Roxolana

Roxolana, also known as Hürrem Sultan in Ottoman Turkish, was the wife and chief consort of Suleiman the Magnificent, the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. Born in Ruthenia, a region of modern-day Ukraine, around 1500, her original name is believed to have been Anastasia Lisowska. She was captured by Tatar raiders and eventually presented as a slave in the Ottoman court in Constantinople.

Her intelligence and charm quickly attracted the attention of Suleiman. Against the established tradition that a sultan's consort must be a slave and that he should only have children with her until she bore him a son, Suleiman broke with convention. He freed Roxolana, married her, and elevated her from the harem to his chief consort. This was an unprecedented move that significantly increased her influence.

Roxolana bore Suleiman several children, including his successor, Selim II. She became a powerful figure in her own right, engaging in political affairs and acting as an advisor to the Sultan. Her influence extended to charitable works, and she commissioned the construction of mosques, madrasas, and hospitals. Roxolana died in 1558, a year before Suleiman. Her legacy is that of a remarkable woman who defied the norms of her time and wielded considerable power within the Ottoman Empire.