Mehisti Hanım was born on 27 January 1892 in Yongalık, Adapazarı, Istanbul. Born as Atiye Akalsba, she was member of Abkhazian noble family, Akalsba. Her father was Hacımaf Bey Akalsba and her mother was Safiye Hanım. She had two brothers Kamil Bey, and Fevzi Bey, and three sisters, Zahide Hanım, Ayşe Mihridil Hanım, and Mihrivefa Hanım. Her family had settled in Adapazarı after the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78. When she was young, her father entrusted her and her sisters, Mihridil Hanım and Mihrivefa Hanım to the imperial harem. Here her name according to the custom of the Ottoman court was changed to Mehisti. She was tall and had light brown hair and blue eyes.
Marriage
Mehisti married Abdulmejid on 16 April 1912 in the Bağlarbaşı Palace. Dürrüşehvar Sultan, the couple's only daughter was born in the Çamlıca Palace on 26 January 1914. At the exile of the imperial family in March 1924, she followed her husband and the other members of his entourage. They moved firstly to Switzerland and then to France where they settled in Paris. During exile, her daughter, Dürrüşehvar married Prince Azam Jah, the eldest son and heir of the last Nizam of Hyderabad State, Osman Ali Khan, Asif Jah VII, at Nice, on 12 November 1931, and went to live in British India. After her marriage, Dürrüşehvar took Mehisti with her. But, when the family traveled from India to Europe, and came to France, she and her daughter stayed with Abdulmejid. Neslişah notes that before Dürrüşehvar's marriage Mehisti was allowed to eat in the second sitting, along with Abdulmejid's third wife Hayrünnisa Hanım, the secretaries Behruze and Ofelya and other Kalfas. However, after her marriage, Mehisti's position changed, and she was allowed to eat at the first sitting. Abdulmejid was interested in classical music. At times, he would perform with his wives, and the kalfas. He would be at the piano, Şehsuvar Hanım and Hayrünnisa Hanım would play the violin, and Mehisti the cello.
Death
After Abdulmejid's death in 1944, Mehisti settled in Middlesex, London. She died of stroke in 1964, and was buried in Brookwood Cemetery. After Dürrüşehvar's death in 2006, she was buried beside her.
