Hurrem Sultan or Hürrem Sultan (1502 – 1558), also known as Roxelana (Ukrainian ‘the Ruthenian one,’) was the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent’s chief consort.
She is an example of a person who rose from low status to a very powerful and successful position.
She rose to become one of the most powerful and influential women in Ottoman history, as well as a notable and contentious figure during the Sultanate of Women.
Hurrem Sultan’s story is a unique aspect of the Ottoman Empire’s rich history. Hurrem, also known as Roxelana, could have been the daughter of an Orthodox Christian priest. Hurrem was caught by Crimean Tatars during a slave raid in the Ruthenia region of what was then the Kingdom of Poland but is now part of Ukraine. She was sold as a slave to Suleman the Magnificent.
She was known as “Hurrem,” which means “joyful” or “the laughing one.”
Her first job was as a laundress. She became an important concubine of Suleiman’s harem and soon Suleiman the Magnificent stayed loyal to Hurrem and spent time with no other women. She received the title of Haseki, which means the favorite. Suleman married her and had more than one child with her which was unusual.
She wrote her husband beautiful love letters while he was out on campaigns and he helped him to lead his empire.
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