Empress of the East: How a European Slave Girl Became Queen of the Ottoman Empire

Peirce (history & Middle Eastern & Islamic studies, New York Univ.; Morality Tales) offers a fascinating journey into the palace of Ottoman leader Suleiman the Magnificent (1494-1566), who ruled for over three decades. This book tells the story of how power passes from one generation to the next, and how women played a large part in governing, diplomacy, and philanthropy during this era. Slaves from lands conquered by the Ottomans were brought to the palace, including Roxelana, a young Christian woman from Russia who was trained for the royal harem. The training involved an education in Islam and the arts, with the ultimate goal of bearing a child for the ruling Ottoman sultan or their princes. Roxelana became so dear to Suleiman that, contrary to custom, he freed and married her. After having several sons, Roxelana became involved in a level of diplomacy that was unusual for the time, acting in foreign affairs on Suleiman's behalf. This book is rich with sources from Ottoman, Islamic, and Venetian writers and poets, creating an intimate history. Peirce tells this family history in a moving and understated way.