Sunday, March 28, 2010

Rise of The Slave Girl

-

"Throne of my lonely niche, my wealth, my love, my moonlight,
My most sincere friend, my confidant, my very existence, my Sultan, my one and only love,
The most beautiful among the beautiful..
My springtime, my merry faced love, my daytime, my sweetheart, laughing leaf..
My plants, my sweet, my rose, the one only who does not distress me in this world..
My Istanbul, my Caraman, the earth of my Anatolia,
My Badakhshan, my Baghdad and Khorasan,
My woman of the beautiful hair, my love of the slanted brow, my love of eyes full of mischief..
I'll sing your praises always,
I, lover of the tormented heart, my eyes full of tears, I am happy."


What a deep love and devotion of the ruler to the empire's first sultana!

The tenth Ottoman Sultan, as known in our history 'Kanuni' (meaning "the Lawgiver), to the world historians as 'the Magnificent', Suleiman I (1494~1566) penned it for his unique love of Roxelana after she died in 1558, eight years before he do. Suleiman did not marry again.

The rise of this slave girl in the Ottoman Empire was a first. Ukrainia born this young girl was a daughter of a Ruthenian Orthodox priest. She was a teenager when she was captured by Crimean tatars and sold as a slave, brought to Istanbul into a major centre of the slave trade. She was selected from Istanbul slave market to Suleiman's harem. In his harem she was given the name of Hürrem because of her laughing and cheerful character. In a short time, she became Sultan's most favorite, and he broke with the Ottoman tradition and legally married her. During her life, Sultan's most beloved wife played a significant role in political decisions taken by the Suleiman, managed to change all that, and so became the successful and extremely powerful woman in our Turkish history of the 16th century!

We think of there was an intense love in that period that we did not bear witness, that was impossible but we can imagine. So many thanks to our great musician Can Atilla, that he gave us this imagination with an awesome song dedicated for Hürrem's extraordinary life story. When Hürrem was abducted and brought to the boat, she starts to sing the lullaby which her mother sang her.. is the theme of this song written by Can:

At the bright blue skies,
The lost northern star,
Banished dreams to the moonlight,
The past will be lost and gone.


In Rogatina, under the rain

I am taking an oath
on a little
girl who is dancing
that her dreams
are to become real.
...

...

...


Really exciting and gives the feeling about our history! This nice Sunday morning you can open out your dream world through this sensual and emotional song of "Love for Hürrem (Turkish: Aşk-ı Hürrem)", and take a journey to the time of Sultan Magnificent:





[On a side note]
Being the recipient of numerous stage and music awards, his music is being appreciated widely both at home and abroad. Queen Elizabeth is also known as one of his fans. And, his new album 'Golden Age' to be released from next month, in April. For more about new age symphonic composer Can Atilla, visit www.canatilla.com



4 comments:

  1. The poem is moving, Nihal. It's touching and expresses so much love.
    I loved the video too and the song. It's absolutely beautiful and relaxing.

    Have a nice day!

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  2. Oh my god, Nihal! You did again!!

    What an incredibly wonderful love poem, incredibly touching lullaby, and incredibly moving video that gives me goosebumps whenever I see it!
    I like the electric guitar solo and the transition from live girl to Hurrem's well-known portrait at the end.

    That's my favorite Turkish composer Can Atilla! I can't wait for his new album "Golden Age"!

    Thanks so much for sharing Can Atilla's excellent music with your fellow bloggers!

    Let's get together some time this week!

    INCI

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  3. The poem is beautiful. Thanks for posting the video, it was a treat to hear the music.

    Darla

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  4. @ Inci: I think we already talked and agreed on our meeting till I leave this comment by here;) In the meantime, huge thanks as always for your sweet notes.

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