jaclynday's review against another edition
3.0
Supremely exacting and academic, which is both a compliment and a curse in this case.
theloungerat's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
glassesgirl79's review against another edition
3.0
"Empress of the East" presents the transformation of a young girl named Roxelana who was ripped from Ukraine, sold into slavery and eventually becomes the wife of Ottoman empire Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent.
The book begins with a map of the Ottoman Empire during the time the Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent which was 1520-1565.What makes the story of Roxelana so historic is that she began as a slave girl and eventually became the unofficial queen of the Ottoman Empire. In addition, by marrying Roxelana, Suleyman goes against the rules of Ottoman Empire society and also proceeds to no longer have other children by any other concubines.
After the illustrated map, the book is divided into three sections: beginnings, challenges, and politics. In the beginnings section of the book, the author discusses Roxelana's background, abduction, her life as a slave, the politics of motherhood, and the relationship between Roxelana and Suleyman.
In the second section of the book titled challenges, the author discusses Roxelana's rival being the mother of Suleyman's earlier child, Roxelana coming of age, Roxelana's life in the New Palace, the two favorites, and Roxelana building a reputation.
In the third section of the book titled politics, the author discusses family matters with Suleyman during times of war, life home and abroad, showdown between Roxelana and other regarding her influence of Suleyman, her later years and the legacy Roxelana left behind after her death.
This book was well written and informative by showing not only the inner workings of the Ottoman Empire but also the role of women during the 1500's. I enjoyed this book because of the author's use of story telling with the use of illustrations. I especially found it helpful that the author provided a list of who's who and what's what as well as a pronunciation guide.
The book begins with a map of the Ottoman Empire during the time the Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent which was 1520-1565.What makes the story of Roxelana so historic is that she began as a slave girl and eventually became the unofficial queen of the Ottoman Empire. In addition, by marrying Roxelana, Suleyman goes against the rules of Ottoman Empire society and also proceeds to no longer have other children by any other concubines.
After the illustrated map, the book is divided into three sections: beginnings, challenges, and politics. In the beginnings section of the book, the author discusses Roxelana's background, abduction, her life as a slave, the politics of motherhood, and the relationship between Roxelana and Suleyman.
In the second section of the book titled challenges, the author discusses Roxelana's rival being the mother of Suleyman's earlier child, Roxelana coming of age, Roxelana's life in the New Palace, the two favorites, and Roxelana building a reputation.
In the third section of the book titled politics, the author discusses family matters with Suleyman during times of war, life home and abroad, showdown between Roxelana and other regarding her influence of Suleyman, her later years and the legacy Roxelana left behind after her death.
This book was well written and informative by showing not only the inner workings of the Ottoman Empire but also the role of women during the 1500's. I enjoyed this book because of the author's use of story telling with the use of illustrations. I especially found it helpful that the author provided a list of who's who and what's what as well as a pronunciation guide.
doriastories's review against another edition
4.0
An excellent account of the life of Roxelana (also known as Hürrem), the consort of Suleiman the Great, sultan of the Ottoman Empire during the tumultuous 16th century. This was an age which witnessed the rise of powerful queens throughout Europe, and Roxelana proved equal to the times. Leslie Pierce does a great job of placing Roxelana within this broader era, as well as situating her firmly where she lived, within the expanding territories of Suleiman the Great.
Roxelana broke the mold for Ottoman concubines in many ways, while simultaneously underpinning her husband’s reign, and that of subsequent sultans and their consorts. Pierce explains the significance of the scattered and limited documentation which exists concerning Roxelana’s secluded but consequential life and reign as Suleiman’s queen. Her work as endower of charitable, religious, medical and educational sites is, in its own way, as enduring and important as her role as the mother of five of the sultan’s sons and potential heirs to his throne. Her extant letters to Suleiman are analyzed and parsed for both style and content, which tells us much about her activities and state of mind.
The book left me wanting to know more about Roxelana-Hürrem, and wishing that there were more to discover. It’s a shame that the primary sources are so few. Unfortunately, she had many detractors who arose in the decades and centuries after her death, and they have been allowed the final say on her character and influence for far too long. Pierce’s work serves to provide a more informed appraisal of the life of Suleiman’s queen, who was a powerful and interesting person in her own right.
Roxelana broke the mold for Ottoman concubines in many ways, while simultaneously underpinning her husband’s reign, and that of subsequent sultans and their consorts. Pierce explains the significance of the scattered and limited documentation which exists concerning Roxelana’s secluded but consequential life and reign as Suleiman’s queen. Her work as endower of charitable, religious, medical and educational sites is, in its own way, as enduring and important as her role as the mother of five of the sultan’s sons and potential heirs to his throne. Her extant letters to Suleiman are analyzed and parsed for both style and content, which tells us much about her activities and state of mind.
The book left me wanting to know more about Roxelana-Hürrem, and wishing that there were more to discover. It’s a shame that the primary sources are so few. Unfortunately, she had many detractors who arose in the decades and centuries after her death, and they have been allowed the final say on her character and influence for far too long. Pierce’s work serves to provide a more informed appraisal of the life of Suleiman’s queen, who was a powerful and interesting person in her own right.
emesskay's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this book and it is truly a fascinting story, how a slave girl became a concubine, and then drew the attention of the sultan, and then became his wife, but...for some reason I had a really hard time staying awake reading this book. I would settle down in my comfy reading spot, and start reading, and after about half a chapter I would be in noddy-land. I don't know why. I do not think the writing is particularly boring, the story itself (as I said) is interesting, I just had a really hard time staying awake. The only other book that affected me like this was Moby Dick (which I don't know how I managed to read, because i would fall asleep after a couple of paragraphs).
Although the story sounds incredible "Slave girl becomes Empress!" at the time Hurrem (aka Roxelena) was living, it was customary for the Sultan to consort with concubines, and once the concubine had a male child from the sultan, her status would be elevated to something like "Prince's mother" and she would receive all sorts of honors and accolades. Also after having a son, the sultan did not consort with that companion again, he would choose a different one to spend his nights with. The job of the mother was to train her son to be a ruler, and because she only had one son, there could be no cases of divided loyalties.
The ruling Ottomans ended up preferring slaves captured young who were converted to Islam and trained up for their duties over foreign princesses (because foreign princess might retain an annoying allegiance to their country/family of origin, which the slaves usually didn't). What was unusual was that the Sultan became so enamored of Hurrem, he didn't give her up after her first son, he had several children with her (including 3 more sons).
The history is an interesting view into the workings of a harem in Ottoman times, as well as into the relationship between Hurrem and Suleyman, and their children. It also touches on the implications for the empire that this change in procedure would have.
There is also a LOT of discussion of the various charitable building projects done by the Queen as well as other members of the royal family (male and female) and this part seemed to get repetitive.
The only thing that kind of bothered me was the Queen's name was Hurrem (well that was the name she was given after she was captured, there is no record of her original name, and it was the name Suleyman knew her by) but the author refers to her as "Roxelana" throughout the book. According to the author, Roxelana means "the Russian" (or something along those lines), and I guess it is how she is referred to in some histories, and that is why the author stuck with it. But to me it seemed like someone writing a book about Queen Victoria and Prince Albert but calling Prince Albert "That German guy."
Overall, an interesting book, and I learned a lot about the Ottoman Empire which I did not know before. If you are like me, recommend having a strong cup of tea or coffee before you sit down to read it, though.
Although the story sounds incredible "Slave girl becomes Empress!" at the time Hurrem (aka Roxelena) was living, it was customary for the Sultan to consort with concubines, and once the concubine had a male child from the sultan, her status would be elevated to something like "Prince's mother" and she would receive all sorts of honors and accolades. Also after having a son, the sultan did not consort with that companion again, he would choose a different one to spend his nights with. The job of the mother was to train her son to be a ruler, and because she only had one son, there could be no cases of divided loyalties.
The ruling Ottomans ended up preferring slaves captured young who were converted to Islam and trained up for their duties over foreign princesses (because foreign princess might retain an annoying allegiance to their country/family of origin, which the slaves usually didn't). What was unusual was that the Sultan became so enamored of Hurrem, he didn't give her up after her first son, he had several children with her (including 3 more sons).
The history is an interesting view into the workings of a harem in Ottoman times, as well as into the relationship between Hurrem and Suleyman, and their children. It also touches on the implications for the empire that this change in procedure would have.
There is also a LOT of discussion of the various charitable building projects done by the Queen as well as other members of the royal family (male and female) and this part seemed to get repetitive.
The only thing that kind of bothered me was the Queen's name was Hurrem (well that was the name she was given after she was captured, there is no record of her original name, and it was the name Suleyman knew her by) but the author refers to her as "Roxelana" throughout the book. According to the author, Roxelana means "the Russian" (or something along those lines), and I guess it is how she is referred to in some histories, and that is why the author stuck with it. But to me it seemed like someone writing a book about Queen Victoria and Prince Albert but calling Prince Albert "That German guy."
Overall, an interesting book, and I learned a lot about the Ottoman Empire which I did not know before. If you are like me, recommend having a strong cup of tea or coffee before you sit down to read it, though.
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