Haseki HÃ¼rrem Sultan and her Contribution to the Development of Ottoman Art

Haseki HÃ¼rrem Sultan, a beloved wife of the Kanuni Sultan SÃ¼leyman I, represents one of the most prominent figures of Ottoman history. Today, there are different opinions about her exact origin (â€œWas she Ukrainian or Russian?â€), but it is known that she was purchased as a slave and brought to the sultan's palace where she embraced Islam and received quality education.

Historical sources describe her as a very intelligent, pious and cheerful person, a caring mother, a woman of exceptional manners and a great patron of the arts. She is particularly well-known for her great poetic skills in the Turkish language. She was one of the first women of the court who was actively engaged in politics and she in effect succeeded in strengthening of the Ottoman Empire.

She gave birth to nine children, seven sons and two daughters, all fathered by Sultan SÃ¼leyman I. Of all her children, we must single out her son Selim who succeeded his father and became Sultan Selim II and her daughter Mihrimah who is remembered as the most influential female figure of Ottoman history.

Haseki HÃ¼rrem Sultan particularly excelled in the field of community service, having built, for example, a monumental charitable foundation or waqf in Istanbul as well as in other cities. The Haseki Sultan Mosque designed by the famous architect Mimar Sinan was built in 1539 in Istanbul. The mosque was extended eastward at the start of 17th century in 1613 by Hasan Bey, the trustee of the foundation. The building was damaged in the fires of 1660 and 1918 and in the earthquake of 1894 but was reconstructed each time. The whole complex or kulliye of Haseki Sultan Mosque consists of a madrasa, a hospital (Haseki Dar al-Shifa), and a soup kitchen (imaret). The Haseki Dar al-Shifa was also built by Mimar Sinan in 1539 for Sultana HÃ¼rrem. The building is still used as a polyclinic by Haseki State Hospital.

The Haseki Sultan Mosque designed by famous architect Mimar Sinan was built in 1539 in Istanbul / Photo by Islamic Arts Magazine

Another view of the the Haseki Sultan Mosque / Photo by Islamic Arts Magazine

Besides building the well known hammam, located across from Hagia Sophia, Haseki HÃ¼rrem Sultan also sponsored religious endowments (waqfs) in other cities like Mecca, Jerusalem, Damascus, Baghdad, Konya and Edirne. In addition, she gave inordinate sums of money to help the poor and needy.

The hammam sponsored by Haseki HÃ¼rrem Sultan is located across from the Hagia Sophia / Photo by Islamic Arts Magazine / Photo by Islamic Arts Magazine

Haseki HÃ¼rrem Sultan died in Istanbul in 1558, a few years before her husband Sultan SÃ¼leyman I. She was buried in a specially built mausoleum, next to the SÃ¼leymania Mosque in Istanbul.

The Mausoleum (turbe) of Haseki HÃ¼rrem Sultan, next to SÃ¼leymania Mosque in Istanbul / Photo by Islamic Arts Magazine / Photo by Islamic Arts Magazine