were gifted mansions known as the Twin Palaces in [[Nişantaşı]]. After Sabiha's birth Nazikeda was informed by doctors that she could not have any more children.{{sfn|Bardakçı|2017|pp=9–10}}

Even though Vahdeddin was far in the line of succession, he wanted a son on the off chance he could become Sultan and change the succession law to [[agnatic primogeniture]]. He took new wives with the consent of Nazikeda, breaking his oath to Cemile after 20 years of monogamy. In 1905 he married [[İnşirah Hanım]] but this marriage wasn't happy and he permitted her a divorce in 1909. In 1912 [[Şehzade Mehmed Ertuğrul]] was born from his second consort: [[Müveddet Kadın]] (m. 1911).{{sfn|Bardakçı|2017|p=10}} His other consorts were [[Nevvare Hanım]] -Müveddet's niece (m. 1918), and [[Nevzad Hanım]] (m. 1921).

When he did ascend to the throne in 1918, Vahdeddin's biological and adoptive mothers (Gülistû and Şâyeste) -who could have become [[Valide sultan|Valide Sultanas]]- were already dead, leaving Nazikeda the most prominent lady of the court. Vahdeddin bestowed upon her the title [[BaşKadın]] and she was known as "The Last Empress".{{sfn|Bardakçı|2017|p=10}}