Who is this Hurrem, Roxelana?/Biography-Light History
Hi! My name is Kardelen. I primarily write about the Ottoman Era, which is my field of expertise, as well as the medieval period. Today’s topic is Hurrem Haseki Sultan, wife of Suleiman (Suleyman) the Magnificent. I assure you that this article will present facts you have never encountered before.
Things you will see in this article:
1. Hurrem before meeting Suleiman
2. Hurrem after meeting Suleiman
3. Children born from this marriage
4. The wedding
5. When and how did she die?
She was a slave until recently but has become the East's greatest empress. She has all kinds of worldly happiness, and all her desires have been fulfilled. This woman had no other desire than to find remedies for one of her own sons to take over the Turkish empire after Suleyman's death.
Richard Knolles, The Generall Historie of the Turkes (1603)
1. Hurrem before meeting Suleiman: Plausible claims regarding Hurrem's origins have come from Ukraine and Poland, and still do. These two countries' claims do not contradict each other, as it is widely accepted that Hurrem was taken by slave traders from a large area called Ruthenia, which today includes Western Ukraine but was under the rule of the Polish king at the time. (In 1999, a tall bronze statue was erected on a pedestal in the town of Rohatyn, which is claimed by locals to be Hurrem's birthplace. (Located about 75 kilometers southeast of the historic city of Lviv, Rohatyn is currently a town with a population of around 9,000.) -Leslie P. Pierce, Hurrem Sultan) The Venetian Republic's ambassador in Istanbul, Pietro Bragadin, referred to Hurrem as di nazione russa – of the Russian nation – and at that time, the term "Russian" was associated with Ruthenia. The name "Roxelana" gained popularity thanks to the Austrian ambassador Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq, who referred to her as Roxolana, meaning "Ruthenian girl."
Although she was abducted from the Kingdom of Poland, it was the Tatars who, undoubtedly, captured her intending to sell her to the palace or a nobleman. Hurrem, who was captured, may have followed the route from Ruthenia to Kaffa. (The Kaffa Province or Kaffa Beylerbeyliği was a province located to the south of the Crimean Khanate. It was established in 1568.) Hurrem was likely captured during a raid in 1516. Estimates of the number of prisoners taken during this raid vary between 5,000 and 40,000. When she became Suleiman's concubine in the winter of 1520-21, she was likely no younger than 17 years old. Therefore, she must have been around 13 years old when the raid took place, this could mean that she was sold at various markets for four years or was being prepared for sale to the Topkapı Palace. Since the slave had to be a virgin, it indicated that Hurrem had not been violated by the time she arrived at the Ottoman palace from Ruthenia.
A Ukrainian poem/song about Tatars’ captures:
Beyond the river, fires are burning,
The Tatars are dividing their prisoners.
Our village has burned, our possessions plundered,
My elderly mother was slaughtered, and my beloved was taken as a prisoner.
(Leslie P. Pierce, Hurrem Sultan)
Lastly, Samuel Twardowski helped spread the story that "Roxelana" came from the town of Rohatyn and that her father was an Orthodox priest. However, the accuracy of this widely accepted information is not certain.
2. Hurrem after meeting Suleiman: Hurrem's rise to fame and power began in the grand residence known as the Old Palace, where the women and children of the Ottoman dynasty lived. The Old Palace was a dedicated world for women and the harem staff. It was in this environment that Hurrem learned the customs and traditions of the Ottomans. She lived in the Old Palace for about 15 years before marrying Suleiman and moving into the New Palace. The Old Palace was both a home to all who lived there and a school for those selected to be promoted. In this world, Hurrem needed to catch the Sultan's attention. She had to stand out, as Suleiman only visited the Old Palace occasionally for brief visits. He lived in the New Palace (Topkapı Palace) and governed the empire from there.
With her new religion, she also adopted a new name, symbolically erasing her previous identity. She learned to recite the Shahada (the testimony of faith) and to perform the five daily prayers, which are the fundamental pillars of Islam.
How did the Ottoman emperors select their concubines for intimate pleasures?
In a story frequently told by Europeans, the process by which the Sultan selected a new concubine is described: The Sultan would walk back and forth in front of a lineup of women and drop his handkerchief in front of the one he found most attractive. A potential concubine needed the opportunity to showcase not only her appearance but also the fruits of the education she had received. The Old Palace provided such opportunities. During the Sultan's visits, her mother or a sister residing in the palace would offer light refreshments and organize entertainment for the Sultan.
Rumors circulated among both the Ottomans and foreign ambassadors that Hurrem had been a gift given to Suleiman. If that were the case, she was likely presented to him in September 1520, as a celebratory gift on the occasion of his accession. According to one account, one of the new Sultan's married sisters secretly raised the girl and gave her as a gift to Suleiman's mother, Valide Hafsa Sultan, who then presented the slave to her son. However, many accounts suggest that it was the future vizier, Ibrahim, who was in charge of the Sultan’s chambers and who presented Hurrem to Suleiman. It is clear that the young Sultan quickly took his new concubine to bed, as their first child, Mehmed, would be born within 13 months of his accession.
Contrary to the common assumption in modern harem stereotypes, the Old Palace was by no means a place detached from politics. The harem was politics itself and taught how politics was done. Foreign ambassadors were fully justified in viewing the harem as a vital source of diplomatic intelligence, as the harem produced its news and even its scandals.
"The most senior of the trained women teach the others, the new and unrefined ones, how to speak and read, and they educate them on the laws of Muhammad. They also teach them how to sew, embroider, play music, and sing. To the extent of their ability to learn, they instill in the girls their own ceremonies and customs." (Giovanni Maria Angiolello-A Venetian Prisoner) Hurrem herself would become skilled enough in embroidery to send richly embroidered gifts to the King of Poland.
What was the difference between Hurrem and the other concubines?
The biggest difference between her and the others is the intelligence she has. Other than smartness, she had a strong sense of loyalty between her and Suleiman. When we look closer, at times, Hurrem failed to understand her position because she believed her love for Suleiman surpassed everything and everyone else. It is almost certain that Suleiman kept Hurrem in the New Palace (Topkapı), where he "entertained his heart's desires" as he pleased.
By arousing the Sultan's desire and keeping that desire alive until she became pregnant, she knew that she would secure her position among the Ottomans in the future. If Suleiman was pleased with his partner, he would call for her again. It would be even better if the girl became pregnant. A new male child was insurance for the dynasty, while a new female child was a source of joy. Whatever happened that first night in the Sultan's bedroom, Hurrem passed the test with flying colors. Within five months of Suleiman's accession, Hurrem was pregnant. (Suleiman wrote many love poems for his favorite, but none of the letters he wrote to her during the long periods of separation on the battlefields have survived to the present day.)
3. Children born from this marriage: Prince Mehmed, Mihrimah Sultan, Selim II (next emperor, Selim the Blond), Prince Abdullah, Prince Bayezid, Prince Cihangir.
The records only mentioned the birth year of Mehmed, the year 927, in the Islamic calendar, which ended on November 30, 1521. Suleiman and Hurrem's son, Mehmed, was likely born during one of the Sultan's military campaigns. Despite the Sultan's absence, the necessary celebrations and festivities were held without making his absence felt. Although Suleiman had three sons before Mehmed, he was the first prince to be born during his reign. Since Suleiman was not in the palace, it is unclear who named the child. He was the first prince to be born in the capital after an approximately 45-year gap. The joy of Suleiman, who celebrated both the birth of Mehmed and the victory in the campaign he had led, was short-lived. Shortly after these joyous days, his sons Murad, Mahmud, and his daughter Raziye, whose mother is unclear, passed away. The birth of Mehmed brought a legal change to Hurrem's status. Islamic law recognized and protected the role of a concubine as a mother: unlike an ordinary slave, she could no longer be sold or given to someone else, and upon the death of her master, she would automatically be freed. In the detailed accounting ledger where the salaries of the members of the dynasty were recorded, Hurrem would no longer be listed by her name, but by the honorary title "Valide-i Şehzade Mehmed" (Mother of Prince Mehmed).
Within four months of the Sultan's return from Belgrade in October 1521, Hürrem became pregnant again. Suleiman was away at war for most of Hurrem's second pregnancy, and during the autumn of 1522, when their daughter Mihrimah was born. He returned to Istanbul in February 1523, after a victory. Hurrem had now become the favorite, and she had a special room for herself and her children. In addition, her salary had been increased, and her relationships with other members of the dynasty had also progressed significantly.
In the following years, Hurrem and Suleiman had three more sons: Selim (born on 28 May 1524), Abdullah (born around 1525), Bayezid (born in 1527), and Cihangir (born in 1531). All of these births were likely planned or at least welcomed. Throughout his reign, Suleiman did not have any children with another concubine. Having five children with one concubine in seven years and not fathering any children with anyone else marked a profound break from tradition.
Abdullah died when he had just started walking. This was Hurrem's first loss and another source of sorrow for Suleiman, who had already lost his third son in childhood. Cihangir, who was born with a disability in his shoulder, was also a new challenge for the couple. These shared experiences, one after another, undoubtedly led to a certain closeness and comfort between Suleiman and Hurrem over the years. Time allowed the couple to get to know each other more intimately. As Hurrem's Turkish improved, she likely learned more about Suleiman's childhood, and he, in turn, learned more about hers.
As you might guess, Hurrem's rise was not at all pleasing to Suleiman's former concubine, Mahidevran Hatun. By 1531, Hurrem had been Suleiman's concubine for eleven years. They had six children together. Her status as the sultan's favorite, which did not conform to the usual traditions, was starting to be noticed in Europe as well. While Mahidevran might have been proud of being the mother of the Sultan's eldest son (Prince Mustafa), Hurrem was asserting a different kind of superiority. (This could be the subject of another article.)
4. The wedding: Before their marriage, some rumors that would horrify her had already started to spread among the public and within the palace about Hurrem. These rumors suggested that Hurrem was a sorceress, who used various spells to make Suleiman fall for her and to manipulate him with her schemes. They even called her the "Russian Witch." The public did not approve of the Sultan's excessive indulgence in pleasure and luxury. They believed that the Sultan's duty was to protect the empire and its borders from various enemies that posed a threat. By 1536, when the Sultan's wedding took place, the Russian slave, who was known as "the Magnificent" Suleiman's 15-year-old concubine, had proven her ability to master rules, diplomacy, and politics. This young girl kidnapped from her homeland, demonstrated adaptability and sharp intelligence, which ultimately brought her out of the shadows and made her the Sultan's official, legally wedded wife. She was no longer just a mother of a prince but also a free woman—no one could call her a slave, and she could no longer be addressed simply by her name. While some welcomed this marriage, for others, it marked the end of an era. After all, the tradition of the Sultans remaining unmarried came to an end with Hurrem. The Sultan and his concubine upended assumptions one by one. Hurrem became the first Ottoman concubine to marry the Sultan. At the same time, she was the first concubine to stand out so prominently, making her presence known. She transformed the Harem-i Humayun from a residence belonging to the women of the dynasty into an institution that wielded political influence. Following in her footsteps, Sultan's wives played powerful roles in Ottoman politics, mentoring their sons and ruling the country as "naibes" (regents) in the 17th century.
Since there was no official queen title in the Ottoman Empire, Hurrem played this role without a formal title and became a formidable rival to the great female rulers and consorts of 16th-century Europe, competing with them on equal terms. Hurrem, the Sultan's only wife, was given the title of "Haseki," which meant "favorite." When Suleiman freed her and married her, she became "Haseki Sultan" (the addition of the word "Sultan" to a woman's name or title indicated that she was of the royal family).
In 1536, the year of Hurrem's wedding, King Henry VIII of the Tudor dynasty had his wife, Anne Boleyn, executed, accusing her of witchcraft—claiming she had bewitched him and made him fall in love with her.
5. When and how did she die?: Hurrem's final years were perhaps the most challenging of her life, rivaled only by the traumatic loss of her childhood home and family. The new family she had built with Suleiman had lost its innocence, and a once innocent member was now gone (Prince Mehmed). The remaining two sons (Prince Bayezid and Prince Selim. Prince Cihangir cannot be emperor because of his disability.) would inevitably become rivals, and perhaps even enemies. In these circumstances, Hurrem found herself mediating the growing tensions between the men of her family. Meanwhile, her health deteriorated more quickly than Suleiman's. Despite this, the resilient Haseki Sultan continued her philanthropic activities, establishing new charitable foundations and engaging in correspondence advocating for peace, finding fulfillment in these endeavors.
At the end of 1533, before she had received the news of Cihangir's death but while Mustafa's death was imminent, Hurrem sent a letter to Suleiman at the army camp in Aleppo (Halep). In this letter, she began with expressions of "thousands of longings and desires" for him, and as usual, she began with "thousands of prayers and praises" for him. She then inquired about Suleiman's health, specifically asking about the condition of his foot, and she prayed to Allah to protect him from all faults and misfortunes. The challenging period of his absence, which had lasted for over a year and a month, was finally over. Hurrem must have been immensely relieved when Suleiman returned to Istanbul at the end of July 1555. One comforting aspect of Suleiman's return to Hurrem was that they could now mourn the loss of Cihangir together.
Hurrem's career as a patroness was undeterred during Suleiman's long absence in the East. In addition to her family responsibilities and duties at the Old and New Palaces, she continued to focus on developing her charitable foundations. This work remained her primary engagement, keeping her away from politics. Now, she was preparing to push new boundaries for Ottoman women. Her next major project was in Palestine. While the Haseki Darüşşifa (hospital) was being completed in Istanbul, construction of a well-funded and grand külliye (complex) began in the holy city of Jerusalem. Though the külliye would not officially open until 1557, by the end of 1551, the first facility, the imaret (soup kitchen), had already started distributing food to the poor. The Jerusalem külliye would become the last major monumental project completed by Hurrem Haseki Sultan. Both domestic and international politics continued to occupy Hurrem intensely during the final years of her life before she died in 1558.
Mustafa's death freed Hurrem from the immediate fear of her children's lives. However, a new worry began to gnaw at her: Only one of her two sons, either Selim or Bayezid, could potentially succeed. The fate of the other son, along with that of her other children, seemed almost certain to end in death.
It is unclear exactly when this became a serious issue, but Hurrem's health was deteriorating. By the spring of 1558, she was suffering from a chronic illness combined with other direct factors leading to her eventual death. In September 1556, Venetian envoy Antonio Barbarigo, who had arrived in Istanbul, informed the Senate in 1558 that Hurrem was increasingly unwilling to be separated from Suleiman. The Sultan suffered greatly from gout, and her doctors had recommended that she spend winters in Edirne for a change of air. However, Barbarigo noted, "But the Russian Sultan, as long as she lived, rarely allowed him [Suleiman] to leave Istanbul." Hurrem was "the lord of this gentleman who loved him so much." "And since she wanted him to stay by her side constantly and doubted her own life due to her illness, she rarely allowed or never allowed him to leave her side." (Leslie Pierce-Hurrem Sultan)
De la Vigne wrote, "The day before she died, [Süleyman] promised her that he would never approach another woman and swore this upon the body of his father, Selim." The ambassador also noted that everyone who owed their high positions to Haseki Sultan was filled with sorrow. (Leslie Pierce-Hurrem Sultan)
Hurrem's death deeply affected her family in the short term, but the accomplishments she achieved throughout her career ultimately strengthened the Ottoman dynasty in the long run. The rivalry between Selim and Bayezid culminated in a bitter conflict, which was tragically marked by the murder of her youngest son four years after her death. However, when the throne passed to Selim in September 1566, the new sultan began to model himself on the extraordinary relationship his parents had, embarking on further reforms that could be described as reshaping the Ottoman sultanate. Everything had started with Suleiman granting Hurrem the role of Haseki, and her enthusiastic embrace of the opportunities this role provided. (Leslie Pierce-Hurrem Sultan)
That’s it. I will continue sharing new letters about the Ottoman Era, the medieval era, and general history. Readers’ opinions are always welcomed, Take care!
Kardelen
I have a question: Was Sultan Suleiman loyal to Hurrem Sultan, that is, did he not have sex with any concubine after her?