Roxelana - Paperback

by Osyp Nazaruk (Author)

"Roxelana" is a historical novel by Ukrainian writer Osyp Nazaruk, first published in 1930, yet still considered the best work about Hürrem Sultan, wife of the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. The book was forbidden in the Ukrainian SSR and returned to the readers only after Ukraine gained independence in 1991. Nazaruk put a lot of effort into creating his book. He read old Polish, German, Latin sources about the Ottoman empire and Roxelana, studied Koran, books on medieval philosophers, old maps of Istanbul, legends and travellers' accounts. He added copious footnotes to explain many of the facts and traditions of that era. Throughout the book the author describes Roxelana through the prism of her Ukrainian nationality, raises the problems of religious intolerance, slave trade in Europe, occupation, oppression using poetic language and deep philosophical undertones. The book has never been translated into English before.
A three-seasons TV series "Roxelana", based on this book, was produced in 1996-2003 by Ukrtelefilm Production Studio.