Close to my Heart

I've seen this comparison on Tiktok between Ottoman women (Hurrem Sultan, Nurbanu Sultan, Kosem Sultan, etc) and European women of the same time (Anne Boleyn, Katherine Howard, Jane Grey), saying that while european women were executed, ottoman women ruled.

Which is not exactly true...

There are so many powerful women from all around the world: Cleopatra, Livia Drusilla, Hatshepsut, Boudica, Catherine the Great, Catherine de' Medici, Elizabeth the First, Isabella de Castile, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Empress Theodora, Queen Zenobia, and so many others. And, yes, we can't say that certain Ottoman women didn't have power, Kosem ruled as regent, Nurbanu was extremely influential as Valide Sultan (mother of the Sultan), and Hurrem was the first women to marry a sultan and the one who started the Sultanate of Women.

Blanca Suárez as Isabel of Portugal in "Carlos Rey Emperador"

Kimberley Tell as Victoria Eugenia of Battenberg in "Ena"

Michelle Jenner as Isabel of Castile in "Isabel"

i think about ahsoka's "she was my friend" line too many times a day

Sweet baby girl.                                                                                                     

I wish you’d received human touch in a non sexual way.                                  Sure times were different back then. But you were a child, just a CHILD.

People dispute when you were first approached by Henry Manox, whether you were 11 or 13. I reckon it was 11 and maybe that Is why  I relate to your character so much. You are also my favourite Queen.                                      Now I’ve looked far and wide for a book or source that supports my views about your life. And the only one that speaks out is: ‘All you wanna do’ from SIX.                                                                       

I want to say so much more but don’t have the words.                                     What I will add is that the labels people put on you are awful.                              I feel that the trauma from Manox lead to an unfortunate obsession with sex. Might sound hard to believe but it can happen. I KNOW.                                    He did that to you, Kitty. Did you hear me?  IT WASN’T YOUR FAULT.

So anyway that’s my two cents. People may read this text and judge,                   I don’t really care. Have a peaceful rest and who knows I might visit one day.    As the modern hashtag goes #Metoo.                                               

From one victim to another-S.E.P