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Hurrem Sultan facts for kids

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In this Ottoman Turkish style name, the given name is Hurrem, the title is Sultan, and there is no family name.
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Hurrem Sultan
Tizian 123.jpg
Portrait by Titian titled La Sultana Rossa, c. 1550
Haseki Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
(Imperial Consort)
Tenure 1533/1534 – 15 April 1558
Successor Nurbanu Sultan
Born Alexandra or Anastasia
1502–1506
Ruthenia, Kingdom of Poland (now Ukraine)
Died (1558-04-15)15 April 1558 (aged 51–56)
Topkapı Palace, Istanbul, Ottoman Empire (now Turkey)
Burial Süleymaniye Mosque, Istanbul
Spouse Suleiman the Magnificent
Issue
  • Şehzade Mehmed
  • Mihrimah Sultan
  • Şehzade Abdullah
  • Selim II
  • Şehzade Bayezid
  • Şehzade Cihangir
Full name
Turkish: Hürrem Sultan
Ottoman Turkish: خرم سلطان
Father ? Lisovsky
Religion Sunni Islam, previously Eastern Orthodox Christian

Hurrem Sultan (born around 1502 – died April 15, 1558), also known as Roxelana, was a very important woman in the Ottoman Empire. She was the main wife of Suleiman the Magnificent, one of the most powerful Ottoman sultans. Hurrem became one of the most influential women in Ottoman history. She was also a key figure during a time called the Sultanate of Women, when royal women had a lot of power.

Hurrem was born in a region called Ruthenia, which is now part of Ukraine. Back then, it was part of the Kingdom of Poland. She was captured during a raid and eventually brought to Istanbul, the capital city of the Ottoman Empire. She entered the royal palace, where she quickly became the favorite of Sultan Suleiman. Breaking old traditions, Suleiman married Hurrem, making her his legal wife. Before this, sultans usually only married foreign noblewomen. She was the first royal wife to receive the special title of Haseki Sultan. Hurrem stayed in the sultan's court for the rest of her life. She had six children with Suleiman, including Selim II, who would later become a sultan himself. She was also the grandmother of Murad III.

Hurrem Sultan's Rise to Power

Hurrem Sultan gained a lot of power and had a big impact on the politics of the Ottoman Empire. Through her husband, she played an active role in important government matters. She often advised the sultan and even wrote important letters to other rulers, like King Sigismund II Augustus of Poland.

Building Important Places

Hurrem also supported many large building projects. These included the Haseki Sultan Complex, which had a mosque, a hospital, and a school. She also helped build the Hagia Sophia Hurrem Sultan Bathhouse, a famous public bath. These projects showed her influence and her care for the people.

Family Life and Legacy

Hurrem Sultan lived in the royal palace and had a close relationship with Sultan Suleiman. Their marriage was unusual for its time, showing how much Suleiman valued her. She was a loving mother to her children, especially to Selim II, who became sultan after his father. Hurrem died in 1558 in Istanbul. She was buried in a special tomb within the Süleymaniye Mosque complex, a grand mosque built by her husband. Her story is remembered as one of great influence and change in the Ottoman Empire.

Images for kids

  • Roxelana Rohatyn Jul 2008151

    Statue of Roxolana (Nastia Lisovska) in Rohatyn, Ukraine

  • Khourrem

    16th century Latin oil painting of Hurrem Sultan titled Rosa Solymanni Vxor (Rosa, Süleyman's Wife)

  • Letter of Roxelane to Sigismond Auguste complementing him for his accession to the throne 1549

    Letter of Hurrem Sultan to Sigismund II Augustus, congratulating him on his accession to the Polish throne in 1549.

  • Haseki complex 1358

    Haseki Sultan Complex designed by the architect Mimar Sinan.

  • Mausoleum of Roxelana 02

    The türbe (mausoleum) of Hurrem Sultan at Süleymaniye Mosque in Fatih, Istanbul.

  • Mathio Pagani 001

    Anon., published by Matteo Pagani, Portrait of Roxelana, 1540–50. The inscription describes her as "the most beautiful and favorite wife of the Grand Turk, called la Rossa."

  • II. Selim Han

    The son of Hurrem Sultan and Suleiman the Magnificent, Selim II

  • Haseki Huerrem Sultan Roxelane

    18th century portrait of Hurrem Sultan kept at Topkapı Palace.

  • Attributed to French School, 17th century - Rosa, Consort of Suleiman, Emperor of the Turks^ - RCIN 406152 - Royal Collection

    A portrait of Roxelana in the British Royal Collection, c. 1600–70

  • Haseki Hürrem Sultan (Roxelana)

    A painting of Hurrem Sultan by a follower of Titian, 16th century

  • Anton Hickel 001

    Roxelana and Süleyman the Magnificent by the German baroque painter Anton Hickel, (1780)

  • Sultan Roxelana

    Engraving by Johann Theodor de Bry, (1596)

  • Rossa, Wife of Suleiman the Magnificent

    16th century oil on wood painting of Hurrem Sultan

  • Stamp of Ukraine s148

    Tribute to Roxelana on 1997 Ukrainian postage stamp

  • Illuminated serlevha from the Vakfiye of Hürrem Sultan (TIEM 2191, f. 1b-2a)

    Serlevha (illuminated frontispiece) from the Endowment Charter (Waqfiyya) pertaining to the architectural complex commissioned by Hürrem Sultan in the Aksaray district of Istanbul. 1540. Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts

  • Mimar Sinan 1556 Hurrem Sultan Hamami

    The Hagia Sophia Hurrem Sultan Bathhouse built in 1556

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Roxelana para niños

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