17
Maria was born to an Italian family. She was the only daughter of two loving parents, two older brothers and had a pope for an uncle. Due to her family connections, she was an eligable marriage prospect for anyone even royality. Her father often did business with merchants from many empires and the Ottoman Empire was no exception. However, when Maria went to France with her family the ship was attacked. The slave traders raided the ship, killed everyone and took Maria. She was kept on a ship with many captured girls that were her age.
Maria remained on the boat for two days before a red hair Russian girl who was the same age started causing a scene. First the girl was screaming in her sleep then after being forced to wake up, she took a knife and threatened a slave trader. He hit her and she landed on Maria.
The red hair girl was named Alexandra. Maria tried to calm her down and would remain like this for a week before the ship arrived in Istanbul.
Slave trader: You girls have been sold to Tokapi palace where the sultan has his harem. Perhaps Allah will allow the sultan to turn you into respectable women.
*Maria was being forced to walk to the palace with many girls. They were tired, hungry and dirty. However before they could eat and relax, the girls had to be checked for any imperfections. Maria passed the test with flying colors while Alexandra caused a fuss*
Ibrahim: Sumbul who are these girls?
Sumbul: They are the girls who were sent as gifts. None of them have family and the Crimean thought they would make good concubines.
Ibrahim: who are those two?
Sumbul: The red head is from Russia. Her name is Alexandra, she been causing trouble. And the brunette is Maria, she is from Italy. Her uncle is the current pope buut he has not sent word for her.
Ibrahim: I see, give her a purple dress. She will service his majesty tonight for his coronation. As for the russian, make sure she behaves or lock her the a cell without food.
Nigar:*takes Maria to hhe bath house and gets her ready* Your lucky, no girl has ever serviced his majesty on her first night in the palace. If your smart, he will favor you. If you give him a son, you will be a sultana. Use the education to prepare for your future here.
*Hurrem was listening to the same words before she was taken to the Vahilde sultan. She begged to go home but was let down. She went back to the harem depressed*
Maria: *was walked on the golden path and entered the chamber of the sultan. She curtsied and kisses his robe*
Suleyman:*touches her chin and lifts heer up. He put his hand on her cheek* What is your name? Where are you from? How old are you?
Maria: My name is Maria, I am 15 and I am from Rome, Italy.
*it would take only one night for Suleyman to fall for her*
Maria: *had spent the entire night with the sultan and joined him for breakfast.*
Suleyman: *enjoyed her skills in poetry, literature and her knowledge of the world* I will name you Gulnihai. I want you to bare me a son.
Gulnihai: I plan to give you many children
*Suleyman kisses her then orders that she would move to the favorites floor and be given many precious gifts*
Alexandra:Maria there you are. How was it?
Gulnihai: My name is Gulnihai now and he loves me.
Ayse: Do not brag, the first woman of his majesty has just arrived. Along with sezhade mustafa the first prince.
Alexandra: shut up or I will rip your tongue out
Ayse: or what?
Alexandra:*gets into a fight with Ayse and gets punished*
*After Mahidevran sultan arrived with Sezhade Mustafa, things began to change because Alexandra also becomes a favorite and is named Hurrem. After living in the harem for a few weeks, Gulnihai becomes ill and collapses*
Nurse:*helps Gulnihai and makes a discovery*
Sumbul: Well? How is she?
Nurse:Gulnihai hatun is with child.
Sumbul: *smiles then goes to his majesty* your majesty, your favorite Gulnihai is pregnant. She was poisoned and the nurse saved both mother and child.
Hurrem:*shocked*
Suleyman: Poison….I must go to her
Hurrem:your majesty
Suleyman: go back to the harem Hurrem *he goes to tend to Gulnihai*
Hurrem:*goes to the harem crying and mutters she will make the palace hers*
Suleyman:Gulnihai are you alright my beautiful rose?
Gulnihai:yes we are both well your majesty
Suleyman:*kisses her head and hugs her*
*meanwhile as time goes by, Mahidevran gets jealous of Hurrem and Gulnihai. She wanted her son Mustafa to be the only prince, she knew her first attempt on Gulnihai failed. She walked and saw Hurrem. She slapped and beat Hurrem. She left Hurrem to die in the would remain isolated.*
Suleyman:*bargs into Mahidevrans chamber* who do you think you are?
Mahidevran: I am your slave your majesty
Suleyman: poisoning my favorite for her to miscarry and beating another favorite. Your not my mahidevran.
Vahilde: son calm down, she knows she was wrong
Suleyman: good mother, I dont want her here if she will do this *leaves*
Vahilde:*scolds Mahidevran*
*Hurrem would remain in her room on the favorite's floor. Hurrem was using this time as she healed to create a plan to get rid of her enemies. Throughout her healing process, she would peak in the harem and see that Gulnihai's pregnancy was progressing, she began to see Gulnihai as a rival and not a friend*
-Months later-
Hurrem:*goes to the harem and is all healed* where is Maria?
Ayse: you mean Gulnihai…she must be in her chamber. She was given her own chamber with girls to serve her and many precious gifts. His majesty takes good care of her.
Hurrem:liar he loves me *pours sherbet on Ayse*
Ayse:*pushes Hurrem*
Hurrem:*yells* I will be his only woman
Gulnihai:*goes into labor from hearing the fight and screams in agony*
*After many hours, the women gather around Gulnihai's chamber and finally hear a baby crying. But to the surprise of the midwives, Suumbul runs to His majesty's family*
Sumbul: your majesty, Vahilde sultana, Hatice sultan, Mahidevran Sultan, Sezhade Mustafa and Gulfem hatun. Gulnihai Hatun as delivered not one but two babies. Healthy twins. A boy and a girl.
Suleyman:*goes to Gulnihai along with mother, sister and son*
Vahilde: today we have been blessed
Suleyman:*says the prayer* I name my new son Mahmud and my daughter Raziye.
Mahidevran:*her heart is broken*
Vahilde:*is very pleased*
Hatice:*happy* a new sezhade and a sultana at last
*the harem was given all the tokens to celebrate the birth, every girl recieved coins, delicious treats and was happy except Hurrem who was plotting, not knowing her own condition. With the birth of her children, Gulnihai gets promoted to Haseki and Sultana*
Mahidevran:*wanted the twins to die*
*after a few weeks, Gulnihai recovered from the long birth and would be a loving mother, she and Suleyman are happy, Mustafa adores his baby brother and sister. Hurrem gets told a man wants to marry her when she announces that she is pregnant*
Vahilde: Daye make sure she is not lying
Doctor:*checks Hurrem* she is pregnant
Vahilde: listen up girl, this child belongs to the synasty and not to you. Take care of yourself and the baby. Anymore trouble from you and another girl will raise the baby you carry.
*the announcement of Hurrem's pregnancy makes Mahidevran go crazy and no one in. The harem is happy about it because they did not like. Hurrem as a troublemaker. Gulnihai was a new mother and still was in favor with Suleyman and his mother, Mahidevran is the mother of the first prince Mustafa but she was out of favor with the sultan. The sultan only talks to her about mustafa. Hurrem whisper to her unborn baby saying he will put her at the top. Since Hurrem could not lay with Suleyman while being pregnant and Mahidevran was out of favor, Suleyman summons Gulnihai to his chamber where they laugh, smile and love eachother*
Hurrem:*walks to his chamber*
Aga: you cannot enter Hurrem Hatun
Hurrem:let me in
Aga:his majesty is with his favorite
Hurrem:I am his favorite *hears Suleyman. Tell. Gulnihai he loves her and laughes with her, Hurrem is in disbelief and walks to her new chamber crying*
Esma:Hurrem hatun whats wrong?
Hurrem: he is with her.
Esma: Mahidevran sultan
Hurrem: No, he. Is with Gulnihai. Mother of his twins. The Italian wench. He loves that the pope is her uncle, she is of noble rank and is smart. I have to kill her and her son.
Esma:do not talk like that, your hormonal. Do not cause trouble for yourself or your baby. Just focus and relax.
Hurrem:*spends a week in her chamber with only her maid Esma to talk to when news comes*
Esma: Gulnihai sultan is pregnant again
Hurrem:I dont care, let the baby die.
Vahilde: Gulnihai is pregnant my son
Suleyman: Another blessing from Allah and Hurrem will give birth any day now.
Hurrem:*was walking when her labor begins and cries in pain.. After many hours, she gives birth to a son*
*the entire royal family is happy about having a third prince. Suleyman names him Mehmet. Mahidevran pretends to be happy, Gulnihai remains strong for her pregnancy and her new borns. Hurrem recieves presents but is disappointed with the amount of attention*
Hatice: whats wrong Hurrrem?
Hurrem: he did not stay as long as he did with her. She got more presents and much more attention.
Hatice: Its the custom, Hurrem your the mother of a prince now, act like it.
Hurrem:*starts to become paranoid about her son. She has nightmares about Mahidevran trying to kill Mehmet and that she will be killed* I am his woman, he will love only me.
Mustafa: *rejects mehmet and Hurrem*
*time goes by, Hurrem heals from her labor and is Hurrem hatun. Suleyman goes on campaign and Gulnihai's pregnant belly begins to grow. Mahidevran and Hurrem pretend to be civil with Gulnihai but secretly want the baby inside her to die. Hatice and Ibrahim fall in love with eachother. Ayse and Hurrem have more fights. Suleyman remains away for eleven months, Gulnihai gives birth to twin sons which Vahilde names Ahmed and Murad, hence destroying Mahidevran's repuation and causing Hurrem to have a breakdown*
Suleyman:*recieves the news and is happy*
Hurrem:i hate her
Mahidevran: she is more powerful now
Suleyman:*is welcomed home by his family. He meets Murad and Ahmed* two more of my beautiful Italian rose *holds Mahmud and Raziye* these two have grown so much. *holds mehmet and Mustafa* Mustafa have you been a good boy?
Mustafa:yes papa
Suleyman:*smiles at mehmet then hands him to Hurrem*
Hurrem:please stay with us, we missed you
Suleyman: come to my chamber tonight
Hurrem:*smiles happy*
Aga: Vahilde sultan, Gulnihai sultan needs a bigger chamber and more help. Two concubines arent enough to handle four babies.
Vahilde:your right, Daye make the arrangements
Esma: Sultana
Hurrem: what is it? *getting ready*
Esma: Gulnihai sultan was given a bigger chamber with a balcony and two more concubines were added to service.
Hurrem: how is she moving up so fast?
Esma: Mahidevran sultan is having a tantrum
Hurrem: let her whine and cry. I am going to his majesty's chamber tonight.
Mahidevran:*cries*
*Hurrem spends many nights with Suleyman and they are happy because she becomes pregnant with her own twins. Suleyman goes on campaign and they recieve word that something has happened. Hurrem believes he isnt dead but collapses when she tries to convince everyone and goes to early labor. She gave birth to a healthy girl and a stillborn son in a hard delivery. The girl is nammed Mihrimah and the boy is named Abduullah. He gets buried in the garden*
Hurrem:where is my son?
Esma: do you mean Mehmet?
Hurrem: no
Esma: you have a baby girl, her twin brother died and is buried.
Hurrem: take her away and leave me alone.
Suleyman:*comes back and is told, so he goes to see Hurrem* she is beautiful and apart of you a woman I love. We will have another son.
Hurrem:*remains depressed for months*
Mahidevran:*is happy that Hurrem had a girl and a stillborn son*
Suleyman:*spends time with his children equality*
Ayse:*found dead*
Suleyman:*hears about Ayse and how the evidence leads to Hurrem, orders Hurrem to leave the palace*
Hurrem:Suleyman I never killed anyone
Suleyman: are you upset about Gulnihai?
Hurrem: I do not like her or Mahidevran
Suleyman: I do not want you here *leaves*
Hurrem:*cries*
Suleyman:*finds out about Hatice and Ibrahim being in lovee and that ibrahim left, does not speak to Hatice*
*the palace is gossiping because Hurrem is leaving, she cries because mehmet cannot go with her*
Gulnihai:*often talks to the Vahilde Sultan, Hatice Sultan and lets Mustafa play with her children*
Suleyman:*has a talk with Gulfem*
Gulfem: Mahidevran Sultan, Hurrem Sultan, Gulnihai sultan all love you. Mahidevran sultan was tossed aside and felt rejected. Hurrem sultan became paranoid and had a breakdown. Gulnihai sultan hides her feelings about other women. Try talking to each one of them without the children around and come to an understanding. Mustafa and Mehmet need their mothers. Murat, Ahmed, Mahmud and Raizye need a happy mother. Hatice sultan married for duty once and it didnt work out. If the Vahilde and your father can love eachother and you love the mothers of your children, why cant Hatice love Ibrahim?
Suleyman:As usual, you are wise. *gives her a bracelet with sapphires*
Gulfem: thank you your majesty *curtsies*
*Hurrem writes letters to Suleyman and rejects Ibrahim's offer*
Suleyman:*summons Gulnihai to his chamber and she makes him happy*
Mahidevran:*sees Raziye by herself* Aga…Sumbul…anyone…come along Raziye, you should not be by yourself *carries the little girl* you girl, what is your name?
Girl: Fatma
Mahidevran: you left Raziye, the daughter of his majesty and Gulnihai sultan alone. She is the first daughter of his majesty, children of his majesty should never be left alone.
Fatma: Murat, Ahmed and Mehmet are with the wet nurses and Mahmud is napping sultana.
Mahidevran:*takes Raziye to her chamber*
Mustafa:*adores his sister*
*Hurrem comes back to the palace and does what ibrahim says. She kisses the skirts of the Vahilde sultan, Mahidevran sultan and Gulnihai sultan*
Vahilde: good Hurrem
Hurrem:*surprised to see Gulnihai is pregnant*
Gulnihai:*happy*
Hurrem:*once she gets back into her chamber she plans on taking Suleyman for herself and plans to get pregnant and gets pregnant quickly*
*the entire harem begins to devide into the sides that support Mahidevran, Gulnihai and Hurrem*
Girl: Gulnihai sultan is the best
Girl: Mahidevran sultan is the best
Girl: Hurrem sultan is the best
Hurrem: hello Gulnihai
Gulnihai: Hurrem
Hurrem: do not be upset, my son will let Raziye live a good life
Gulnihai: you do not scare me Hurrem, I have thre healthy sons and a beautiful daughter. My sons and daughter out rank yours in. Every way. This child will also out rank yours
Hurrem: *slaps her*
Vahilde:take Hurrem sultan away
Hurrem: Vahilde please dont
Gulnihai:*is alright*
Vahilde:*goes to Hurrem* how dare you slap the mother of three princes?
Hurrem:its not fair she gets to have everything first
Vahilde: that does not matter
Hurrem: I am a mother of a prince too but no one gives me respect
Vahilde: you pick fights with everyone. You think your better than everyone and deserve everything. The harem belongs to my son. I run it. Mahidevran is mother of the eldest prince. Gulnihai is mother of the second, fourth and fifth prince as well as the first sultana. Your mother of the third prince and second sultana. The harem has a heirarchy.
Hurrem: they treat me below the concuubines in the harem. They give respect to Gulnihai and Mahidevran, then to Gulfem. I am always last
Vahilde: then change your attitude and be nicer. Go apologize to Gulnihai
Hurrem: No
Vahilde: Daye take Mehmet and Mihrimah out of her
Hurrem: alright I will apologize *holds her children*
Vahilde:*leaves*
Hurrem:*complains to Suleyman*
Suleyman: you have to apologize Hurrem
Hurrem: Suleyman
Suleyman: Gulnihai is pregnant, you couuld have caused early labor or worse
Hurrem: I am pregnant
Suleyman: you still have to apologize
Hurrem: I was humilated
Suleyman:Hurrem do it, end of discussion
Hurrem:*leaves upset, she goes to her chamber*
Gulsah:*takes a knife and goes to Gulnihai's chamber, stabs a person in the bed and leaves*
Sumbul:GULNIHAI *tries to wake her*
Nigar:*holds baby Ahmet*
Fatma:*holds baby Murat*
*the screams wake everyone in the palace*
Aga: your majesty, Vahilde Sultan, Gulnihai sultan was stabbed in. Her bed while holding sezhades Ahmet and Murat*
Vahilde: are Ahmet and Murat alright?
Aga:yes the children are fine but the injury to Gulnihai sultan caused pre-term labor. The midwife is doing all she can but its critical.
Suleyman:*waits outside the infirmary*
Vahilde:*takes care of Mahmud, Raziye, Ahmet and Murat*
Daye:*checks on Mahidevran and Mustafa who are asleep then checks Hurrem who was in the bath house with Nigar Kalfa*
*after many hours, the doctor comes out*
Midwife: one more set of healthy twins your majesty however the third baby died from the stabbing wound. You have one more son and daughter, you also lost a daughter. This will also be Gulnihai sultan's final pregnancy, the stabbing caused her uterus too much damage.
Suleyman:*goes inside: Gulnihai
Gulnihai: *wakes* im sorry I could not save our daughter.
Suleyman: it was not your fault, I will find the culprit and make sure this never happens again. I promise you. Our new son will be named Kasim and our daughter will be Mahfiruz *says thee prayer*
*the harem rejoices about the birth of Kasim and Mahifiruz as well as mourned the loss of the daughter who died because of the stabbing*
Gulsah:*is beaten by Mahidevran*
Suleyman:*orders the person who did it to be found and killed*
Hurrem:*saw this chance as both good and bad. It was good for Hurrem because Gulnihai could no longer give birth and no longer get pregnant with a rival. Hurrem could get pregnant more and surpase her. It was also bad because Gulnihai had a fourth son and second daughter. It also meant that one of Gulnihai's sons had a higher chance of being the next sultan. And one of her daughters could marry the future grand vizor.*
Suleyman:*takes care of Gulnihai and their six children. He will still spend nights with Gulnihai.*
Mahidevran:*covers it up by blaming a concubine*
*it takes months for Gulnihai to recover from her injuy and from the hard labor. Suleyman, Ibrahim, Hatice and the Vahilde visit her everyday. Mustafa often plays with his brothers and sisters while Hurrem and Mahidevran stay away.*
Hurrem:*eventually gives birth to a son named Selim*
*Hatice and Ibrahim get get pregnant. Suleyman and ibrahim leave to handle the janisaries. When the janissaries attack the palace, the palace harem hides in the basement. Mahidevran helps with Gulnihais children, Mihrimah and Selim while Mustafa is with Hurrem at Hatice's palace. Hatice falls down the stairs and is unconcious, she loses her baby. Hurrem's ex-fiance from Russia protects everyone and is injuried as a result. Mustafa keeps Mehmet and everyone safe. Suleyman eventually stops the attack, helps everyone from the palace and goes to find Hurrem and his sons*
Suleyman:*hugs hurrem and his sons, finds out about Hatice and tries to help her. Takes everyone to the palace*
Hatice:*cries on her mother's lap*
Hurrem:*hugs mihrimah and Selim*
Mahidevran:*hugs mustafa*
Suleyman:*visits Leo and offers him the best medical care*
*life at the palace returns to normal but Leo is causing problems for Hurrem and she knows it could cause her to lose everything, she is laying in bed trying to form a plan.*
Gulnihai:*gets over her depression and takes care of her six children, she also has a closer relationship with Suleyman and is the highest haseki in the harem.*
Hurrem:*gets jealous and finds out she is pregnant*
Ibrahim:*finds Leo's notebook and blackmails hurrem into killing Leo with poisoned Turkish delight*
Hurrem:*cries as she does it*
Mahidevran:*has the notebook and gives it to Vahilde sultan*
Vahilde:*yells at Hurrem and collapses*
Gulnihai:*takes care of the Vahilde and keeps overshadowing Hurrem*
Hurrem: your majesty, please I do not get treated with respect. Its always Gulnihai.
Suleyman: what do you want to do Hurrem? Demote her, send her away
Hurrem:yes
Suleyman: she is not going anywhere, im sick of this
Hurrem: your majesty
Suleyman: silence Hurrem, you will be respectful
Hurrem:*is not as pleased when her son Byazid is born because she still has to fight her rival Gulnihai since they both have four sons and hurrem has one daughter while Gulnihai has two.*
*after a few years, things became tense in the palace because Hurrem demanded to be a free muslim and to marry the sultan which insulted Suleyman and his mother*
Suleyman:*summoned his entire family to the garden*
Hurrem:*believed he chose her and stepped foreward*
Suleyman:I have taken Gulnihai to be my wife. Hurrem and Mahidevran will be ranked as secondary wives.
*everyone is shocked and most of them leave*
Mahidevran:*cries and knows she did the same to Gulfem*
Hurrem:*destroys her chamber in a rage*
Esma: sultana whats wrong
Hurrem: he humilated me by marrying Gulnihai and said im a secondary wife.
Esma: whats the difference?
Hurrem: she still above me and in his heart first
Esma: sultana, you have freedom, healthy kids and status
*Mustafa confronts Suleyman about how Mahidevran suffers. Saying how Hurrem and Gulnihai are treated better and that he has been ignored. Mustafa and Mahidevran leave to live in Erdine. After a few more years, the Vahilde has passed away. Hatice loses a son then has twins Osman and Hurichian, Ibrahim has an affair, Hurrem has her final son who is crippled. All of Gulnihai's children stand up to Hurrem and call her a waste of space. When Mahmud and Mehmet go to their provinces, they both die from Small pox. Mehmet only had a daughter and Mahmud did not have children*
Gulnihai's future had to be secured by one of her sons either Ahmet, Murat or Kasim. Her daughters will recieve the best for their has Selim, Byazid and Cihangir even though Cihangir was not a serious prospect for the throne. Mahidevran had Mustafa. By this time, Mustafa was a young adult ruling Manisa, he had a daughter. Selim had a favorite named Nurbanu who was pregnant and she came from Italy, Byazid had Defne was from Italy, Ahmed had Ayse who was from Spain, Murad had Esmahan who was from France and Kasim did not have a harem yet. Hurrem secretly had Kasim poisoned which made Suleyman exile her to Amaya. However after Mustafa was executed, Cihangir had died. Hurrem was heart broken. Now only Ahmet, Murat, Selim and Byazid had remained. Mihrimah, Mahifurz and Raziye weere all married living in the capital with their children. Murat and Ahmet began to see each other as rivals. Selim and Byzaid were bitter towards each other. Murat was the stronger of Gulnihai sons, Ahmed died in battle as a hero. A meeting was held by Murat, Selim and Byazid where Murat made them swear to take care of his mother, sisters and his children if he would die. Selim and Byazid would promise this. Selim and Byazid would fight eachother, so would Defne and Nurbanu. Suleyman orders the death of Byazid and his sons.*
Murad: so it is just me and Selim now
Esmahan: we have our sons and you are strong
Hurrem: Murad you grown up, this is lovely Esmahan and your children. I will play. With you kids later, I need to speak to your father alone.
Esmahan:*takes the kids*
Murat: Sultana
Hurrem:Murat I have watched you since the day you were born. I need your help, Selim will not stop drinking, his majesty saw it once. It was a mess. Please save my son.
Murat: *takes the request and punches Selim to snap him out of it*
Esmahan: Sezhade murat is heir now, Nurbanu is wife to a drunk
Nurbanu:*uses a piece of pottery to kill Esmahan by slicing her throat*
Murat:*devasted*
Gulnihai:*orders for Nurbanu to be killed*
Hurrem:*seconds the motion*
Selim:*pursades them to spare her life but he sends her to live with his son*
*Hurrem and Murad die from the same disease, Suleyman dies eight years later. In the end, Selim becomes sultan, he names Gulnihai as his Vahilde sultan. He orders the death of every male heir besides his son and he takes good care of all his nieces and widowed sisters. Selim and his son Murad remain devoted to Gulnihai sultan until her death. Selim allowed her to be buried beside Suleyman and took. Care of MMahidevran until her death. *