Roxolana becomes top concubine in sultan Suleiman’s harem by getting into a catfight and losing!

[**The following takes place in the 16th century Ottoman Empire.**] >Gulbahar (the *hasseki* or chief concubine) and [Roxolana](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a1/Tizian_123.jpg) hated each other from the beginning and the rivalry only intensified after the birth of Roxolana’s son. Tensions came to a head one day when Gulbahar called Roxolana a “traitor” and “sold meat” (trust us, a really rude thing to say). Infuriated, Roxolana greased up for a catfight. When it was over, Roxolana’s hair was torn out, her face covered in scratches; she was in no condition to see the sultan. >Which may have been her plan all along. When an envoy came to bring Roxolana to her lover’s apartment, she refused, sending word that she didn’t want to offend [Suleiman](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/EmperorSuleiman.jpg)’s magnificence with her battered appearance, no matter how desperately she wanted to see him. Alarmed, the sultan demanded her to come; once he saw the damage, he sent Gulbahar packing to an outpost of the Ottoman Empire – and just like that, Roxolana became first lady of the harem. ___________________________ **Source:** McRobbie, Linda Rodriguez. “Roxolana, The Princess Slave Who Went From Sex Slave to Sultana.” *Princesses Behaving Badly: Real Stories From History-- Without the Fairy-Tale Endings*. MJF Books, 2013. 93. Print. ___________________________ **Further Reading:** [Mahidevran, also known as Gülbahar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahidevran) [Hurrem Sultan, often called Roxelana](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurrem_Sultan) [Suleiman I, commonly known as Suleiman the Magnificent in the West and Kanunî Sultan Süleyman, “The Lawgiver Suleiman” in his realm](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suleiman_the_Magnificent) ___________________________ **If you enjoy this type of content, please consider donating to my [Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/HistoryLockeBox)!**