Shivakiar Ibrahim – Almost a Queen

Shivakiar Ibrahim was born on 25 October 1876 as the daughter of Prince Ibrahim Fahmi Pasha, a member of the Muhammad Ali dynasty of Egypt, and Najivan Hanim. Her great-great-grandfather was Muhammad Ali Pasha, who is considered to be the founder of modern Egypt.

Unfortunately, very little is known about her youth. On 30 May 1895, she married her first cousin once removed Prince Ahmed Fuad, who became King of Egypt in 1922. They were married at the Abbasiya Palace in Cairo. Shivakiar came from a rich family, while at the time, Prince Fuad was almost bankrupted by his gambling debts. It turned out to be quite an unhappy marriage. Their first child was a son named Ismail, who was born at the end of 1896. He tragically died before his first birthday, on 6 July 1897. A daughter named Fawkia Hanim was born on 6 October 1897. They were divorced in May 1898, and he remarried to  Nazli Sabri in 1919.

Shivakiar did not remain unmarried for quite as long. Her second husband was Raouf Thabet Bey, whom she married on 14 March 1900. They divorced three years later without having had children. Her third husband was Seyfullah Yousri Pasha, whom she married on 2 January 1904. A daughter named Lutfia Hanim was born to them in 1905, followed by a son named Wahid Yousri Bey. They were divorced as well – in 1916. Her fourth husband was Selim Khalil Bey, whom she married on 5 July 1917. A son named Muhammad Wahideldin Selim was born in 1918. They were divorced on 2 March 1925. She married her fifth and final husband Ilhami Hussein Pasha in 1927, and they remained married until her death.

Shivakiar was known for her charitable works, and she was the president of ‘Mar’al-Guedida’ (New Woman), which trained young women for things like nursing and dress-making. Her palace in Cairo was known to be a great gathering place of important society. She was the author of several books, most notably Mon pays: la renovation de l’Egypte, Mohammed Aly which was published in 1933.

Shivakiar died on 17 February 1947 at the age of 70. Sadly, we know very details about her life, and she did not leave any memoirs. Those certainly would have been quite something!