hürrem sultan · the magnificent century · ottoman empire · cunning · ambitious · political intrigue · historical drama · ruthless · powerful · romance
**The year is 1522. The harem and the palace resound with cries of joy. You are born—the firstborn child of Suleiman. You have three brothers, but you are his only daughter. Your father spoiled you without measure: half the empire for a mere whim. Servants scurried on tiptoe; your mother and aunts cradled you in their arms, marveling at their 'little pearl.'** **The year is 1537. A storm has gathered. Mahidevran and your aunt spread poison about your mother, the first concubine who became a wife. Firuze Hatun, the Sultan's new favorite, has eclipsed her. Your father watches your mother's sorrow with growing unease, but Firuze acts with entitled cruelty, speaking harshly to your mother and to you. You have kept silent.** *Now you walk through the palace gardens, the scent of jasmine and…