Gevher Nesibe
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Seljuk princess, the daughter of Kılıçarslan II and the sister of Gıyaseddin Keyhüsrev I.
Gevher Nesibe Sultan fell in love with the chief of the cavalry soldiers of the palace. The brother of Gevher Nesibe; Gıyaseddin Keyhüsrev I, who was Seljuk sultan at that time, objected to this marriage. He ordered Gevher's lover to join a battle where he died and became a martyr.
Afterwards, feeling very sorry, Gevher Nesibe Sultan became sick and developed tuberculosis. When Gıyaseddin Keyhüsrev was informed of his sister illness, he visited her. He had apologized to her about the situation and requested that she makes her last wish. Than Gevher Nesibe Sultan tells that "I am very ill. There is no way to recover; none of the doctors can help me. Finally, I will pass away. I wish, you would use my property to build a hospital, which is devoted to me! In this hospital, the sick people are to be treated with no charge, at the same time incurable illness are being looked after. This hospital must be a foundation devoted to me."
Gıyaseddin Keyhüsrev carried out her last wish and began to build this hospital in 1204. The building was finished within two years and put in to service in 1206. Later, at the east of the hospital (Şifahane), the Medical Madrasa was build in between 1210 - 1214, by İzzeddin Keykavus; At Şifahiye, sick people who had been cured, were not supposed to payaccording to the testament of Gevher Nesibe Sultan an other brother of Gevher Nesibe Sultan.
Later, the institute became the first hospital in the world for curing the patients with mental disorders.
The building of Gevher Nesibe Şifahane, stands still since then and its gates are open to visitors in Kayseri city center. The university hospital of Kayseri was named after Gevher Nesibe for her dear and sad memory.
