Biography of Haseki Hürrem Sultan. History of Roksolana

The history of Roksolana is known throughout Europe. And even more so this historical personality is popular in the Slavic world. Moreover, the history of Roksolana increasingly attracts attention in connection with the acclaimed series "The Magnificent Age." More and more, fans of the series are wondering about what the real biography of Haseki Hurrem Sultan was.

From Anastasia to Hurrem

Traditionally it is believed that Roksolana was born in a small place, that in modern western Ukraine, in the family of a priest. The first years of life the girl was called Anastasia (or Alexandra) Lisovskaya. However, at an early age she was abducted by Crimean Tatars during one of their raids, and subsequently resold several times in the slave markets. From this moment begins the story of Roksolana-slave.

Acquaintance with Prince Suleyman

However, fate was extremely supportive of a very young girl at the time. Somewhere in 1517 she fell into a concubine in the palace of Manisa, where at the same time the son of the sultan and the future heir of the empire Shekhzadeh Suleiman lived. Very soon the concubine of the young prince becomes his favorite. This is how the story of Roksolana, which subsequently became the greatest woman of the East, was born. It is interesting that here the future monarch became acquainted with another slave of European descent, who also had to become one of the most important Persons Ottoman ports. It is a question of Suleiman's brilliant vizier, Ibrahim Pasha.

History of the Roxolana

In 1520 Sultan Selim I died, and the throne was occupied by his son Suleiman. Roksolana already by that time is his favorite, and in 1521 he gives birth to his son Mehmet. Three years later, they have another son, who will be called Selim. At the same time, according to the traditions of the Muslim East, Hurrem was not the only wife of the Sultan. Moreover, her favoritism caused jealousy and hatred from other wives. Particularly severe rivalry unfolded in Roksolana with cherkeshenkoy Mahidevran. This competition found a way out in gossip and mutual insults, and sometimes it came to fights. The heat was added by the fact that it was the son of Mahidevan, Mustafa, who was the firstborn of the Sultan and the successor of the throne. It could not arrange an ambitious and artful Slav. After several years of desperate intrigues Roksolana left
The winner of this struggle. Mustafa, along with his mother, was sent from the royal palace to Manisa. For Mahidevran, this actually meant a reference. A few years later, rumors began to roam about the empire, supposedly Mustafa is preparing a coup against his father. Shehzadeh was accused of conspiracy and executed in 1553. This finally cleared the way to power for one of the sons of Hurrem. The sultan did not become her eldest son Mehmet, since he died in 1543. However, the next sultan was destined to become Selim.

The last years of the sultana

Roksolana, whose life story knew both heavy and brilliant episodes, actually controlled palace and state affairs for almost thirty years. Her husband, Suleiman the Magnificent, spent most of his life in military campaigns, relying much on his beloved wife in domestic affairs. Roksolana died a natural death in 1559.