Why did Sultan Suleiman die? Some military campaigns of Sultan Suleiman the Conqueror. The rise to power of the mighty Khan of the Ottoman Empire: Sultan Suleiman

In 1299, the Ottoman state was founded on the Asia Minor peninsula (Anatolia). In 1453, when Constantinople was captured, it became an empire. Thanks to the capture of this city, the Ottoman Empire was able to gain a foothold in Europe, and Constantinople - modern Istanbul - is of great importance for modern Turkey. The heyday of the state came during the reign of the tenth Ottoman Sultan– Suleiman I (1494-1520-1556), who was named the Magnificent. During his reign, the Ottomans captured vast territories of Asia, Africa and Europe. The empire numbered fifteen thousand inhabitants by the end of his life, which at that time was quite an impressive figure.

The Ottoman Empire lasted no less than 623 years, and only in 1922 was it abolished. For more than six centuries, the huge empire represented a connecting link between Europe and the East. The capital in the fifteenth century was Constantinople (modern Istanbul). In the 15th and 16th centuries, the empire grew and developed very rapidly on a territorial scale, in politics and economics.

The highest levels of the empire were achieved during the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. The Empire, at that time, became practically the most powerful power in the world. Its borders stretched from the Roman Empire to North Africa and Western Asia.

Suleiman was born in 1494. He studied military affairs in the army from his famous grandfather Bayazid. And in 1520, after the death of Selim’s father, he became the tenth ruler of a huge empire. Having conquered almost the entire territory of Hungary, the Sultan did not stop there. The state had a very powerful flotilla, headed by Barbarossa himself, whom everyone called “master of the seas.” Such a fleet aroused the fears of many states within the Mediterranean and beyond. Since the Ottomans and the French had enmity towards the Habsburgs, they become allies. And with the joint effort of both armies in 1543 they took Nice, and ten years later they entered Corsica, then after some time taking possession of this island.

Under the Sultan there was not only a great vizier, but also his best friend, Ibrahim Pasha. He supported the ruler in all his endeavors. Ibrahim was a very gifted and experienced servant. He began his brilliant career as a falconer under Suleiman back in Manisa, when the Sultan was there as Shahzade, that is, heir to the throne. Then, every year, “confirming” his loyalty to the Sultan, Suleiman gave him more and more power. The last and disastrous position for Ibrahim was the position of “Grand Vizier”. Suleiman very decisively restored order within his empire, punishing everyone who had lost his trust. This special character trait spared neither his friend and faithful servant Ibrahim, nor his sons, nor his grandchildren.

As was customary in the east, the sultan had his own harem. Each of the concubines tried to get into the Sultan’s chambers, because having given birth to an heir, one could hope for a good and carefree life in the palace. But Suleiman’s heart was forever conquered by the Russian concubine Hurrem, who later became his wife. Despite the fact that Nikah (marriage) with concubines was prohibited by the sultans, his beloved achieved this with her cunning and love.

She was a very wise woman, nothing and no one stopped her on her way, especially if it concerned the succession to the throne of one of her sons. At her “initiation”, his first son from Mavkhidevran, Mustafa, was executed in 1553, by order of the Sultan and in his presence. Hurrem gave birth to six children to the Sultan: five sons and one daughter. The first son Mehmed died, the second too. The middle sons Bayezid and Selim constantly quarreled, and the very last son Cihangir was born with a physical defect (with a hump). Her mother gave her daughter Mihrimah in marriage to the new Grand Vizier, her faithful servant.

Legend one. “About the forty offspring of Sultan Suleiman and infanticide”

The legend says: “Hurrem Sultan decided to kill her two sons. Moreover, she convinced her husband, the Sultan, of the need for such a step. Their youngest son Bayazid was saved by a warning faithful person: he managed to leave Istanbul and took refuge in Iran. But it is known that, in addition to Roxolana’s sons, the Sultan’s children, born to other wives and concubines, were killed. Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska ordered to find in the harem and throughout the country the other sons of Suleiman, whom wives and concubines gave birth to, and to take the lives of all of them! As it turned out, the Sultan had about forty sons - all of them, some secretly, some openly, were killed on Roksolana’s orders.”

Historical facts:

As you know, all births and deaths, and even more so when it concerned the ruling dynasty, were subject to clear accounting and control both in the harem books and in other documents. Everything was described - from how much flour it took to make dessert for the shekhzade and ending with the main expenses for their maintenance. Moreover, all the descendants of the ruling dynasty necessarily lived at court, in case it was he who had to inherit the throne, because one should not forget about the high infant mortality rate that took place in those days. Also, since the Ottoman dynasty and its possible heirs were in the area of close attention not only of the Muslim East, but also of Christian Europe, their ambassadors informed the European kings about the birth of a child to one or another shah, on the occasion of which they were supposed to send congratulations and a gift. These letters have been preserved in the archives, thanks to which it is possible to restore the number of heirs of the same Suleiman. Therefore, each descendant, and even more so the shehzade, was known, the name of each was preserved in history.
So, Suleiman had 8 sons shehzade, which is recorded in the family tree of the Ottoman family:

1) Mahmud (1512 – October 29, 1521 in Istanbul) Proclaimed heir to Vali Ahad on September 22, 1520. Son of Fülane.

2) Mustafa (1515 - November 6, 1553 in Eregli in Karaman Iran) Proclaimed heir to Vali Ahad on October 29, 1521. Governor of the province of Karaman 1529-1533, Manisa 1533-1541, and Amasya 1541-1553. Son Makhidevran.

4) Mehmet (1521 - November 6, 1543 in Manisa) Proclaimed heir to Vali Ahad on October 29, 1521. Governor of Kutahya 1541-1543. Son of Hurrem.

6) Selim II (1524-1574) eleventh Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. Son of Hurrem.

7) Bayezid (1525 - July 23, 1562) in Iran, Qazvin. Proclaimed 3rd heir of Vali Ahad on November 6, 1553. Governor of Karaman 1546, governor of the provinces of Kutahya and Amasya 1558-1559. Son of Hurrem.

8) Jihangir (1531- November 27, 1553 in Aleppo (in Arabic Aleppo) Syria) Governor of Aleppo 1553. Son of Hurrem.

It is also worth remembering that it was Suleiman, and not Hurrem, who executed his two sons, namely Mustafa and Bayazid. Mustafa was executed along with his son (the remaining of the two, since one of them died a year before the death of Mustafa himself), and his five little sons were killed along with Bayezid, but this happened already in 1562, 4 years after the death of Hurrem .

If we talk about the chronology and causes of death of all the descendants of Kanuni, it looked like this:

Şehzade Mahmud died of smallpox on November 29, 1521,
Şehzade Murad died of smallpox before his brother on 11/10/1521.
Şehzade Mustafa ruler of Manisa province since 1533. and the heir to the throne was executed along with his children by order of his father on suspicion of plotting against his father in alliance with the Serbs.
Şehzade Bayezid "Şahi" was executed along with his five sons by order of his father for rebelling against him

Accordingly, what mythical forty descendants from Sultan Suleiman, killed by Hurrem, are being discussed remains a mystery not only to skeptics, but also to history itself. Or rather, a bike. One of the 1001 tales of the Ottoman Empire.

Legend two. “About the marriage of twelve-year-old Mihrimah Sultan and fifty-year-old Rustem Pasha”

The legend says: “As soon as her daughter was twelve years old, Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska offered Mihrimah as a wife to Rustem Pasha, who took the place of Ibrahim, who at that time was already fifty. The difference between the bride and groom of almost forty years did not bother Roksolana.”

Historical facts: Rustem Pasha also Rustem Pasha Mekri (Ottoman: رستم پاشا, Croatian: Rustem-paša Opuković; 1500 - 1561) - Grand Vizier of Sultan Suleiman I, Croatian by nationality.
Rustem Pasha married one of the daughters of Sultan Suleiman I - Princess Mihrimah Sultan
In 1539, at the age of seventeen, Mihrimah Sultan (March 21, 1522-1578) married the beylerbey of the province of Diyarbakir, Rustem Pasha. At that time, Rustem was 39 years old.
For those who find simple arithmetic operations of adding and subtracting dates unconvincing, we can only advise using a calculator to instill greater confidence.

Legend three. “About castration and silver tubes”

The legend says: “Instead of a sweet and cheerful laughing enchantress, we see a ferocious, insidious and ruthless survival machine. With the execution of the heir and his friend, a wave of repressions unprecedented in Istanbul began. One could easily pay with one's head for one too many words about bloody palace affairs. They cut off their heads without even bothering to bury the body...
Roksolana’s effective and terrifying method was castration, carried out in the most cruel way. Those suspected of sedition were completely cut out. And after the “operation” the unfortunate people were not supposed to bandage the wound - it was believed that the “bad blood” should come out. Those who still survived could experience the Sultana’s mercy: she gave the unfortunate people silver tubes that were inserted into the opening of the bladder.
Fear settled in the capital; people began to fear their own shadow, not feeling safe even near the hearth. The name of the sultana was pronounced with trepidation, which was mixed with reverence.”

Historical facts: The history of mass repressions organized by Hurrem Sultan has not been preserved in any way, either in historical records or in the descriptions of contemporaries. But it should be noted that they have been preserved historical information that a number of contemporaries (in particular Sehname-i Al-i Osman (1593) and Sehname-i Humayun (1596), Taliki-zade el-Fenari presented a very flattering portrait of Hurrem as a woman revered "for her numerous charitable donations, for her patronage of students and respect for learned men, experts in religion, as well as for her acquisition of rare and beautiful things." If we talk about the historical facts that took place in the life of Hurrem, then she went down in history not as a repressive politician, but as a person involved in charity, she became known for her large-scale projects.Thus, with the donations of Hurrem (Külliye Hasseki Hurrem) in Istanbul, the Aksaray district, the so-called Avret Pazari (or women's bazaar, later named after Haseki), was built in Istanbul, containing a mosque, a madrasah, an imaret , primary school, hospitals and fountain.This was the first complex built in Istanbul by architect Sinan in his new position as chief architect ruling family. And the fact that it was the third largest building in the capital, after the complexes of Mehmet II (Fatih) and Süleymanie, testifies to the high status of Hurrem. She also built complexes in Adrianople and Ankara. Among other charitable projects, one can name the construction of hospices and a canteen for pilgrims and the homeless, which formed the basis of the project in Jerusalem (later named after Haseki Sultan); a canteen in Mecca (under the Haseki Hurrem Emirate), a public canteen in Istanbul (in Avret Pazari), as well as two large public baths in Istanbul (in the Jewish and Aya Sôfya quarters, respectively). At the instigation of Hurrem Sultan, slave markets were closed and a number of social projects were implemented.

Legend four. “About the origin of Hurrem.”

The legend says: “Deceived by the consonance of names - proper and common nouns, some historians see Roksolana as Russian, others, mainly French, based on Favard’s comedy “The Three Sultanas,” claim that Roksolana was French. Both are completely unfair: Roksolana, a natural Turkish woman, was bought for the harem as a girl at a slave market to serve as a servant for the dalist women, under whom she held the position of a simple slave.
There is also a legend that pirates of the Ottoman Empire in the suburbs of Siena attacked a castle belonging to the noble and wealthy family of Marsigli. The castle was plundered and burned to the ground, and the daughter of the castle owner - beautiful girl with hair the color of red gold and with green eyes, they brought him to the Sultan's palace. The Family Tree of the Marsigli Family states: Mother - Hannah Marsigli. Hannah Marsigli - Margarita Marsigli (La Rosa), so nicknamed for her fiery red hair color. From her marriage to Sultan Suleiman she had sons - Selim, Ibrahim, Mehmed."

Historical facts: European observers and historians referred to Sultana as "Roksolana", "Roxa", or "Rossa", since she was assumed to be of Russian origin. Mikhail Lituan, Lithuania's ambassador to Crimea in the mid-sixteenth century, wrote in his chronicle of 1550 "... the beloved wife of the Turkish emperor, the mother of his eldest son and heir, was at one time kidnapped from our lands." Navaguerro wrote of her as "[Donna]... di Rossa", and Trevisano called her "Sultana di Russia". Samuil Twardowski, a member of the Polish embassy to the Court of the Ottoman Empire in 1621-1622, also indicated in his notes that the Turks told him that Roksolana was the daughter of an Orthodox priest from Rohatyn, a small town in Podolia near Lviv. The belief that Roksolana was of Russian rather than Ukrainian origin probably arose as a result of a possible misinterpretation of the words "Roksolana" and "Rossa". At the beginning of the 16th century in Europe, the word "Roxolania" was used to refer to the province of Ruthenia in Western Ukraine, which was at various times known as Red Rus', Galicia or Podolia (that is, located in Eastern Podolia, which was under Polish control at that time time), in turn, modern Russia at that time was called the Moscow State, Muscovite Rus' or Muscovy. In ancient times, the word Roxolani denoted the nomadic Sarmatian tribes and settlements on the Dniester River (currently in the Odessa region in Ukraine).

Legend five. "About a Witch at Court"

The legend says: “Hurrem Sultan was an unremarkable woman in appearance and very quarrelsome by nature. She became famous for her cruelty and cunning for centuries. And, naturally, the only way she kept the Sultan by her side for more than forty years was through the use of conspiracies and love spells. It’s not for nothing that she was called a witch among the common people.”

Historical Facts: Venetian reports claim that Roksolana was not so much beautiful as she was sweet, graceful, and elegant. But, at the same time, her radiant smile and playful temperament made her irresistibly charming, for which she was named “Hurrem” (“joy-giving” or “laughing”). Hurrem was famous for her singing and musical abilities, the ability to do elegant embroidery, she knew five European languages, as well as Farsi, and was an extremely erudite person. But the most important thing was that Roksolana was a woman of great intelligence and willpower, which gave her an advantage among other women in the harem. Like everyone else, European observers testify that the Sultan was completely smitten with his new concubine. He was in love with his Haseki for for long years life together. Hence, evil tongues accused her of witchcraft (and if medieval Europe and in the East the existence of such a legend in those days can be understood and explained, but in our time the belief in such speculation is difficult to explain).

And logically we can move on to the next legend directly related to this

Legend six. "About the infidelity of Sultan Suleiman."

The legend says: “Despite the fact that the Sultan was attached to the intriguer Hurrem, nothing human was alien to him. So, as you know, at the Sultan’s court there was a harem, which could not but interest Suleiman. It is also known that Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska ordered to find in the harem and throughout the country other sons of Suleiman, whom wives and concubines gave birth to. As it turned out, the Sultan had about forty sons, which confirms the fact that Hurrem was not the only love of his life.”

Historical facts: When the ambassadors, Navaguerro and Trevisano wrote their reports to Venice in 1553 and 1554, indicating that “she is very loved by her master” (“tanto amata da sua maestà”), Roxolana was already about fifty and she was next to Suleiman for a long time. After her death in April 1558, Suleiman remained inconsolable for a long time. She was the greatest love of his life, his kindred spirit and legal wife. This great love of Suleiman for Roksolana was confirmed by a number of decisions and actions on the part of the Sultan for his Haseki. For her sake, the Sultan violated a number of very important traditions of the imperial harem. In 1533 or 1534 (the exact date is unknown), Suleiman married Hurrem in a formal wedding ceremony, thereby breaking a century and a half of Ottoman custom in which sultans were not allowed to marry their concubines. Never before had a former slave been elevated to the rank of legal wife of the Sultan. In addition, the marriage of Haseki Hurrem and the Sultan became practically monogamous, which was simply unheard of in the history of the Ottoman Empire. Trevisano wrote in 1554 that once he met Roxolana, Suleiman “not only wants to have her as a legal wife, always keep her next to him and see her as a ruler in a harem, but he also does not want to know any other women: he did something that none of his predecessors had done, because the Turks were accustomed to hosting several women in order to have as many children as possible and satisfy their carnal pleasures.” For the sake of love for this woman, Suleiman violated a number of traditions and prohibitions. In particular, it was after his marriage to Hurrem that the Sultan dissolved the harem, leaving only service staff. The marriage of Hurrem and Suleiman was monogamous, which surprised contemporaries a lot. Also, the real love between the Sultan and his Haseki is confirmed by the love letters they sent to each other and have survived to this day. Thus, one of Kanuni’s many farewell dedications to his wife after her death can be considered one of the indicative messages:

“The skies are covered with black clouds, because I have no peace, no air, no thoughts and no hope. My love, the thrill of this strong feeling, so squeezes my heart, destroys my flesh. Live, what to believe in, my love...how to greet a new day. I am killed, my mind is killed, my heart has stopped believing, your warmth is no longer in it, your hands, your light are no longer on my body. I am defeated, I am erased from this world, erased by spiritual sadness for you, my love. Strength, there is no greater strength that you betrayed to me, there is only faith, the faith of your feelings, not in the flesh, but in my heart, I cry, I cry for you my love, there is no ocean greater than the ocean of my tears for you, Hurrem ..."

Legend seven. “About the conspiracy against Shehzade Mustafa and the entire Universe”

The legend says: “But the day came when Roxalana “opened the eyes” of the Sultan to the allegedly treacherous behavior of Mustafa and his friend. She said that the prince had developed close relations with the Serbs and was plotting against his father. The intriguer knew well where and how to strike - the mythical “conspiracy” was quite plausible: in the East during the time of the sultans, bloody palace coups were the most common thing. In addition, Roksolana cited as an irrefutable argument the true words of Rustem Pasha, Mustafa and other “conspirators” that her daughter allegedly heard... A painful silence hung in the palace. What will the Sultan decide? Roxalana’s melodious voice, like the chime of a crystal bell, murmured caringly: “Think, O lord of my heart, about your state, about its peace and prosperity, and not about vain feelings...” Mustafa, whom Roxalana knew from the age of 4, becoming adults, had to die at the request of his stepmother.
The Prophet forbade shedding the blood of the padishahs and their heirs, therefore, by order of Suleiman, but by the will of Roxalana, Mustafa, his brothers and children, the grandchildren of the Sultan, were strangled with a silk cord."

Historical facts: In 1553, Suleiman's eldest son, Prince Mustafa, was executed, at that time he was already under forty years old. The first sultan to execute his adult son was Murad I, who ruled at the end of the 14th century, and ensured that the rebellious Savji was put to death. The reason for Mustafa's execution was that he planned to usurp the throne, but, as in the case of the execution of the Sultan's favorite, Ibrahim Pasha, the blame was placed on Hurrem Sultan, who was a foreigner who was near the Sultan. There was already a case in the history of the Ottoman Empire when a son tried to help his father leave the throne - this is what Suleiman’s father, Selim I, did with Suleiman’s grandfather, Bayezid II. After the death of Prince Mehmed several years earlier, the regular army really considered it necessary to remove Suleiman from affairs and isolate him in the Di-dimotihon residence located south of Edirne, in direct analogy with what happened with Bayezid II. Moreover, letters from the shehzade have been preserved, on which the personal seal of the shehzade Mustafa is clearly visible, addressed to the Safavid Shah, which Sultan Suleiman later learned about (this seal has also been preserved and Mustafa’s signature is inscribed on it: Sultan Mustafa, see photo). The last straw For Suleiman, there was a visit from the Austrian ambassador, who, instead of visiting the Sultan, first of all went to Mustafa. After the visit, the ambassador informed everyone that Shehzade Mustafa would be a wonderful Padishah. After Suleiman found out about this, he immediately called Mustafa to his place and ordered him to be strangled. Shehzade Mustafa was strangled by order of his father in 1553 during the Persian military campaign.

Legend eight. “About the origin of Valide”

The legend says: “Valide Sultan was the daughter of the captain of an English ship that was wrecked in the Adriatic Sea. Then this unfortunate ship was captured by Turkish pirates. The part of the manuscript that has survived ends with the message that the girl was sent to the Sultan’s harem. This is an Englishwoman who ruled Turkey for 10 years and only later, not finding a common language with her son’s wife, the notorious Roksolana, returned to England.”

Historical facts: Ayse Sultan Hafsa or Hafsa Sultan (from Ottoman Turkish: عایشه حفصه سلطان) was born around 1479. - 1534) and became the first Valide Sultan (queen mother) of the Ottoman Empire, being the wife of Selim I and the mother of Suleiman the Magnificent. Although the year of birth of Ayşe Sultan is known, historians still cannot definitively determine the date of birth. She was the daughter of the Crimean Khan Mengli-Girey.
She lived in Manisa with her son from 1513 to 1520, in a province that was the traditional residence of the Ottoman shehzade, future rulers, who studied there the basics of government.
Ayşe Hafsa Sultan died in March 1534 and was buried next to her husband in the mausoleum.

Legend nine. “About soldering Shehzade Selim”

The legend says: “Selim acquired the nickname “Drunkard” due to excessive consumption of wine. Initially, this love for alcohol was due to the fact that at one time Selim’s mother herself, Roksolana, periodically gave him wine, so her son was much more manageable.”

Historical facts: Sultan Selim was nicknamed the Drunkard, he was so cheerful and did not shy away from human weaknesses - wine and a harem. Well, the Prophet Muhammad himself admitted: “Most of all on earth I loved women and fragrances, but I always found complete pleasure only in prayer.” Do not forget that alcohol was in honor at the Ottoman court, and the lives of some sultans were shorter precisely because of their passion for alcohol. Selim II, being drunk, fell in the bathhouse and then died from the consequences of the fall. Mahmud II died of delirium tremens. Murad II, who defeated the crusaders at the Battle of Varna, died of apoplexy caused by binge drinking. Mahmud II loved French wines and left behind a huge collection of them. Murad IV caroused from morning to night with his courtiers, eunuchs and jesters, and sometimes forced the chief muftis and judges to drink with him. Falling into binges, he committed such harsh acts that those around him seriously thought that he had gone crazy. For example, he loved to shoot with arrows at people who were sailing on boats past the Topkapi Palace or to run at night in his underwear through the streets of Istanbul, killing anyone who got in his way. It was Murad IV who issued a seditious decree from an Islamic point of view, according to which alcohol was allowed to be sold even to Muslims. In many ways, Sultan Selim’s addiction to alcohol was influenced by a person close to him, in whose hands were the main threads of control, namely the vizier Sokolu.
But it should be noted that Selim was not the first and not the last sultan who revered alcohol, and this did not prevent him from participating in a number of military campaigns, as well as in the political life of the Ottoman Empire. So from Suleiman he inherited 14,892,000 km2, and after him this territory was already 15,162,000 km2. Selim reigned prosperously and left his son a state that not only did not decrease territorially, but even increased; for this, in many respects, he owed the mind and energy of the vizier Mehmed Sokoll. Sokollu completed the conquest of Arabia, which had previously been only loosely dependent on the Porte.

Legend tenth. “About thirty campaigns in Ukraine”

The legend says: “Hurrem, of course, had influence on the Sultan, but not enough to save her fellow countrymen from suffering. During his reign, Suleiman undertook campaigns against Ukraine more than 30 times.”

Historical facts: Restoring the chronology of the conquests of Sultan Suleiman
1521 - campaign in Hungary, siege of Belgrade.
1522 - siege of the fortress of Rhodes
1526 - campaign in Hungary, siege of the Petervaradin fortress.
1526 – battle near the city of Mohacs.
1526 – suppression of the uprising in Cilicia
1529 – capture of Buda
1529 - storming of Vienna
1532-1533 - fourth trip to Hungary
1533 – capture of Tabriz.
1534 - capture of Baghdad.
1538 – ruin of Moldova.
1538 - capture of Aden, naval expedition to the shores of India.
1537-1539 - the Turkish fleet under the command of Hayreddin Barbarossa ravaged and imposed tribute on more than 20 islands in the Adriatic Sea that belonged to the Venetians. Capture of cities and villages in Dalmatia.
1540-1547 - fighting in Hungary.
1541 - capture of Buda.
1541 – capture of Algiers
1543 - capture of the Esztergom fortress. A Janissary garrison was stationed in Buda, and the Turkish administration began to function throughout the territory of Hungary captured by the Turks.
1548 – passage through the lands of Southern Azerbaijan and capture of Tabriz.
1548 – siege of the Van fortress and capture of the Lake Van basin in Southern Armenia. The Turks also invaded Eastern Armenia and Southern Georgia. In Iran, Turkish units reached Kashan and Qom and captured Isfahan.
1552 – capture of Temesvar
1552 - the Turkish squadron headed from Suez to the shores of Oman.
1552 - In 1552, the Turks took the city of Temesvár and the Veszprém fortress
1553 - capture of Eger.
1547-1554 – capture of Muscat (a large Portuguese fortress).
1551 - 1562 the next Austro-Turkish war took place
1554 – naval battles with Portugal.
In 1560, the Sultan's fleet won another great naval victory. Near the coast of North Africa, near the island of Djerba, the Turkish armada entered into battle with the combined squadrons of Malta, Venice, Genoa and Florence
1566-1568 – Austro-Turkish war for the possession of the Principality of Transylvania
1566 – capture of Szigetvár.

During his long, almost half-century rule (1520-1566), Suleiman the Magnificent never sent his conquerors to Ukraine.
It was at that time that the construction of fences, castles, fortresses of the Zaporozhye Sich, the organizational and political activities of Prince Dmitry Vishnevetsky arose. In Suleiman’s letters to the Polish king Artykul August II there are not only threats to punish “Demetrash” (Prince Vishnevetsky), but also a demand for a quiet life for the inhabitants of Ukraine. At the same time, in many ways, it was Roksolana who contributed to the establishment of friendly relations with Poland, which at that time controlled the lands of Western Ukraine, the native lands of the Sultana. The signing of the Polish-Ottoman truce in 1525 and 1528, as well as the “perpetual peace” treaties of 1533 and 1553, is very often attributed to her influence. So Piotr Opalinski, the Polish ambassador to Suleiman’s court in 1533, confirmed that “Roksolana begged the Sultan to forbid the Crimean Khan to disturb the Polish lands.” As a result, the close diplomatic and friendly contacts established by Hurrem Sultan with King Sigismund II, as confirmed by surviving correspondence, made it possible not only to prevent new raids on the territory of Ukraine, but also helped to interrupt the flow of slave trade from those lands

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Circassian rival Makhidevran: from love to hate

Hurrem Sultan is the only concubine who became the legal wife of the Ottoman Sultan. An amazing thing: the love of Suleiman I the Magnificent and his Haseki Hurrem lasted for 40 years! Hurrem Sultan is known for her bright and eventful life. And if there is no genuine news about her childhood and youth, then about her adult life quite a lot is known. Her role in the struggle for the installation of her sons on the throne, her touching love letters founded by her are known charity organisations. She is considered the creator of the harem in the Topkapi Palace. One of the districts of Istanbul, Haseki, is named in her honor. She became a source of inspiration for many writers, artists, and composers.

There are no lifetime portraits of Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska; all the sources presented to us are only variations on the theme of the real appearance of the depicted character. The Ottoman harem was closed to artists during the time of Sultan Suleiman; there are only a few lifetime engravings depicting Suleiman himself and variations on the theme of the appearance of his wife. However, there was a message in the press that not long ago the Turkish ambassador to Ukraine gave the city of Rohatyn and its residents... lifetime portrait Roksolany, which is now in the local history museum. However, this was hardly possible: to paint the padishah’s wife from life. So if such a portrait exists, it was painted, most likely, thanks to successful meetings with the “object” during festivities in the palace garden, or at embassy receptions, or generally from the words of the lucky ones who had access to the palace.

Meryem Uzerli as Roksolana in the Turkish TV series “The Magnificent Century”

Prefix Haseki It was not by chance that the Slavic concubine received her name. After being presented to the Sultan, the concubines who gave birth to his child were called “Iqbal” or “Haseki” (“favorite concubine”). For the first time, this title - Haseki - was introduced by Suleiman specifically for his beloved, thereby confirming Hurrem’s unique position in the palace and in Ottoman society itself. The concubine who received this title had to kiss the hem of the Sultan's caftan; as a sign of gratitude, the happy father gave her a sable cape and a separate room in the palace. This meant that from now on she would be under the personal subordination of the Sultan, and not a valide or kalfa from the harem.

The highest title that a concubine could achieve under fortunate circumstances was “mother of the Sultan” (valide sultan; valide sultan). A concubine could receive this title if her son ascended the throne. The first bearer of this title was Hafsa Sultan, mother of Suleiman the Magnificent. Before this, according to the Seljuk tradition, the term was more often used khatun. The woman who received this high title enjoyed great respect and influence both in the palace and outside it, actively interfering in state affairs. After the Sultan's hall, the largest area in the harem was allocated to the Sultan's mother. She had many concubines under her command. In addition to managing the harem, she also intervened in government affairs. If someone else became the sultan, she was sent to the Old Palace, where she led a quiet life.

Hurrem was able to deprive her rivals in the harem of the Sultan's love, and, according to the testimony of the Venetian ambassador Pietro Brangadino, it came to assault. Another Venetian ambassador, Bernardo Navagero, in his report for 1533, wrote about the “duel” of Hurrem with Suleiman’s concubine, Mahidevran, who was the mother of Prince Mustafa. This slave of Circassian or Albanian origin had previously been the Sultan’s favorite concubine, and from the moment she appeared in Roksolana’s harem she experienced burning hatred, jealousy and anger. The ambassador described the quarrel that arose between Makhidevran and Khyurrem in the report as follows: “...The Circassian woman insulted Khyurrem and tore her face, hair and dress. After some time, Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska was invited to the Sultan's bedchamber. However, Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska said that she could not go to the ruler in this form. However, the Sultan called Hurrem and listened to her. Then he called Mahidevran, asking if Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska told him the truth. Mahidevran said that she main woman Sultan and that other concubines must obey her, and that she has not yet beaten the treacherous Hurrem. The Sultan was angry with Mahidevran and made Hurrem his favorite concubine.”

Harem courtyard of Topkapi Palace

Behind these simple sentences lies tragic fate a woman forever deprived of the love of her ruler. I think that the creators of the series “The Magnificent Century” showed us a true portrait of Makhidevran - graceful, beautiful woman, forced to look for other priorities in life, except for the awareness of the betrayal of a loved one and revenge on a rival. And since our heroine had to wage a tireless struggle, first of all, with this favorite of Suleiman, then we’ll tell you a little about the Circassian woman. It should be said that at that time all residents of the North Caucasus were considered Circassian, and often it was from there that the desired concubines arrived at the court of the Ottoman sultans. Encyclopedias tell us the following about this character.

Mahidevran Sultan (1500 - February 3, 1581) - the third concubine of the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman, mother of Shah-Zade Mustafa. She was born in Egypt and was the daughter of a Mamluk prince. She was of Karachay origin. It was presented by the brothers to the harem of Shah-Zade Suleiman.

Once in the harem, the heir liked her and became his favorite. In 1515 she gave birth to a son, Mustafa. Her name means: Makhidevran - Moon-faced Lady, this name was given to her after the birth of her son. Gulbahar - means Spring Rose, she received this name on the night when she “walked along the golden path”, it was given to her by Suleiman the Magnificent, then the heir - Shah-Zade Suleiman.

Interior of Topkapi Palace

Once upon a time, the “Spring Flower” had the opportunity to fight for the heart of the ruler with two other contenders. The first concubine who bore Suleiman a son was Fulane. But their son Mahmud died during a smallpox epidemic on November 29, 1521. And a few years later, in 1525, Fylane also died. Suleiman's second concubine was called Gulfem Sultan. In 1513, she gave birth to the Sultan's son Murad, who, like his half-brother, also died in 1521. Gulfem was excommunicated from the Sultan and did not give birth to any more children, but remained with the Sultan for a long time true friend. Gulfem was strangled by order of Suleiman in 1562.

After the death of Suleiman's first two sons, Mahidevran's son Mustafa was named heir. He will be prepared for the role of ruler, but will not escape a harsh fate. As the ruler of the province of Manisa (from 1533), he was executed on the orders of his father - strangled with a silk cord (in such cases, the highest Turkish nobility avoided blood). Historians will blame the insidious intriguer Hurrem for his death.

...In 1520, all the main and secondary “flowers of the harem” made way for the red-haired Slavic slave who captured the heart of the stern ruler of the Ottoman Empire. After the Sultan’s fourth concubine named Hurrem appeared, sweet Mahidevran, who believed in the inviolability of her charms, was excommunicated from the Sultan. Mahidevran Sultan will die in 1581 (he will be buried next to his son in the Cem Sultan Mausoleum in Bursa).

As we see, in 1521, two of Suleiman’s three sons died. The only heir was six-year-old Mustafa from Makhidevran. Such tragedies associated with high infant mortality posed a threat to the dynasty. Around the same year, a new concubine Roksolana appeared in Suleiman’s harem. Only Hurrem's ability to give birth to an heir could give the young woman the necessary support in the courtyard. And Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska did not hesitate to produce not one, but several heirs.

Nur Aysan as Mahidevran in the Turkish TV series “The Magnificent Century”

In 1521–1525, with a break of a year, Hurrem gave birth to Mehmed, (daughter) Mihrimah, Abdullah, Selim, Bayezid, and in 1531 - Jahangir. And all these babies were born as the desired fruits of strong, mutual love.

More than once, the conflict between the new favorite and Mahidevran was restrained by the authority of Suleiman’s mother, Valide Sultan Hafsa Khatun (died 1534).

As already mentioned, the mothers of the sultans came from concubines, and the mother of the famous Suleiman the Magnificent was no exception.

Ayşe Sultan Hafsa or simply Hafsa Sultan (1479 – March 19, 1534) was the first wife of the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, who bore the title Valide Sultan. Wife of Selim I and mother of Suleiman the Magnificent. From 1520 to 1534 she was co-ruler with her son and was considered the second person in the state after the Sultan.

The story of her origin is unclear, as is the story of the origin of her great daughter-in-law Hurrem. And while some claim that Aishe was the daughter of the Crimean Khan Mengli-Girey I, others are sure that the daughter of the Crimean Khan Mengli-Girey I was another wife of Selim I - Aishe Khatun.

A common version is this: the beautiful Aishe was born in the Crimean Khanate. After being “married” to Selim, Yavuz lived in the city of Manisa in Anatolia with her son, who ruled the region from 1513 to 1520. Manisa (Magnesia) - one of the traditional residences of the Ottoman princes (shah-zade), was also used to train future heirs and learn the skills of government. Attentive viewers of the film “The Magnificent Century” remember that it was here that Suleiman sent his grown-up son Mustafa from his concubine Mahidevran Sultan.

Turkish carpet from the 16th century

Aishe, like Hurrem, knew the joy of true love, for it was she who became the first to be awarded the highest title of Valide Sultan. After the birth of her son Suleiman I the Magnificent, who was born on November 6, 1494 in Trabzon, she gave birth to three more sons and four daughters, all three sons subsequently died from the epidemic. Her famous rival daughter-in-law Hurrem will also experience the same tragedy of the loss of her beloved sons.

Hafs Sultan is survived by 4 daughters and a son: Suleiman, Hatice, Fatma, Shah and Beyhan. In the beloved series “The Magnificent Century,” the main characters were her two children: the great ruler Suleiman himself and his beautiful-faced sister Hatice Sultan. But the series will also show the fate of the unfortunate Fatma, who lost her husband due to the fault of the ruler - her great brother, who ordered the death of his greedy son-in-law. This guest, by the way, will be useful to the filmmakers when it comes to the betrayal of Hatice’s husband, a close friend and chief vizier of the ruler, Ibrahim Pasha, already well-known to us. His betrayal will play into the hands of Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska, and will become the road leading Ibrahim straight to death.

And a few more words about Valida Sultan, who played one of the leading roles in the life of Hurrem, who taught her daughter-in-law wisdom, cunning, patience and... statesmanship. Like the Valide Sultan, Hurrem will also have to take part in the management of a huge empire. And if it were not for the example of Aishe Sultan, it is unknown how the worldview would have developed and to what extent the potential could have been demonstrated - in the field of charity or in the field of diplomacy - by Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska herself.

From the history of the Ottoman Empire we know that Ayşe Hafsa Sultan built a large complex in Manisa, consisting of a mosque, primary school, college and hospice. This amazing woman was the founder of the Mesir Festival in Manisa, and this ancient tradition is continued in Turkey today.

Valide Sultan. Artist Norman Mosley Penzer

Ayşe Hafsa Sultan died in March 1534 and was buried next to her husband in the mausoleum-mosque of Yavuz Selim, in Fatih (Istanbul). The mausoleum was severely damaged during an earthquake in 1884, but restoration work began in the first decade of our 21st century.

A year before the death of the Sultan’s mother, Khyurrem’s main rival, Mahidevran, went to Manisa with her 18-year-old son Mustafa. It would seem that for some time the conflict between women has been settled... and Hurrem can take carte blanche. And so it happened: from now on she was destined only to strengthen her power. And the first thing the mother of five shah-zade did was... she married the father of her children! Becoming the first concubine recognized as a legitimate wife before Allah, her beloved and people.

Monument to Aisha Hafsa Sultan in Turkey

Sultan Suleiman Khan Hazretleri – Caliph of Muslims and Lord of the Planet

But before we move on to the description of the magnificent wedding ceremonies, we will once again return to the personality of Sultan Suleiman, with whom our heroine had the opportunity to while away her entire life, and to whom she dedicated many beautiful lines, responding to his poetic confessions. Having first indicated another important nuance from the life of the concubines, which - like many others - was disrupted by the love that broke out between Suleiman and his Haseki.

At the Ottoman court, a custom was adopted: the Sultan’s favorite could have only one son, after whose birth she lost her status as a privileged concubine and had to raise her son, and when he reached adulthood, she followed him to one of the remote provinces as the mother of the governor. But, as already mentioned, Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska gave birth to her beloved five children, and, therefore, she did not get bored with the ruler, who neglected the palace foundations. Contemporaries, unable to explain what was happening, and not wanting to pay tribute to true love, insisted that Hurrem “wrapped” the Sultan with witchcraft.

But was it possible to bewitch the sensible Suleiman?

Here we can recall that historians, with great and deep interest in the personality of Suleiman the Magnificent, came to the conclusion that it was Sultan Suleiman who was a fair legislator, receiving the corresponding nickname Kanuni. The conditions for his emergence as the “ruler of the world,” great, just and at the same time merciless, were laid down in him from early childhood in his royal family.

Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska gave birth to her beloved five children, and that means she did not get bored with the ruler, who neglected the palace foundations...

Sultan Suleiman was long-awaited heir, he was born on April 27 in 1494 in a family that already had four girls. This happened during the reign of Bayezid II. His son Sultan Selim “governor” in the province, mastering the craft of a ruler. His young beautiful wife Hafsa Aishe and his mother Gulbahar Sultan lived with him. This arrangement was consistent with the traditions of the Ottoman Empire in preparing sons for supreme government power.

The boy born in this family - the future ruler Suleiman - loved his grandmother Gulbahar Sultan very much, and was very worried when she passed away. After the death of the grandmother, all the care and upbringing of the beloved only son took over the mother of Sultan Suleiman, Hafsa. The most eminent teachers of that time were assigned to the heir to the throne. In addition to teaching literacy, history, rhetoric, astronomy and other sciences, Suleiman studied jewelry. The boy was personally taught the subtleties of his intricate craftsmanship by the most famous and best jeweler of the era, Konstantin Usta.

Sultan Selim, with the help of his loyal assistants, overthrew Bayezid II from the throne, after which he was proclaimed the new ruler of the empire. He confirmed his son, Sultan Suleiman, who had matured by that time, as governor of Manisa, in order to thus accustom his son to power.

As we already know, after the sudden and sudden death of his father, being 25 years old, Sultan Suleiman ascended the throne. He ruled the Ottoman Empire for 46 long years, almost as long as his love for an earthly woman, who received the name Hurrem from him, lasted.

It is believed that with the coming to power of Sultan Selim, the Ottoman Empire reached its greatest prosperity, rightfully receiving the name “solar power”. This country and its richest treasury were guarded by perhaps the largest and most experienced army in the world.

Oriental jewelry

Historians always emphasize that Selim’s son, Sultan Suleiman, bore the nickname Kanuni, that is, fair, thereby emphasizing that this ruler did a lot to make life easier for the common people. Indeed, history has preserved cases when the Sultan - unrecognized - went into the city, into the market squares, wandered the streets and performed good deeds, identifying and punishing the guilty. Surely because of this, people spoke of him as the Caliph of all Muslims, not forgetting to point out something more significant: their Sultan is the Lord of the Planet.

During his reign, the empire successfully established trade, economic and other relations with neighboring countries. It is also known that this person was tolerant of Christian religion, and people belonging to this faith could calmly live according to the laws and customs of their religion, just like the Muslims themselves. There was no religious confrontation in the empire, and this, of course, was primarily the merit of the ruler. However, not everything went as smoothly as we say, for any strong state, and especially an empire, tried to strengthen its influence in the world, most often resorting to bloody wars to achieve its goals.

Radio “Voice of Turkey” in a series of programs about the history of the Ottomans (broadcast in 2012) announced: “The first Ottoman rulers - Osman, Orhan, Murat, were as skilled politicians and administrators as they were successful and talented commanders and strategists. Among the factors that contributed to the success of the Ottoman cause, one can also point out the fact that even opponents saw in the Ottomans Islamic warriors, not burdened with purely clerical or fundamentalist views, which distinguished the Ottomans from the Arabs, with whom Christians had previously had to deal. The Ottomans did not convert the Christians under their control by force to the true faith; they allowed their non-Muslim subjects to practice their religions and cultivate their traditions. It should be said (and this is a historical fact) that the Thracian peasants, languishing under the unbearable burden of Byzantine taxes, perceived the Ottomans as their liberators. The Ottomans, combining on a rational basis the purely Turkic traditions of nomadism with Western standards of administration, created a pragmatic model government controlled" (etc.).

Carpet seller. Artist Giulio Rosati

If the father of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent pursued a policy of expanding the expanses of his possessions by conquering eastern countries, then his son expanded the borders of the Ottoman Empire in the European direction: in 1521 Belgrade was captured, in 1522 - the legendary island of Rhodes, after which the capture of Hungary was planned. This has already been partially discussed above. And yet, adding new information to quotes taken from historians about that period, we will receive the following valuable details, colorfully indicating the spirit of the times. Or rather, about the spirit of that time, which stained the completely enlightened “solar” empire with blood.

After the capture of Rhodes, Sultan Suleiman appoints the former slave Manis, his longtime friend, Ibrahim Pasha, who received an excellent education under the Sultan, as chief vizier. He was to be responsible for the outcome of the Battle of Mohács in Hungary. An army of 400 thousand soldiers was involved in the Battle of Mojacs. Troops after completing morning prayers with the cry: “Allah is Great!” and raising the Sultan's banner, they rushed into battle. It is known that on the eve of the battle, the eldest soldier entered the Sultan, dressed in armor and sitting on a throne near his tent, and, falling to his knees, loudly exclaimed: “O my padishah, what could be more honorable than war?!” After which this exclamation was repeated several times by the entire large army. Only after completing a series of obligatory ceremonies, the soldiers, on the orders of the Sultan, went on the offensive. According to tradition, a battle march was played from the very beginning of the battle until its completion. At the same time, the “military band” sat on the backs of camels and elephants, encouraging the soldiers with rhythmic music. The bloody battle lasted only two hours, ending in victory for the Turks. So Sultan Suleiman gained Hungary, leaving the whole of Europe to shake in feverish tension, awaiting the implementation of new plans for the conquest of the world by the padishah. Meanwhile, Turkish subjects began to calmly settle down in the very center of Germany.

Ibrahim Pasha

After his European conquests, Sultan Suleiman sets out to capture Iran and Baghdad, his army winning battles both on land and at sea. Soon the Mediterranean Sea also becomes under Turkish control.

The result of such a successful policy of conquest was that the lands of the empire turned out to be the largest in the world in terms of area occupied by one power. 110 million people - the population of the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century. The Ottoman Empire extended over eight million square kilometers and had three administrative divisions: European, Asian, African.

Kanuni Sultan Suleiman, invested with sovereign greatness, acted as the compiler of a number of completely new effective laws. Turkish Kanuni means Legislator.

The inscription on the Suleymaniye Mosque, built in honor of Suleiman, reads: “Distributor of the Sultan’s laws. The most important merit of Suleiman, as a Legislator, was the establishment of Islamic culture in the world.”

The Sultan corresponded with the King of France Francois I. One of the letters addressed to the king and written by the ruler of the Ottoman Empire begins like this: “I, who rule in the Black and Mediterranean seas, in the Rumelian, Anatolian and Karashan, Rum and Diyarbakir vilayets, ruling in Kurdistan and Azerbaijan, in Ajem, in Sham and Aleppo, in Egypt, in Mecca and Medina, Jerusalem and Yemen, I am the ruler of all Arab countries and many more lands conquered by my ancestors. I am the grandson of Sultan Selim Khan, and you are a pathetic king of the French vilayet, Francesco...”

Halit Ergench as Sultan Suleiman in the Turkish TV series “The Magnificent Century”

By the way, as for enlightened France (for some reason this country is always identified with enlightenment). In 1535, Sultan Suleiman completed a monumental agreement with Francis I that gave France favorable trading rights in the Ottoman Empire in exchange for joint action against the Habsburgs. But what’s even more curious is that one of the French women, a relative of Napoleon himself, or rather, the cousin of Empress Josephine (Napoleon’s wife) Aimée Dubois de Riveri, was among... the ranks of the concubines of one of the Ottoman rulers. She went down in history under the name Naqshidil as the mother of Sultan Mahmud II. By the way, when Sultan Abdul-Aziz (1861–1876) visited France, Emperor Napoleon III, who received him, said that they were relatives through their grandmothers.

This is how Big History jokes with its loyal subjects...

Here we can cite another very significant case. One day, Napoleon III's wife, Empress Eugénie, was on her way to the opening ceremony. Suez Canal I decided to look into Istanbul and visit the Sultan’s palace. She was received with appropriate pomp and, because she was bursting with curiosity, they dared to take her into the holy of holies - into the harem, which literally excited the minds of Europeans. But the arrival of an uninvited guest caused international embarrassment. The fact is that Valide Sultan Pertivniyal, angry at the foreigner’s invasion of her domain, publicly slapped the empress in the face. It is unlikely that Evgenia has ever experienced such humiliation, but how strong and protected one must feel in order to act in such a way as a valid Sultan. How highly a woman was raised (not only by power, but also by her inner essence) to give a slap in the face for intemperate curiosity. She took revenge, apparently, for what she felt: the European woman came running to inspect the harem, like a monkey nursery. This is what a fashion trendsetter, a sophisticated woman of noble blood, did to... a former laundress! Before becoming the wife of Sultan Mahmud II, Pertivniyal served as a laundress in Turkish bath, where her either chiseled or, on the contrary, curvaceous forms were noticed by Mahmud.

Turkish ceramics, 16th century

Let's return to our main character, who won the heart of the eastern concubine. Sultan Suleiman, just like his father, was fond of poetry, and until the end of his days he wrote talented poetic works, full of oriental flavor and philosophizing. He also paid great attention to the development of culture and art in the empire, inviting craftsmen from different countries. Special attention he devoted to architecture. During his time, many beautiful buildings and places of worship were built, which have survived to this day. The prevailing opinion among historians is that important government positions in the Ottoman Empire during the reign of Sultan Suleiman were received not so much through titles, but through merit and intelligence. As researchers note, Suleiman attracted the best minds of the time, the most gifted people, to his country. For him there were no titles when it came to the good of his state. He rewarded those who were worthy of it, and they paid him with boundless devotion.

European leaders were amazed by the rapid rise of the Ottoman Empire and wanted to know the reason for the unexpected success of the “savage nation.” We know about a meeting of the Venetian Senate, at which, after the ambassador’s report on what was happening in the empire, the question was asked: “Do you think that a simple shepherd can become a grand vizier?” The answer was: “Yes, in the empire everyone is proud to be a slave of the Sultan. A high statesman may be of low birth. The power of Islam grows at the expense of second-class people born in other countries and baptized Christians.” Indeed, eight of Suleiman's grand viziers were Christians and were brought to Turkey as slaves. The pirate king of the Mediterranean, Barbari, a pirate known to Europeans as Barbarossa, became Suleiman's admiral, commanding the fleet in battles against Italy, Spain and North Africa.

Suleiman the Magnificent

And only those who represented the sacred law, judges and teachers were the sons of Turkey, brought up in the deep traditions of the Koran.

It is interesting that during the reign of Suleiman, the peoples of the world had to experience the same feelings that our compatriots, along with the whole world, who believe in... the end of the world will experience. Those who were afraid of the onset of December 21, 2012, will understand what the writer P. Zagrebelny was talking about when he mentioned: “Suleiman willingly accepted the advice of his mother and beloved wife to play a magnificent wedding for himself younger sister. He hoped that the wedding celebrations would drown out the dissatisfaction of the troops with little booty and terrible losses at Rhodes, the gloomy whispers of Istanbul, disagreements in the divan, bad news from the eastern provinces and Egypt, the enmity that had reigned in the harem since the expulsion of Mahidevran and the approach to Sultan Hurrem. 1523 was a difficult year everywhere. In Europe, they were waiting for a new flood, people fled to the mountains, stocked up on grub, those who were richer built arks, hoping to wait out the elements in them, and although the astrologer Paolo de Burgo convinced Pope Clement that heavenly constellations did not indicate the end of the world, the earth continued to be torn apart by wars , and the elements were raging in heaven. On January 17, 1524, in St. Peter's Cathedral, during a service presided over by the pope himself, a large stone fell off a column and fell at the feet of the Roman high priest; Terrible downpours began throughout Europe.”

Dagger from the collection of the Topkapi Museum in Istanbul

And since we have already mentioned the celebrations - the wedding of Suleiman’s beloved sister named Hatice, then we can remember what happened on this significant day with our Hurrem. According to P. Zagrebelny, Roksolana gave birth to her second heir on this day. We read: “At this time, a messenger arrived from the Sultan’s gray with good news: Sultana Haseki gave birth to the ruler of the world, the glorious Sultan Suleiman, another son! It was the twenty-ninth of May - the day Fatih captured Constantinople. But the Sultan had already named his first son Khyurrem after Fatih, so he solemnly proclaimed to the guests that he was naming Haseki’s second son Selim, in honor of his glorious father, and immediately ordered the Sultana to be sent a gift of a large ruby, his favorite stone, and a golden ladder so that to mount a horse or a camel, and some of those present thought: so that it would be more convenient to climb to the heights of power.” Following Haseki's lead, the Sultan resumed the festivities six days later, after his concubine had recovered slightly from childbirth. So that she too could take part in the magnificent celebrations and enjoy entertainment of unprecedented generosity. “It didn’t even occur to the Sultan that with this magnificent wedding, never seen in Istanbul, he was giving birth to and strengthening the two most hostile forces in his state, which sooner or later would have to collide and one of them would inevitably die. He carelessly showed one of these powers to the people and thereby weakened it a hundredfold, for, as highly exalted, the people immediately hated it, while the other power remained hidden for now and was therefore much stronger. The obvious force was Ibrahim, from now on not only the grand vizier, but also the royal son-in-law. By hidden power - Roksolana, whose time has not yet come, but someday could and should have come.”

Another researcher, a historian, one of the main witnesses of that era, wrote that to commemorate this wedding, a grand celebration was organized at the Hippodrome, which lasted fifteen days. The 16th-century Turkish historian Peshevi wrote about the wedding of Ibrahim and Hatice: “...before our eyes stretched such abundance and fun as had never been seen at the wedding of a princess.”

World famous oriental sweets

...Sultan Suleiman, having become a ruler, managed to overcome various difficulties, securing for himself many flattering epithets. In world history, the period of the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent is referred to as the “Turkic era”, since the Ottoman Empire was considered the most developed civilization of the 16th century. The Sultan received his prefix to the name “Magnificent” as the ruler who reached the highest peak for his empire. The great padishah of the Turks was great in different guises: from a warrior to an educator, from a poet to a legislator, from a lover to a lover...

Engraving by Agostino Veneziano depicting Suleiman the Magnificent wearing a helmet above the papal tiara. This helmet was not a typical headdress for the Sultan, and he did not wear it, but the helmet was often near him when receiving ambassadors

The whole world knows Roksolana as a person who broke all stereotypes about women in Islamic society. And despite the fact that her image has been so popular for almost half a millennium, there is no single correct and indisputable thought about either her character or appearance. There are only one assumptions - how a simple captive could win the heart of one of the most powerful rulers of the Ottoman Empire, Suleiman I the Magnificent... There are a lot dark spots her biography conceals. Apparently this is why all her portraits painted by artists in those days are so contradictory.

Poems and poems were composed about this extraordinary woman, novels and plays were written; some remembered her reverently and with delight, others accused her of destroying the stereotypes of Islamic society and the Ottoman Empire itself. Therefore, it is not at all surprising that for almost five centuries the biography of Roksolana, fraught with many contradictions and mysteries, has become so overgrown with legends and fiction.

Roksolana. Unknown artist. Early 16th century

Therefore, talk objectively about this famous woman very difficult. Hurrem Haseki Sultan - that’s what she was called in the Ottoman Empire, in Europe she was known under the name Roksolana. The real name is not known for certain. But, based on literary traditions and the main version, she was born in the small town of Rohatyn, in Western Ukraine. And since in those days that territory was under the Poles, Roksolana was often called a Pole. However, according to official data, she was Ukrainian by nationality.

Roksolana - Hurrem Sultan

And she owes her name, which has gone down in history for centuries, to the ambassador of the Roman Empire De Busbeck, who called her “Roxolana” in his reports, referring to the common name at the end of the 16th century for the places where the Sultana was from - Roxolana. The name “Roksolana” sounded like “Ryussa”, “Rossa”, “Rossana”.

At the slave market

As for the real name, there is still heated debate among researchers. After all, there is no reliable information about him in the primary sources of the 16th century. Only much later did some begin to call her Anastasia, the daughter of the clergyman Gavrila Lisovsky. And other historians believed that she was Alexandra and Polish by nationality. Now some researchers often mention the version about the Russian roots of the great Sultana, which has no good reason.

Harem of the Turkish Sultan

And the most popular version says that around 1520, during another Tatar raid, 15-year-old Anastisiya Lisovskaya was captured, taken to Crimea, and from there transported to Istanbul. There the vizier Ibrahim Pasha noticed the beautiful girl, who presented her to Suleiman I.

Suleiman I the Magnificent. / Khurem Sultan. (1581)

It was from that time that her majestic biography began. Anastasia’s name in the harem was “Hurrem”, which meant “cheerful”. And in a very short time, from an ordinary concubine, she will become the beloved wife of Suleiman I the Magnificent, who idolized her, initiated her into his state affairs and wrote his poems for her.

For the sake of his beloved, he will do what none of the sultans had ever done before him: he will tie the knot in an official marriage with his concubine. To do this, Roksolana will convert to Islam and, becoming the main wife, will be an influential person in the Ottoman Empire for about forty years.

Roksolana and Suleiman I the Magnificent

In fairness, it should be noted that no one has ever described Roksolana as some very beautiful woman, she had an attractive appearance - nothing more. Why then did the Slavic girl bewitch the Turkish Sultan? Suleiman the Magnificent loved strong-willed, intelligent, sensual and educated women. And she had plenty of intelligence and wisdom.

Suleiman and Hurrem. (1780).

This explains the fact that Roksolana managed to fall in love with the young Sultan so easily and become the mistress of his heart. In addition, being a very educated woman, she was well versed in art and politics, so Suleiman, contrary to all the customs of Islam, allowed her to be present at the council of the divan and at the negotiations of diplomatic ambassadors. By the way, Suleiman the Magnificent was the greatest sultan of the Ottoman dynasty, and under his rule the empire reached the apogee of its development.

La Sultana Rossa.

Especially for her, the Sultan introduced a new title at his court - Haseki. And from 1534 Roksolana would become the mistress of the palace and Suleiman’s main political adviser. She had to independently receive ambassadors, correspond with influential politicians of European states, engage in charity and construction, and patronize masters of art. And when the spouses had to be separated for a while, they corresponded with beautiful poems in Arabic and Persian.

Portrait of Hürrem, kept in the Topkapi Palace Museum

Roksolana and Suleiman had five children - four sons and a daughter. However, of the sons, only one survived Suleiman the Magnificent - Selim. Two died during the bloody struggle for the throne, the third died in infancy.

For forty years of marriage, Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska managed to achieve the almost impossible. She was proclaimed the first wife, and her son Selim became the heir. At the same time, Roksolana’s two youngest sons were strangled. According to some sources, it is she who is accused of involvement in these murders - allegedly this was done in order to strengthen the position of her beloved son Selim. Although reliable data about this tragedy has never been found. But there is evidence that about forty sons of the Sultan, born to other wives and concubines, were found and killed on her orders.

Suleiman I

They say that even the Sultan’s mother was shocked by the harsh methods by which Roksolan gained power. The biography of this extraordinary woman shows that she was feared outside the palace. Hundreds of people she disliked quickly died in the hands of executioners.

Roksolana could be understood, living in constant fear that at any moment the Sultan could be carried away by a new beautiful concubine and make her his legal wife, and order his old wife to be executed. In the harem, it was customary to imprison an unwanted wife or concubine alive in a leather bag with poisonous snake and an angry cat, and then, tying the stone, throw it into the waters of the Bosphorus. The guilty considered it lucky if they were simply quickly strangled with a silk cord.

For approximately 5 centuries, the couple has been resting in peace in neighboring turbes in Istanbul. On the right is Suleiman's turbe, on the left is Hürrem Sultan

Time passed, but Roksolana continued to remain the best for Suleiman: the further, the more he loved her. When she was already approaching 50, the ambassador from Venice wrote about her: “For His Majesty the Sultan, this is such a beloved wife that, they say, after he got to know her, he no longer wanted to know a single woman. And none of his predecessors had ever done this, since the Turks have a custom of changing women.”

Hurrem.

Fortunately, it was not only deceit and cold calculation that made Hurrem Sultan famous. She managed to do a lot for the prosperity of Istanbul: she built several mosques, opened a school, organized a home for the mentally retarded, and also opened a free kitchen for the poor, and established contacts with many European countries.

At the age of 55, the biography of this most influential woman ends. Roksolana was buried with all the honors that no woman of Islam knew. After her death, the Sultan did not even think about other women until his last days. Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska remained his only lover. After all, at one time he dissolved his harem for her sake.

Sultan Suleiman died in 1566, outliving his wife by only eight years. Their tombs still stand nearby to this day, near the Suleiman Mosque. It is worth noting that in the 1000-year history of the Ottoman state, only one woman was awarded such an honor - Roksolana.

One of the probable images of Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska. Unknown artist

After the death of the Sultan, the throne was taken by his beloved son, Hürrem Sultan Selim. During his eight-year reign, the decline of the empire began. Contrary to the Koran, he loved to “take it to his chest,” which is why he remained in history under the name Selim the Drunkard. Fortunately, Roksolana did not live to see this.

The life and rise of Roksolana so excited her creative contemporaries that even the great painter Titian (1490–1576) painted a portrait of the famous sultana. Titian's painting, painted in the 1550s, is called La Sultana Rossa, that is, the Russian Sultana.

Roksolana.

The German artist Melchior Loris was in Turkey precisely in those years when Suleiman the Magnificent reigned. He painted portraits of Suleiman himself and his courtiers. The likelihood that this portrait of Roksolana, made on a tablet, belongs to the brush of this master is quite probable.

There are many portraits of Roksolana in the world, but among researchers there is no consensus on which of these portraits is the most reliable.

This mysterious woman still excites the imagination of artists who interpret her image in a new way.

Roksolana and Suleiman I the Magnificent.

... There are a lot of dark spots hidden in her biography. Apparently this is why all her portraits painted by artists in those days are so contradictory.

Roksolana. Unknown artist. Early 16th century.

Therefore, it is very difficult to speak objectively about this famous woman. Hurrem Haseki Sultan - that’s what she was called in the Ottoman Empire; in Europe she was known under the name Roksolana. The real name is not known for certain. But, based on literary traditions and the main version, she was born in the small town of Rohatyn, in Western Ukraine. And since in those days that territory was under the Poles, Roksolana was often called a Pole. However, according to official data, she was Ukrainian by nationality.

Roksolana - Hurrem Sultan.

At the slave market.

Harem of the Turkish Sultan.

Suleiman I the Magnificent. / Khurem Sultan. (1581) Auto r: Melchior Loris.

Roksolana and Suleiman I the Magnificent.

Suleiman and Hurrem. (1780). on Hickel.

La Sultana Rossa.

Roksolana could be understood, living in constant fear that at any moment the Sultan could be carried away by a new beautiful concubine and make her his legal wife, and order his old wife to be executed. In the harem, it was customary to put an unwanted wife or concubine alive in a leather bag with a poisonous snake and an angry cat, and then, tying a stone, throw it into the waters of the Bosphorus. The guilty considered it lucky if they were simply quickly strangled with a silk cord.

Portrait of Hurrem, kept in the Topkapi Palace Museum.

Time passed, but Roksolana continued to remain the best for Suleiman: the further, the more he loved her. When she was already approaching 50, the ambassador from Venice wrote about her: “For His Majesty the Sultan, this is such a beloved wife that, they say, after he recognized her, he no longer wanted to know a single woman. And none of his predecessors had ever done this, since the Turks have a custom of changing women.”

Suleiman I.

For approximately 5 centuries, the couple has been resting in peace in neighboring turbes in Istanbul. On the right is Suleiman's turbe, on the left is Khyurrem Sultan.

Hurrem.

One of the probable images of Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska. Unknown artist.

There are many portraits of Roksolana in the world, but among researchers there is no consensus on which of these portraits is the most reliable.

Roksolana.

This mysterious woman still excites the imagination of artists who interpret her image in a new way.