Suleiman I
Suleiman I – otherwise known as Suleiman the Magnificent – ruled over the Ottoman Empire for 35 years. As the Empire’s longest-ruling Sultan, he held absolute power over as many as 25 million people, a power he wasn’t afraid to exert. Under Suleiman I, the Ottomans became a serious world force, conquering several strongholds of Christianity and becoming highly economically powerful. And the Sultan’s lust for women was almost as strong as his drive for territory and wealth. Like many eastern rulers of the time, he kept a harem and fully enjoyed the benefits that came with his unique position.
Born in 1494, Suleiman was schooled in Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), and was, by all accounts, a bright and educated young man. So, when his father, Selim I, died in 1520, he was ready to take control of the Empire, despite being aged just 25. Under his enlightened rule, the Ottoman Empire enjoyed a golden age of the arts, with its leader, a talented poet himself, promoting the development of art, literature and architecture. At the same time, Suleiman was also responsible for overseeing notable changes in the education, legal and taxation systems, all helping his Empire flourish. But, what really set the leader apart was his attitude to his lovers.
Of course, having a harem of beautiful women was not unique to Suleiman. He literally had hundreds of young women to choose from, often picking one just for an afternoon or night. Some, however, became his favorites and so, as well as having bedded hundreds of lovers, he also had many children with them, only some of them officially recognized. Though the exact number of women he slept with will never be known, Suleiman definitely took full advantage of his position and became one of the biggest lotharios of the age.
One woman really captured the Sultan’s heart, however. Hurrem, a slave girl with Crimean roots, started out as just another girl in Suleiman’s harem. However, he became infatuated with her and he soon took her as a favorite – a major breach of tradition and protocol. Rather than having to leave court when her children came of age, as was tradition, Harem stayed by Suleiman’s side until her death in 1558, though, of course, her husband continued to enjoy liaisons on the side for all this time. Suleiman himself died in 1566, aged 71, leaving behind a huge empire and an equally sizable harem of frustrated young ladies.