Hürrem Sultan is one of the most influential women in Ottoman history. She was the wife of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent (Kanuni Sultan Süleyman). Originally from Ruthenia (often identified as today’s Ukraine), her birth name is commonly given as Roxelana / Anastasia. She rose from concubine to legal wife, which was very unusual for Ottoman sultans. She held the title Haseki Sultan and had major influence over politics, court affairs, and foreign relations. Mother of several princes, including