Portraits of Turkish sultans. Women's sultanate of the Ottoman Empire. Question of succession

For almost four hundred years, the Ottoman Empire dominated the entire territory of Southeast Europe, Turkey and the Middle East. Founded by the brave tribes of the Turks, the empire at some point began to fall apart due to the gluttony and short-sightedness of its rulers. For a long time, this country existed in a very curious state of functional dysfunction, where, like in troubled waters, the dark secrets of state affairs were hidden.

In general, the Ottoman Empire was quite tolerant of non-Christians. A strong state did not need any proof of its strength. The problems began at the same time as the problems in the country. By the 19th century, mass executions became more and more common. The horror reached its peak in 1915, when the genocide of the entire Armenian population was organized. In this grim massacre, 1.5 million people died. Türkiye still refuses to fully recognize this event.

Janissaries

This tradition was very common at the dawn of the Ottoman Empire. Specially trained people from all over the country forcibly collected young boys to transfer them to the service of the country. The inhabitants of Greece and the Balkans were forced to give up their offspring - they were taken to Istanbul, where the strongest were turned into Muslims and forced to enter military service. The janissary corps provided an excellent opportunity to rise - and an equally excellent opportunity to die during severe trials. The tradition disappeared around the 18th century, when the service of the Janissaries became hereditary.

executions

The Ottoman government completely controlled the life and death of its subjects. The main court, located in Topkapi Palace, was a terrifying place. Special columns were built here, where the heads of the executed were exhibited and a special fountain intended exclusively for the executioners - here they washed their hands. Surprisingly, ordinary gardeners often acted as shoulder masters, dividing their time between creating the most skillful bouquets and practicing with an ax. Most often, the guilty were simply cut off their heads, but the blood of members of the royal family could not be shed. The chief gardener was always a large, muscular man, capable of strangling a man with his bare hands.

Cells

The policy of fratricide has never enjoyed great popularity either among the people or among the clergy. But what to do with members of the royal family who could stage a coup? Ottoman princes could spend their entire lives in special prisons, Kafes. The confinement was luxurious, but a cage is a cage. Highborne masters went crazy with boredom, drank themselves drunk and committed suicide.

Riots

Despite the fact that the grand vizier was a special one just below the sultan (formally), they were often used as expendable figures. In fact, the Sultan gave his adviser to be torn apart by the crowd every time the danger of a riot was brewing. Selim I had so many viziers in his life that he simply could not remember their names. An 18th-century British ambassador remarked that being a vizier in the Ottoman Empire was more dangerous than being a soldier in the rearguard of an army.

Slavery

Up until the 19th century, slavery in the Ottoman Empire was fairly limited. Most of the slaves were from Africa and the Caucasus (the overly obliging and, at the same time, brave Circassians were especially valued). Russians, Ukrainians and even Poles - all but Muslims, who could not be legally enslaved. However, the weakened empire could no longer secure the necessary influx of labor. Those who professed Islam also began to be enslaved, with certain reservations, of course. The Ottoman system was very cruel. Hundreds of thousands of people died in raids and worked the fields to their deaths. This is not even mentioning the very common castration ritual: it was believed that eunuchs were less prone to rebellion. The famous historian, Mener Lewis, in one of his works, pointed to the millions of slaves imported from Africa - and in fact, there are very few people of African descent left in modern Turkey. This fact alone speaks of the terrible traditions of Ottoman slavery.

Harem

Many consider harems a peculiar necessity of the way of oriental life. Men, they say, took women into the harem to take care of them. Maybe initially everything was like that - but not during the heyday of the Ottoman Empire. The imperial harem at Topkapı Palace consisted of two thousand enslaved women. Some of them have never seen the outside world. You could look at the women of the Sultan at the cost of your life: eunuchs zealously guarded "the most valuable place of the empire." Approximately the same situation remained for the less noble persons of the state, who preferred to collect their own harems. In general, the position of a woman at that time could not be called enviable.

"The Magnificent Age" was marked by another twist of the plot: the former groom Luka paints a portrait of Alexandra with a new lover - the Sultan. Unkind oriental artists, painting charming miniatures, treat portraiture with quiet indignation - Islam forbids portraying people and animals. At the same time, lifetime portraits of the ruling elite, starting from the conquest of Constantinople, have been preserved in the museums of Turkey.

Suleiman and Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska pose for Luka in the TV series "The Magnificent Century"

In an eastern country, a woman has been limited to the harem for centuries, that is, not public. But the unique Lady Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska was interested not only in children and charity, she was a wife and co-ruler, with her Suleiman received foreign ambassadors, instructed the sweet clever girl to conduct diplomatic conversations. The sultana was an adornment of palace festivities and embassy receptions, in addition to her native language, she spoke Polish, Greek, Italian, French, Turkish, Persian, and Arabic. She accepted Islam sincerely, but she did not wear a veil, and many lucky ones could see the “Russian sultana”.

The bag on her head is Roksolana's usual attire, but where are the decorations?

Haseki corresponded not only with foreign sovereigns and influential nobles, but also with philosophers and artists. And they did not dare to perpetuate her image?

Records of the Venetian ambassadors who saw the Sultana with their own eyes have been preserved. With a share of true respect, it was reported: the wife of Suleiman the Magnificent is not the most dazzling beauty, but at the same time incredibly sweet, graceful, elegant. It is worth considering that Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska was over fifty at that time (for the 16th century - a mature-overripe age), she had lived next to the Sultan for more than thirty years.

An exhibition of portraits of the nobility of the Ottoman Empire was held in the Art Gallery of Florence.

Among the padishahs crowned with turbans and their courtiers, there was the only female image - Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska. Rumor has it, with the permission of Suleiman the Magnificent, his wife posed for a painter from Venice.

Tintoretto, Portrait of a Woman in Oriental Dress, circa 1550

There was clearly an artist in the Venetian delegation whose sketches Tintoretto could use. Around 1560, the “Portrait of a Woman in an Oriental Costume” came out from under the brush of the master, it is believed by the same Roksolana. The artist Jacopo Robusti (1518/19–1594), nicknamed Tintoretto, was a student of Titian and a contemporary of Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska, never left Italy, and the Russian sultana spent her married years within her second homeland.

The harem was closed to artists, but Haseki regularly attended embassy receptions. Painters at that time were often part of diplomatic delegations, because cameras and movie cameras had not yet been invented. The sultana stayed at state ceremonies officially, without covering her face. Why not be born her portrait? And this happened. A lifetime portrait of Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska in a graphic style is known. Authorship is attributed to an unknown Matthew Pagani (Mathio Pagani). Nearby is the same portrait of Suleiman the Magnificent - the work of one hand. But the black and white gamma keeps the secret of Haseki's hair color: red or brunette?

Melchior Lorck was a Danish painter and engraver, architect, cartographer and diplomat born (1526/27) into an aristocratic family in Flensburg. In 1543, the young Lorc became an apprentice to a jeweler in Lübeck. Then he studied abroad for four years, receiving a scholarship from the Danish King Christian III. In 1553, after working for Count Palatine, Lorca was sent by Emperor Ferdinand I to Turkey with a diplomatic delegation, where he spent three and a half years sketching portraits and genre scenes. Not all of the drawings created in the Ottoman Empire survived, most of the work was completed by the artist in Vienna based on early sketches. The portrait of the beloved wife of Suleiman the Magnificent was created by Lorck in 1581, twenty-three years after the death of Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska (1558). But the artist obviously made sketches for the portrait from nature. Melchior Lorca portrayed the sultana with a rose in her hand - a symbol of royal power and a luxurious headdress embroidered with precious stones. I did not forget to sign: Russian sultana.

Melchior participated in the preparations for the triumphal coronation of Emperor Maximilian II, for which the painter and his three brothers were granted nobility. In November 1564, the artist received the title of "gentleman of the imperial court." Melchior Lorca died in 1583, leaving a book on Turkey unpublished. An abridged version of the memoirs will be published in Hamburg by Michel Goering in 1626.

Necklaces and earrings jingle on Turkish miniatures, but paintings by Western artists who visited Istanbul give a better idea of ​​the Ottoman jewelry tastes. They had a chance to see real Ottoman jewelry (even if painters were not allowed in the harem).

Unknown artist, Roksolana, 17th century, British Royal Collection

WOMEN OF SULTAN SULEIMAN It is not known how many women were in the life of Sultan Suleiman I, but his relationship with some of them is provable. Suleiman's first woman was a Montenegrin Mukrime (Mukerrem - Mukarrem), who was introduced to him by Valide Hafsa in Kaffa in 1508/09. Mukrimé was born in Šokdra in 1496 (or 1494), she was the daughter of Prince Stefan (Staniš) Černojević of the Montenegrin royal family of Crnojević (Černojević) and an Albanian princess; it was granted to the Sultan's court in 1507 as a tribute. Stefan Chernoevich converted to Islam after the conquest of Montenegro by the Turks (circa 1507) and called himself Iskender. Selim I gave him one of his daughters as a wife and gained control of Montenegro. Due to family connection with the sultan's dynasty, Stefan Chernojevic (Iskender) remained viceroy in Montenegro until his death in 1530. Mukrimé gave birth to three children: Neslihan (1510) and Meryem (1511) were born in Kaffa: both girls died during a smallpox epidemic in 1512. Seven years later, Mukrimé gave birth to a son, Murad, in Saruhan, who also died of smallpox in 1521 in the summer palace of Edirne. As a childless sultana, Mukrimé remained in the shadows until 1534. After the death of her mother-in-law Hafsa, she was expelled from Istanbul along with two other women of Suleiman - Gulbahar and Mahidevran. Suleiman provided Mukrimah with a mansion in Edirne and she remained there until her death in 1555. Suleiman's second wife was an Albanian Gulbahar Melekdzhihan (also called Kadriye), who became the Sultan's concubine around 1511 in Kaffa. She is often mistakenly identified with Mahidevran. Gulbahar came from an Albanian noble family and, thanks to family ties with the Ottoman dynasty, became a servant of Hafsa. It is not known how many children she gave birth to Suleiman: it must have been at least two. Being a childless concubine, after the appearance of Roksolana in the harem, she lost her influence, and in 1534 she was expelled from Istanbul along with Mukrime and Mahidevran. She first lived in a mansion in Edirne, then in a manor near Arnavutköy near the capital, and died there in 1559 at the age of 63. The third wife of Suleiman, Mahidevran (one of the most famous wives of the Sultan), was the daughter of the Circassian prince Idar. She was born in Taman in 1498; her mother, Princess Nazkan-Begum, was the daughter of the Crimean Tatar ruler Mengli 1st Giray. Mahidevran met Suleiman in the winter of 1511 in Kaffa, where she was visiting her mother. Suleiman married Mahidevran a little later, on January 5, 1512 in Kaffa. At the end of the same year, she gave birth to her first child, Shehzade Mahmud, in 1515 - Shehzade Mustafa, in 1518 - Shehzade Ahmed, in 1521 - Fatma Sultan and, finally, in 1525 - Razie Sultan: at this time Mahidevran already was not the first favorite of Suleiman, since the Slavic slave Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska became his favorite concubine. It was assumed that Mahidevran was also named Gyulbahar, but the second name was not named in the certificate of the issuance of a monetary reward to her. In historical documents, Mahidevran is referred to as Valide-i Şehzade-Sultan Mustafa Mahidevran Hatun. Expenditure documentation (1521) shows that Gülbahar Hatun, the mother of the deceased Shehzade Abdullah (orig.: Gülbahar Hatun mader-i mürdü Şehzade Sultan Abdullah), spent 120 Akçe on her stables. Another document of 1532 states that 400 akche were given to Gulbahar khatun's brother, Tahir aga from Ohrit. (Original: padişah-ı mülkü alem Sultan Suleyman Han Hazretlerinin halile-i muhteremeleri Gülbahar Hatunun karındaşı Ohritli Tahir Ağa’nın şahsi hükmüne atayayı seniyyeden 400 Akça ihsan edildi). A letter dated 1554 says: “Gulbahar Kadriye, daughter of Hassan Bey and highly revered wife of Suleiman, Shah of Peace, asks from her native state the amount of 90 aspers.” (orig. Gülbahar Kadriye binti Hasan Bey, harem-i muhtereme-i Cıhan-ı Şehinşah-ı Cihan-ı Suleyman Han, hane-i ahalisi içün 90 Asper mercuu eyler). This important document shows that Gulbahar's middle name was Kadriye. This proves that Mahidevran and Gulbahar are two completely different women. In a document dated 1531, Gulbahar is referred to as Melekcihan (orig. Padişah-ı mülk Sultan Suleyman Han harem-i Arnavut nesebinden Kadriye Melekcihan Hatun). Around 1517 or 1518, a woman named Kumru Khatun appears in the harem, who is said to have been Suleiman's concubine. In a document of 1518, Kumru Khatun is mentioned among the influential ladies of the harem. But since 1533, her name has not been found in any of the historical documents; perhaps she died or was expelled. A certain Kumru Memduha Khatun (died in 1561) was a servant of Mukrima Khatun. Presumably, these two Qumru Khatuns are identical. Hürrem, whose real name is Alexandra Lisowska, was the daughter of a peasant from Ruthenia and was born in 1505 in eastern Poland. Very young, she was kidnapped by the Cossacks and sold to the court of the Crimean Tatars in Bakhchisarai. She stayed there for a short time, and then was sent along with other slaves to the Sultan's court. As soon as she arrived in the imperial harem, she became the Sultan's mistress. In the autumn of 1520, she was already pregnant with her first child, and in early 1521 she gave birth to Şehzade Mehmed. For the next five years, she was constantly pregnant and gave birth every year: Mihrimah Sultan was born at the end of 1521, Abdullah in 1523, Selim in 1524, and Bayezid in 1525. Six years passed after the birth of Bayezid, and she again gave birth to her son Dzhihangir (in December 1530). The boy probably suffered from scoliosis, which progressed throughout his life and caused severe pain. With this group of children, Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska strengthened her position at court and replaced her rival Mahidevran, becoming the first favorite of the Sultan. Between the two women began a struggle for the future of their sons. Mahidevran lost this war because Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska, with the help of her daughter Mihrimah and son-in-law Rustem Pasha, convinced the Sultan that Mahidevran's son, Prince Mustafa, was a traitor. Suleiman executed Mustafa. After the murder of Prince Mustafa on October 6, 1553 in Aktepe near Konya, the path to the throne for the sons of Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska was free, but she did not live to see the time when her son Selim II became the 11th Ottoman sultan. She died after a short illness on 15 April 1558 in Istanbul. Suleiman fell into a deep depression and allegedly mourned his beloved wife until his death. Little is known about Suleiman's last women. They say that even during the life of Hürrem, he took two concubines, from whom he had children. Around 1555, he chose Merziban Hatun, an Albanian, as his concubine, and around 1557, Meleksime Hatun, a Bosnian from Mostar. The power-hungry Venetian wife of Selim's heir, Nurbanu, did not tolerate rivals in the palace, especially since Suleiman had a son from Meleksime Khatun, and the boy could be considered a contender for the throne. Shortly after the execution of Bayezid and his sons in 1561, the little prince died unexpectedly at the age of about seven, and his mother Meleksime, as well as Merziban, were forced to leave the palace. Apparently, Suleiman did not mind, because from 1564 Meleksime lived in Edirne, and Merziban lived in Kyzylagach. Suleiman had 22 children from 6 women: From Mukrime Khatun: 1. Meryem (1510 - 1512) 2. Neslikhan (1511 - 1512) 3. Murad (1519 - 1521) Gulbahar Khatun: 1. daughter - name unknown (1511 - 1520) 2. Abdullah (1520 - 1521) died of smallpox 3. Hafiza (1521 - circa 1560) died a widow, her husband's name is unknown. Mahidevran Khatun: 1. Mahmud (1512 - 1521) died of smallpox 2. Mustafa (1515 - 1553) 3. Ahmed (1518 - after 1534) the date of death is unknown, possibly around 1540 or later. Whether Prince Ahmed died of natural causes is unknown, murder is not ruled out. 4. Fatma (1520 - 1572) was married to Gazi Khoja Mehmed Pasha (died in 1548). Mehmed Pasha was the son of Ghazi Yahya Pasha and Princess Shahzadi (daughter of Sultan Bayezid II). 5. Razie (1525 - 1556) died a widow, the name of her husband is unknown. Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska Sultan: 1. Mehmed (1521 - 1543) 2. Mihrimah (1522 - 1578) 3. Abdullah (1523 - 1523) died in infancy 4. Selim II (1524 - 1574) 5. Bayezid (1525 - 1561) 6. Dzhihangir (1531 - 1553) Merziban khatun: 1. Hatice (about 1555 - after 1575) died in her youth 2. son, whose name is unknown (ca. 1556 - about 1563) this prince may have been killed. Meleksime Khatun: 1. Orkhan? (about 1556 - 1562) in other sources he is called Mehmed. However, Şehzade Bayezid also had a son named Orhan, who was killed in Bursa around 1562. It is quite likely to be confusing. 2. Shakhihuban (1560 - about 1595) presumably she was married and had children.

Fans of the TV series "The Magnificent Century" found real photos of the harem's concubines.
As it turned out, the ladies bear little resemblance to the heroines of the popular series.

The heroine of the popular series and a portrait of her real prototype.

In February, fans of the "Magnificent Century" said goodbye to the Turkish series, which was broadcast in Russia for more than three years with a very high rating.

The hearts of housewives were won over by the story of the Russian girl Alexandra, who in 1520 ended up in the harem of Sultan Suleiman. Subsequently, the woman became the beloved wife of Suleiman. And then she converted to Islam, receiving the name Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska.

The Russian audience was bribed not only by the twisted plot of The Magnificent Century, filled with intrigue and unexpected turns of events, but also by very beautiful actresses.

Anis al-Doleh or "Soul Friend of the State"

By the way, after the “Magnificent Century” due to pregnancy, the performer of the role of Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska Sultan actress Meryem Uzerli left, many housewives stopped watching the film. Because, in their opinion, the actress Vahide Gerdum, who replaced Uzerli in the series, does not have such a luxurious appearance as Meryem.

Although, if you look at the portraits of the real Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska Sultan, then she also could not be called a beauty. According to historians, the Russian wife of Sultan Suleiman was distinguished more by intelligence and worldly cunning than by her ideal appearance.

Meanwhile, bloggers have found curious photos of the harem of Iranian ruler Nasser al-Din Shah Qajar, who ruled from 1848 to 1896.

And this is the incomparable Ansiodolla (sitting)

Happy polygamist.

These photos are interesting because you can see how the harem concubines actually looked.

According to bloggers, the Shah liked to photograph his beloved wives, which is why these unique pictures have come down to us.

Researchers write that the Iranian Shah had about 100 wives in the harem.

Bloggers found photos of the Shah's favorite wives. Judging by the pictures, these women are far from ideal according to modern criteria of beauty. Yes, and they are not at all like the heroines of the TV series “The Magnificent Age”, in which all the concubines of Sultan Suleiman, as a selection, are beautiful.

Many bloggers, having seen real photos of the harem, jokingly remarked that if the favorite wives of the Shah looked like this, then it’s scary to imagine what the unloved ones looked like ...

Expert opinion: "Everyone has their own ideas about female beauty!"

I can say one thing: in these photographs we see the shah's wives, - Boris Vasilyevich Dolgov, candidate of historical sciences, senior researcher at the Center for Arab and Islamic Studies at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told KP. - These are not men and not hermaphrodites, as many people thought when they saw these photos. It cannot be said that there were no such inhabitants in the harem. But these were isolated rare cases that were kept secret, since the Koran, like other religions, forbids such things. Are these women beautiful or not, what's the difference? For taste and color, as they say, there are no comrades. In the vegetation on the face of the concubines of the harem, I also do not see anything surprising. A small mustache is characteristic of oriental women. If women specially painted mustaches on themselves, then the owner of this harem simply liked such ladies. In other harems, I have not heard of such a fashion.

But fused eyebrows can be safely called a fashion element of that time. As for the fullness of the inhabitants of the harem, in the 18th and 19th centuries there were a lot of plump women. Moreover, fullness was considered a sign of beauty. The women were specially densely fed and practically not allowed to move so that they became as full as the ladies in these photographs.

Suleiman I - the tenth sultan of the Ottoman Empire - endowed his state with unprecedented power. The great conqueror also became famous as a wise author of laws, the founder of new schools and the initiator of the construction of architectural masterpieces.

In 1494 (according to some reports - in 1495) the son of the Turkish Sultan Selim I and the daughter of the Crimean Khan Aisha Hafsa was born, who was destined to conquer half the world and transform his native country.

The future Sultan Suleiman I received a brilliant education at that time in the palace school in Istanbul, spent his childhood and youth reading books and spiritual practices. From an early age, the young man was trained in administrative matters, appointing him governor of three provinces, including in the vassal Crimean Khanate. Even before ascending the throne, young Suleiman won the love and respect of the inhabitants of the Ottoman state.

Beginning of the reign

Suleiman took the throne when he was barely 26 years old. The description of the appearance of the new ruler, written by the Venetian ambassador Bartolomeo Contarini, was included in the book of the English Lord Kinross, famous in Turkey, “The Rise and Decline of the Ottoman Empire”:

“Tall, strong, with a pleasant expression. His neck is slightly longer than usual, his face is thin, his nose is aquiline. The skin tends to be excessively pale. They say about him that he is a wise ruler, and all people hope for his good rule.

And Suleiman at first lived up to expectations. He started with humane actions - he returned freedom to hundreds of chained captives from noble families of states captured by his father. This helped to resume trade relations with countries.

The Europeans were especially happy about the innovations, hoping for a long-term peace, but, as it turned out, it was too early. Balanced and fair at first glance, the ruler of Turkey still harbored a dream of military glory.

Foreign policy

By the end of his reign, the military biography of Suleiman I included 13 major military campaigns, 10 of which were campaigns of conquest in Europe. And that's not counting the small raids. The Ottoman Empire has never been so powerful: its lands stretched from Algeria to Iran, Egypt and almost to the doorstep of Vienna. At that time, the phrase "Turks at the gate" became a terrible horror story for Europeans, and the Ottoman ruler was compared to the Antichrist.

A year after ascending the throne, Suleiman went to the borders of Hungary. Under the pressure of the Turkish troops, the Shabats fortress fell. Victories flowed like from a cornucopia - the Ottomans established control over the Red Sea, took Algeria, Tunisia and the island of Rhodes, conquered Tabriz and Iraq.

The Black Sea and the eastern part of the Mediterranean also took a place on the rapidly growing map of the empire. Hungary, Slavonia, Transylvania, Bosnia and Herzegovina were subordinate to the Sultan. In 1529, the Turkish ruler swung at Austria, storming its capital with an army of 120 thousand soldiers. However, an epidemic helped Vienna survive, which claimed a third of the Ottoman army. The siege had to be lifted.

Suleiman did not seriously encroach only on Russian lands, considering Russia a remote province that is not worth the effort and money spent. The Ottomans occasionally raided the possessions of the Muscovite state, the Crimean Khan even reached the capital, but a large-scale campaign never happened.

By the end of the reign of an ambitious ruler, the Ottoman Empire had become the greatest and most powerful state in the history of the Muslim world. However, military measures depleted the treasury - according to estimates, the maintenance of an army of 200 thousand soldiers, which also included janissary slaves, ate two-thirds of the state budget in peacetime.

Domestic politics

It was not for nothing that Suleiman received the nickname the Magnificent: the life of the ruler is filled not only with military successes, the Sultan also succeeded in the internal affairs of the state. On his behalf, Judge Ibrahim of Aleppo updated the code of laws, which was in force until the twentieth century. Mutilation and the death penalty were reduced to a minimum, although criminals caught on forgery of money and documents, bribery and perjury, still lost their right hand.

The wise ruler of the state, where representatives of different religions coexisted, considered it necessary to ease the pressure of Sharia and made an attempt to create secular laws. But part of the reforms did not take root due to constant wars.

The education system also changed for the better: elementary schools began to appear one after another, and graduates, if desired, continued to receive knowledge in colleges, which were located within the eight main mosques.

Thanks to the Sultan, the architectural heritage was replenished with masterpieces of art. According to the sketches of the beloved architect of the ruler - Sinan, three chic mosques were built - Selimiye, Shehzade and Suleymaniye (the second largest in the capital of Turkey), which became an example of the Ottoman style.

Suleiman was distinguished by his poetic talent, so he did not ignore literary work. During his reign, Ottoman poetry with Persian traditions was polished to perfection. At the same time, a new position appeared - a rhythmic chronicler, it was occupied by poets who clothed current events in poems.

Personal life

Suleiman I, in addition to poetry, was fond of jewelry, was known as a skilled blacksmith and even personally cast cannons for military campaigns.

How many women were in the Sultan's harem is unknown. Historians know only about the official favorites who gave birth to Suleiman's children. In 1511, Fulane became the first concubine of the 17-year-old heir to the throne. Her son Mahmud died of smallpox before he was 10 years old. The girl disappeared from the forefront of palace life almost immediately after the death of the child.

Gulfem-khatun, the second concubine, also gave the ruler a son, who was also not spared by the smallpox epidemic. The woman, excommunicated from the Sultan, remained his friend and adviser for half a century. In 1562, Gulfem was strangled by order of Suleiman.

The third favorite, Mahidevran Sultan, approached to gaining the status of the official wife of the ruler. For 20 years she had great influence in the harem and in the palace, but she also failed to create a legitimate family with the Sultan. She left the capital of the empire with her son Mustafa, who was appointed governor of one of the provinces. Later, the heir to the throne was executed for allegedly planning to overthrow his father.

The list of women of Suleiman the Magnificent is headed by Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska. The favorite of Slavic roots, a captive from Galicia, as she was called in Europe, charmed the ruler: the Sultan granted her freedom, and then took her as a legal wife - a religious marriage was concluded in 1534.

Nickname Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska ("laughing") Roksolana received for a cheerful disposition and smiling. The creator of the harem in the Topkapi Palace, the founder of charitable organizations inspired artists and writers, although she did not have an ideal appearance - her subjects valued intelligence and worldly cunning.

Roksolana skillfully manipulated her husband, on her orders the Sultan got rid of the sons born by other wives, became suspicious and cruel. Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska gave birth to a daughter Mihrimah and five sons.

Of these, after the death of his father, the state was headed by Selim, who, however, did not differ in the outstanding talent of the autocrat, he liked to drink and take a walk. During the reign of Selim, the Ottoman Empire began to fade. Suleiman's love for Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska did not fade over the years, after the death of his wife, the Turkish ruler never went down the aisle.

Death

The Sultan, who brought powerful states to their knees, died, as he himself wished, in the war. It happened during the siege of the Hungarian fortress Sigetavr. Suleiman, 71, had long been tormented by gout, the disease progressed, and even riding a horse was already difficult.

He died on the morning of September 6, 1566, never having lived a couple of hours before the decisive assault on the fortress. The doctors who treated the ruler were immediately killed so that information about the death would not reach the army, which, in the heat of disappointment, could raise an uprising. Only after the heir to the throne, Selim, established power in Istanbul, did the soldiers learn about the death of the ruler.

According to legend, Suleiman felt the approaching end and voiced his last will to the commander in chief. A request with a philosophical meaning is known to everyone today: the Sultan asked not to close his hands on the funeral procession - everyone should see that the accumulated wealth remains in this world, and even Suleiman the Magnificent, the great ruler of the Ottoman Empire, leaves empty-handed.

Another legend is connected with the death of the Turkish ruler. Allegedly, the body was embalmed, and the removed internal organs were placed in a vessel of gold and buried at the place of his death. Now there is a mausoleum and a mosque. The remains of Suleiman rest in the cemetery of the Suleymaniye mosque built by him, near the mausoleum of Roksolana.

Memory

Several feature films and documentaries tell about the life of Suleiman I. A vivid adaptation of harem intrigues was the series "The Magnificent Century", which was released in 2011. The role of the Ottoman ruler is played, whose charisma is felt even from the photo.

The image created by the actor is recognized as the best embodiment of the Sultan's power in cinema. He plays the concubine and wife of the ruler, the actress with German-Turkish roots also managed to convey the main features of Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska - spontaneity and sincerity.

Books

• Suleiman the Magnificent. Greatest Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. 1520-1566, G. Lamb
• Suleiman. Sultan of the East, G. Lamb
• Sultan Suleiman and Roksolana. Eternal love in letters, poems, documents...» Prose of the greats.
• A series of books "The Magnificent Age", N. Pavlishcheva
• "The Magnificent Age of Suleiman and Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska Sultan", P. J. Parker
• The greatness and collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Rulers of the boundless horizons, Goodwin Jason, Sharov M
• "Roksolana, Queen of the East", O. Nazaruk
• "Harem", B. Small
• "The Rise and Fall of the Ottoman Empire", L. Kinross

Movies

• 1996 - "Roksolana"
• 2003 - Hurrem Sultan
• 2008 - “In Search of Truth. Roksolana: a bloody path to the throne"
• 2011 - "The Magnificent Century"

Architecture

• Hurrem Sultan Mosque
• Shehzade Mosque
• Selimiye Mosque