Hurrem Sultan
Hurrem Sultan (Ukrainian: Роксолана), also known as Roxelana (1502/10/27 - 15 April 1558), was one of the most popular Slavic women. She was important both for Turkey and Slavic nations. She was taken by the Tatars and was brought as a gift to Suleiman the Magnificent, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. Then she became part of his harem and later his wife. Her real name and place of birth are unknown. Polish state her name was Alexandra, but in Ukrainian literature she is presented as Anastasia.
People say different things about her personality. Some think she was patriotic and did a lot for her nation. Others are sure she was mean and selfish.
Origin
Roxelana was born in Rohatyn located in western Ukraine.
According to Samuel Tvardovskyi's poem "The Great Embassy" (written between 1621 and 1623, published in 1633), she was the daughter of an Orthodox priest from Rohatyn (his last name - Lisovskyi- appeared later in artistic works). According to the version of the Polish poet Mauritsius Goslavskyi, Roksolana comes from the town of Chemerivtsi (Khmelnytskyi region in Ukraine).
During the reign of Selim I (between the 1510s to 1520),[1] Crimean Tatars took her during one of their Crimean–Nogai slave raids in Eastern Europe. In Istanbul, she was chosen as a gift for Suleiman. Later Hurrem became a favorite of Suleiman in the Ottoman imperial harem.[2]
Personality
Hurrem was described as a attractive woman, who was different from everybody else because of her red hair. She also was intelligent and had a pleasant personality. She loved poetry very much. It is considered it was one of the reasons why Suleiman liked her more. He also admired reading poems.
Hurrem was also known for being generous. She built a lot of religious, cultural and resting places for pilgrims travelling to the Islamic city of Mecca. Her greatest charity work was the Great Wall of Jerusalem, a large soup kitchen that fed the poor.
Critics also state that Hurrem was a selfish, manipulative and angry woman who would kill anyone who stood in her way. Even despite her charity, many people still believe she was not kind.
Pavlo Zahrebelnyi described Hurrem as "an intelligent, kind, understanding, openhearted, candid, talented, generous, emotional and grateful woman who cares about the soul rather than the body; in short, a perfect woman".
Children
She had 6 children with Suleiman — 5 sons and a daughter, Mihrimah.
- Mehmed (31 October 1522 – 6 November 1543): the first son born in 1521 at Istanbul
- Mihrimah (c.1523 – 25 January 1578): the only daughter
- Abdullah (c.1523 – 1526)
- Selim (30 May 1524 – 12/15 December 1574)
- Bayezid (1525 – 25 September 1561)
- Cihangir (9 December 1531 – 27 November 1553)
Hurrem Sultan Media
16th century Latin oil painting of Hürrem Sultan titled Rosa Solymanni Vxor (Rosa, Süleyman's Wife)
A letter of Hürrem Sultan to Sigismund II Augustus, congratulating him on his accession to the Polish throne in 1549.
Haseki Sultan Complex designed by the architect Mimar Sinan.
The türbe (mausoleum) of Hürrem Sultan at Süleymaniye Mosque in Fatih, Istanbul.
Anon., published by Matteo Pagani, Portrait of Roxelana, 1540–50. The inscription describes her as "the most beautiful and favorite wife of the Grand Turk, called la Rossa."
The son of Hürrem Sultan and Suleiman the Magnificent, Selim II
18th century portrait of Hürrem Sultan kept at Topkapı Palace.
A portrait of Hürrem in the British Royal Collection, c. 1600–70
References
- ↑ "Роксолана: міфи і історія". www.golos.com.ua (in українська). Retrieved 2021-03-12.
- ↑ "Hürrem, Sultan". The Oxford Encyclopedia of Women in World History. (2008). Ed. Bonnie G. Smith. Oxford University Press.