Dangerous Facts About Kosem Sultan, The Magnificent Mother
Kosem Sultan's drama-filled life is like combining Game of Thrones, Cinderella, and Succession into one potent cocktail, then setting that cocktail on fire. Ruling in the sunset years of the great "Sultanate of Women" in the Ottoman Empire, this Machiavellian momager knew how to get power: through cunning, betrayal, and total manipulation of men. Although she went from rags to riches, watch out. Kosem Sultan's life is no fairy tale.
1. Her Teen Years Were Terrifying
Kosem started life as the daughter of a Greek Orthodox priest on the island of Tinos, a childhood you might think would be quite peaceful. But it turned bone-chilling in an instant. As she was just entering her teen years, Ottoman raiders kidnapped Kosem and tore her away from her family. And it was about to get much worse for the girl.
2. She Experienced The Unimaginable
As if being ripped out of her home wasn’t awful enough, the kidnappers then sold Kosem like chattel. Human markets were a huge thing in the Ottoman Empire, and Kosem was everything traders were looking for: She was young, virginal, healthy, and hot. More than that, she was already showing signs of stunning intelligence—and all this earned her the attention of someone very important.
3. She Became A Concubine Against Her Will
While Kosem was up for sale, an envoy for none other than Sultan Ahmed I himself noticed both her quick wit and beauty. Then he made a decision that changed her life. Feeling she was a diamond in the rough, he took her to Constantinople to take up residence in the sultan's Imperial Harem. It was something of a lucky break...but Kosem soon found out the harem was a snake pit.
4. She Had Tough Competition
See, Kosem wasn't the only girl who entered the Imperial Harem, not by a long shot. Sultan Ahmed, who was actually a year younger than Kosem herself, kept scores of beautiful women at his beck and call. In other words, she had a lot of competition. On top of that, she also had homework: The harem put her through the wringer on topics like literature, music, and Ottoman politics.
But after less than a year, Kosem proved she could handle all that and more—and she got a major upgrade.
