The Sultan's Harem

New York : Crown Publishers, 1992 Book. Illus. by Mougoyiannis, Athina. As New. Hardcover. 1st US Edition.. A dramatic, unforgettable novel of cruelty and passion set in the great Harem of the Ottoman empire.In Constantinople there is only one ruler: Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent, Lord of Lords of this World, Possessor of Mens Necks, Allahs Deputy, absolute ruler of the mighty Ottoman Empire. And at the heart of his palace is the Sultans vast Harem, the domain of hundreds of scented, pampered womensome wives, some concubines, some merely slaves. Among them is Gulbehar, the Sultans submissive favorite and mother of his heir; Julia, the daughter of an Italian lord, kidnapped when she attempted to flee Venice with her lover; and Hürrem, a Tartar girl from the Russian steppes, sold into slavery. All three women are beautiful, but Hürrem is the most dangerous - ruthless in her desire to rule the Harem and, ultimately, Suleyman himself. Endlessly manipulative and clever, she carefully arranges the downfall of her rivals and endears herself to the Sultan, which places her at the center of the Empires power. It is his obsession with Hürrem, not his enemies, that costs Suleyman his allies, his sons, and finally his dynasty.452p..