My first encounter with the Ottoman Empire was through the pages of history textbooks, specifically while reading about World War I, a pivotal moment that marked the empire’s decline. In those accounts, the Ottomans were often portrayed as the “Sick Man of Europe“, leaving me with a somewhat negative perception of their legacy.
This perception, I believe, is common among many people. When we think of the Ottoman Empire, our minds tend to gravitate towards its later days, characterized by decline and weakness. However, it is crucial to remember that the Ottomans were once a formidable empire, with a rich tapestry of stories that shaped their history. In this article, we delve into the tales of love within the Ottoman Empire, highlighting their significance and impact.
To understand any empire or historical period, it is crucial to grasp the societal norms and values of that time, which may differ greatly from our own. The Ottomans were no exception, as they exhibited certain peculiarities that require examination for a deeper understanding of their world.
From the reign of Mehmed II, who conquered Constantinople and solidified Ottoman rule, the practice of fratricide was legally permitted and, to some extent, expected of the new Sultan. This brutal tradition involved eliminating brothers and other male relatives who posed potential threats to the throne. While this may seem abhorrent to us today, it served as a means to prevent internal power struggles and maintain stability within the dynasty. Consequently, the eldest son did not always inherit the throne; instead, the strongest or most influential candidate ascended to power.
Another distinct feature of the Ottoman Empire was the widespread practice of slavery, which differed significantly from the institution of Western slavery. Many individuals captured during raids and wars were taken as slaves, but their treatment and role within society were distinct from the chattel slavery prevalent in the West. Slaves had the opportunity to ascend social ranks, gain education, and acquire wealth. However, more often than not, they were taken away from their family at a very young age, expected to convert to Islam and lacked complete personal freedom.
Our very first character, Ibrahim Pasha was one such slave, but of the Sehzade and the later Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent himself. Ibrahim’s life probably started as one among the many young non-muslim boys who were conscripted by the Empire for the Imperial Service. Ibrahim, had caught the eye of the Sehzade and so was taken as his personal attendant from where he rapidly rose up the ranks.
The question about their relationship is something that has bothered historians for a long time. While some consider them merely as close friends, others consider them to be lovers. Ibrahim soon rose to the rank of a Pasha and soon after became the Grand Vizir, a sequence of promotion unprecedented in the history of the Ottomans.
In parallel, there existed rumors of the Sultan and his favorite, some of the contemporaries noting that the “young Sultan kept him to share his bed at night”. I do believe that there must have been something more intimate between them, as the relationship between the two greatly varied that of a Sultan and his slave, as Hester Jenkins states in his book, “Bragadino says that when they were not together in the morning they wrote notes to each other, which they sent by mutes. Pietro Zen records seeing them together often in a little boat with but one oarsman, and says they would land at Seraglio Point and wander through the gardens together … This intimacy, so often noted by the Venetian Baillies, is never commented on by the Turkish writers. It scandalized the Ottomans, and seemed to them utterly unsuitable that the Lord of the Age should show such favor to his slave. The partiality of Suleiman for Ibrahim is important, for it is the explanation of Ibrahim’s phenomenal rise”
While the rise of Ibrahim, despite his christian origin, life as a slave and an eunuch and possible lover of the Sultan himself is a great tale in itself, the story of Suleiman and Ibrahim takes a tragic turn much later, influenced by the former’s female favorite, Hurrem Sultan.
Hurrem herself had a journey similar to that of Ibrahim, having been brought to Constantinople as a concubine in the Imperial Harem. Suleiman was soon infatuated by Hurrem who he later married in the year 1526, an union that remained controversial throughout their lives. Hurrem wasn’t considered to be worthy of marrying the Sultan and was even accused of witchcraft.
The marriage also complicated the succession, as Suleiman already had a heir who was beloved by many in Sehzade Mustafa from his first marriage to Mahidevran. Hurrem herself had five children with the Sultan, with her son often touted as the other possible contender for the title of Sultan against Mustafa. This meant that if Mustafa were to take the throne, he likely would have had Hurrem’s male children executed.
This possibility never came to fruition however, as Mustafa was executed by his father under the charges of treason as there were rumors of him trying to usurp Suleiman himself, which a few historians attribute to Hurrem.
Ibrahim, the Sultan’s male favorite, met a fate all too similar to the Sehzade, as he was executed as well by his Sultan under the charges of treason. Ibrahim was considered a long-standing rival of Hurrem and was also the mentor of Sehzade Mustafa, thus naturally preferred him over the heirs of the Sultan from his second wife.
Ibrahim lost his life in 1536 and it was indeed Hurrem’s child Selim who became the next Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. Thus ends the story of the Sultan and his two favorites, with the execution of one of them. Suleiman is said to have been no longer the man that he was before, a man who was once called ‘the shadow of God on Earth’ and is still considered the greatest Sultan of the Ottomans, now wore simpler clothes and withdrew himself from public festivities.
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