The traditional stories about her origin, traced back to the 15th century, are that she was

daughter of
the Byzantine ruler (Tekfur) of Bilecik, called Holofira. As some stories go,[5] Orhan's
father Osman raided Bilecik at the time of Holofira's wedding arriving there with rich presents and
disguised and hidden soldiers. Holofira was among the loot and given to Orhan.
However modern researchers doubt this story, admitting that it may have been based on real events.
Doubts are based on various secondary evidence and lack of direct documentary evidence of the
time. In particular, her Ottoman name Nilüfer meaning water lily in Persian language.[4]
Other historians make her a daughter of the Prince of Yarhisar or a Byzantine Princess Helen
(Nilüfer), who was of ethnic Greek descent.[6][7][8]
According to a source, in the spring of 1299, the Bilecik magistrate who was to marry the daughter of
Yarhisar invited Osman Ghazi and his men to his wedding festivity. In the spring the Söğüt people
migrated to Domaniς plateau until autumn. Osman Ghazi asked to leave all his belongings at the
Bilecik castle before coming to the wedding. It was the usual practice in those years to entrust the
heavy goods of encampment to neighbouring castles. The magistrate accepted gladly. The wedding
would be in Chakirpinar, two hours away from Bilecik. On the way to the wedding, the magistrate of
Yarhisar was encircled by Osman's soldiers. They turned back toward Yarhisar. When the people
saw their magistrate, they opened the gates and Osman's soldiers got in. The conquest of the castle
did not take long. At the Bilecik castle, one of the bales left by Osman Ghazi was opened. A soldier
got out of it and informed others. Armed soldiers stepping out of the bales captured everyone in the
castle. Bilecik had fallen to the Ottomans. While the guests were waiting for the bride, the horsemen
of the Ottomans appeared. There was a big ceremony in Karacahisar. Orhan Ghazi would marry
Holofira, the daughter of the Yarhisar magistrate. The young bride converted to Islam and became
Nilüfer Hatun.[9]
Nilüfer Hatun Imareti ("Nilüfer Hatun Soup Kitchen"), a convent annex hospice for dervishes, now
housing the Iznik Museum in İznik, Bursa Province, was built by Sultan Murad in 1388 to honor his
mother after her death.[10]