Page 60 - All About History - Issue 56-17

Suleiman the Magnificent

Roxelana:

The Ottoman

Anne Boleyn

Roxelana’s astonishing
success at Suleiman’s court
was attributed not only to
her beauty but also to her
intelligence and ambition
A young woman appeared at Suleiman’s court in
1523, captured by Turkish raiders in Galatia. It is believed
that she was originally from Ruthenia, in present-day
Ukraine, and so she was given the nickname ‘Roxelana’,
meaning ‘the Russian’ or the ‘Ruthenian One’. She was fair
with long red hair and, while in the sultan’s harem, her
beauty, bright, witty nature and sharp intelligence caught
the sultan’s eye and she soon became a favourite. But this
was only the beginning.
Suleiman made the unprecedented move of forsaking
all other women in his harem and became devoted only
to Roxelana. It was rumoured that she ensured things
would stay that way by burning the harem down so that
to remain with her beloved she had to move into the John Sigismund of Hungary with
Suleiman in 1556
sultan’s apartments until a new harem could be rebuilt.
It never was.
Such was Suleiman’s unwavering devotion to her that “ Suleiman was also a great patron
he made her chief consort, supplanting Mahidevran,
mother to the sultan’s only son. But it was his
unprecedented decision to marry Roxelana, making of artists and philosophers ”
her his queen, that astounded the country as it broke
with centuries of tradition. As with so many powerful regard to any pretensions on the score of wealth Suleiman loved poetry and considered himself
and influential women, it was rumoured by those who or rank, nor does he take into consideration something of a poet, writing under the pseudonym
resented Roxelana’s success that she had ‘bewitched’ the
sultan. Certainly his poems to Roxelana remain some of recommendations or popularity; he considers each ‘Muhabbi’, meaning ‘beloved and affectionate
the most famous and passionate love poems of the age case on its own merits, and examines carefully friend’. His works have been described as “lyrical,
and suggest a man utterly entranced. into the character, ability, and disposition of mystical, humble and sincere” and he focused
But Roxelana was an extraordinary woman. She was the man. Each man carries in his own hand his on the loneliness of his position, his love of his
intelligent, ambitious, charitable and strategic. She was ancestry and his position in life, which he may country, his acceptance of destiny and his love of
not only wife and queen, but for many years she served
as Suleiman’s chief advisor on matters of state and she make or mar as he will.” beautiful things.
played an influential role in foreign and domestic politics. While the Europeans described Suleiman as Perhaps above all, he wrote passionate and
She had numerous political rivals, namely Suleiman’s loyal magnificent for his opulence, his subjects gave romantic poetry to the woman who would convert
friend and advisor Ibrahim Pasha, with whom she was him the title of ‘Kanuni’, meaning ‘Lawgiver’. He to Islam to be with him and transcend the position
locked in a deadly battle for Suleiman’s favour and from
which she emerged triumphant. embarked on a series of administrative reviews of concubine to stand by his side as queen —
and made major legislative changes in the areas of Roxelana. Towards the end of his reign, however,
Suleiman made the education, taxation and criminal law. His reforms Suleiman gave up his rich costumes, jewels, gold,
unprecedented assisted in bridging the two forms of Ottoman law, wine, poetry and music.
move of making
Roxelana his sultanic and Sharia, and were called ‘Qanun-e- Like Charles, Suleiman seemed to prefer
queen Osmani’, or the ‘Ottoman Laws’. These would stay religious humility in his old age. He died at the
in 1530 in place for three centuries. age of 72, fighting Charles’ successor, Holy Roman
Suleiman was also a great patron of artists Emperor Maximilian II. His death was kept a secret
and philosophers. Artists and highly skilled lest it destroy morale. In keeping with tradition, his
calligraphers, such as Ahmad Karahisari and Kara body was washed, hands laid across his chest, and
Memi, were welcome at court. The sultan financed his nose, eyes and ears were stuffed with cotton
developments in numerous fields, particularly wool. He was then wrapped in a single piece of
manuscript painting, textiles and ceramics. silk and buried in his beloved Süleymaniye
In his youth, as with most sultans, Suleiman Mosque facing Mecca.
learned a trade, in his case goldsmithing, and At the time of his death, Suleiman was the
he personally oversaw the work of craftsmen longest-reigning sultan of the Ottoman Empire
in Topkapı Palace. He also commissioned an and he had outlived his four European adversaries,
ambitious building programme and was a patron with whom he had spent decades in enmity and
of the great architect, Mimar Sinan, who built the alliance. Never again would the Ottoman Empire
iconic Süleymaniye and Selimiye Mosques. command such respect and admiration.
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