| Mahinbanu Sultan | |
| Birth Date: | 1519 |
| Death Place: | 1562 (aged 43) |
| Father: | Ismail I |
| Mother: | Tajlu Khanum |
| Religion: | Shia Islam |
| Dynasty: | Safavid dynasty |
Mahinbanu Sultan (Persian: مهینبانو سلطان; 1519–1562) was the little daughter of Shah Ismail I of Persia (r. 1524–1576) and Tajlu Khanum.[1] She was the youngest sister of Shah Tahmasb. She had a big influence during the reign of her brother, and acted as his political adviser.
Mahinbanu was born in 1519 in Tabriz.[2] She lost her father at the age of five and was given a higher education in the court. She was very interested in politics and Tajlu Khanum introduced her well to it. After her mother's death in 1540, Mahinbanu was chosen as the only advisor to her brother, Shah Tahmasb. During her brother's reign, Mahinbanu was known as the greatest lady of the Safavid Empire. She never married and dedicated his whole life to the government of her father and brother, but after the death of Bahram Mirza, she took care of his three children named Sultan Hossein Mirza, Ibrahim Mirza and Badi-al Zaman Mirza Safavi took charge and brought them up, then at his request the two younger sons of Bahram Mirza married the two older daughters of Shah Tahmasb and Mahinbanu. After that she was given the title of "Sultana". Mahinbanu Sultan finally died in 1562 at the age of 43 in Qazvin and was buried in her father's tomb in Ardabil according to her will.
Mahinbanu Sultan was in politics for 22 years from the time of her mother's death until her death. She always corresponded with Hurrem Sultan and the reason for them was the many Ottoman attacks on Azerbaijan and Prince Bayezid becoming a refugee in Qazvin, and after Hurrem's death, these correspondences continued with Hurrem's daughter Mihrima Sultan, mutual gifts were always exchanged among these correspondences, the most famous of which is the Iranian carpet that was given to Hurrem Sultan. She also corresponded with Hamida Banu Begum, the queen of the Gurkanian court.
She dedicated her jewelry to Imam Zaman and Imam Reza.