Noble Blood - The Witch of the Ottoman Empire

Episode Date: September 17, 2024

When Roxelana was a teenager, she was captured from her homeland and brought to Istambul to be sold as a slave. With a famusly dazzling personality, she rose in the ranks to become the Sultan's favorite concumbine and, eventually, his wife, a breach of tradition that left an entire empire reeling.Support Noble Blood:— Bonus episodes, stickers, and scripts on Patreon— Noble Blood merch— Order Dana's book, 'Anatomy: A Love Story' and its sequel 'Immortality: A Love Story'See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. What's up, everyone? I'm Ago Vodam. My next guest, it's Will Ferrell. Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo. My dad gave me the best advice ever. He goes, just give it a shot.

But if you ever reach a point where you're banging your head against the wall and it doesn't feel fun anymore, it's okay to quit. If you saw it written down, it would not be an inspiration. It would not be on a calendar of, you know, The cat, just hang in there. Yeah, it would not be. Right, it wouldn't be that. There's a lot of luck. Listen to Thanks, Dad, on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to Noble Blood, a production of IHeart Radio and grim and mild from Aaron Manky.

Listener discretion advised. One quick note of housekeeping before we begin today's episode, I am so, so excited to be leading a trip to the English Cotson. Swald's next July, July 2025. It's through an incredible program called Common Ground, and it's a pilgrimage where we read a book, talk about a book, and go on walks every day. This is the third one I've done with this program. We've talked about the book Frankenstein. I've done one on the novel, Rebecca. And this one, I'm so thrilled to say we're talking about one of my all-time favorite novels, The Remains of the Day. If you haven't read it, absolutely read it. And if you're free next July and want to talk about the book and go on incredibly

gorgeous walks around the Cotswolds, you should absolutely sign up now. It's a website, reading and walking with.com. The program is common ground. There are still a few spots remaining, I think actually maybe one spot, but there's always a wait list. So sign up quickly if this is something that interest to you. It's so much fun. I absolutely love it. I hope to see you there. If you would indulge me, listener, I would like to begin today's episode by reading you part of a poem. My intimate companion, my one and all, sovereign of all beauties, my sultan, my life, the gift I own, my be all. The elixir of paradise, my Eden, my spring, my joy, my glittering day. We've done a number of episodes that have cameos from Lord Byron, but this isn't his work,

nor is it a poem by Shelley or Keats or Naruto or Dickinson. Instead, these are the words of Suleiman the Magnificent, the longest reigning sultan of the Ottoman Empire. It was under his rule that the Ottoman Golden Age of Art and Culture was ushered in. He himself was both a poet and a goldsmith. And if you've listened to countless other episodes of this show, you'll know that most royal marriages don't reflect the poetic kind of connection above. While there are some exceptions, most sovereigns end up in practical,

if not completely loveless arrangements. Suleiman is a particular exception to this rule. because not only was his marriage a love match, it was unprecedented politically. While not technically queen, he granted his wife a brand new title, Haseki Sultan, to indicate her new dynastic position and importance. What was even more unusual about their marriage was that his wife was not a noble. She wasn't even native to the empire. Instead, she was originally the emperor's favorite concubine, a former slave taken from her home in Ruthenia, located in modern-day Ukraine.

As a young captive in a foreign land, she was given the name Hrem, the Persian word for joyful or laughing. But today, she's better known by the name that Europeans gave her. Roxalana, meaning the maiden from Rhehram. Ruthenia. Suleiman's love for Roxalana not only provided her with comfort, safety, and luxury, but in a great shock to the Ottomans, real political influence. She was an advisor and a diplomat, as well as a patron that helped her husband bring about the empire's golden age.

If you were to believe the content of her surviving love letters, her devotion to her husband was equal to that of the one he poeticized. However, it is important to remember that even though she was granted her freedom before their marriage, it was at Suleiman's behest, and becoming the sultan's lover in the first place was not Roxalana's choice to make. The only firsthand insight we have into Roxalana's thoughts and feelings comes from those few surviving letters, which simply doesn't provide us enough context to know her entire headspace. Naturally, Roxalana's rise from slave to advisor aroused plenty of anger and suspicion, with accusations

of witchcraft being particularly popular. These rumors would only intensify after a series of tragedies towards the end of Suleiman's reign, but his beloved, never fell from his grace. While a number of European plays and stories would go on to portray Roxalana as a scheming sorceress, there's really no evidence of ill intentions. She might not have been really a witch, but whether or not a literal spell was cast,

Roxalana's journey from enslaved girl to the Ottoman Empire's most powerful woman can sound like something straight out of a fantasy novel. I'm Dana Schwartz, and this is Noble Blood. There's a degree of mystery surrounding Roxalana's origins, but today it's widely accepted that the future Haseki Sultan was born in Ruthenia, an area that now encompasses Western Ukraine. But during Roxalana's time, it was under the rule of the Polish king.

Today, Ukrainian legend says her birth name was either Anastasia or Alexandra Lissowska, but there's no definitive evidence of that. She was born during a dark period for her homeland. Around 1475, the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed, the conqueror, defeated Venice and Genoa for control of the Black Sea slave trade. Following that victory, he made a vassal. of the Khan of the Crimean Tatars, whose economy would be sustained

through slave trade with Istanbul. A significant portion of the people they enslaved were taken from Ruthenia. Ruxelana was likely captured in 1516, during a Tatar raid in which the region lost between an estimated anywhere from 5,000 to 40,000 men, women, and children. She would have only been around 13 at the time. Captives were marched in chain all the way to Kaffa,

a settlement on the coast of the Black Sea, also located in modern-day Ukraine. From there, most were loaded onto vessels that would take them to Istanbul, the largest market in the region. Of the slave market, an Ottoman courtier wrote, quote, seen this market, has seen nothing in this world. There a mother is severed from her son and

daughter, a son from his father and brother, and they are sold among lamentations, cries of help, weeping, and sorrow. It was amidst this horror that Roxalana was sold, but to whom specifically we don't know. She could have been purchased by someone directly in the palace, but the story circulating at the time claimed that she was a gift to Suleiman upon his ascension as ruler in 1520. In that

case, she could have been bought by a wealthy or prominent household with ties to court, hoping to earn favor if their gift became the Sultan's new favorite. One rumor alleged that it was one of Suleiman's sisters who found Raxalana

from him, while other sources say she came from his trusted friend, and advisor, Ibrahim. The reason there are many probabilities and most liklies in Ruxelana's origin story is by design. The concubines in the Sultan's imperial harem were chiefly enslaved women, and the majority of them were originally Christian from varying regions and ethnic backgrounds. As you can imagine, the specific origins of the concubines were not documented. erased in service of loyalty and dependence on the sultan.

It was a new start. From a young age, enslaved girls chosen for the harem, lived at the old palace, which was the home of the court's women, while the men lived in the new palace. At the old palace, the girls were educated by palace staff and teachers. They were converted to Islam, taught the principles of the religious, religion and Turkish language, the expectations of Ottoman women, and proper palace etiquette. The sharpest students could one day be eligible for the role of concubine, and potential mother

of any future ruler. So no matter how exactly Roxalana arrived at the palace, it's clear that once she did, she stood out exceptionally. It also seemed to be that it was less so her looks, but rather her personality and charm that caught the new 26-year-old ruler's attention. The Venetian ambassador during the early years of Suleiman's reign reported that the Sultan's budding favorite was, quote, young but not beautiful, although graceful and petite. If we recall her Ottoman name, Harem meaning joyful, we can understand her favorable qualities. The Venetian ambassadors at the Sultan's court are often our best source for details about life inside the palace, as there's a lack of Ottoman writing about the women of the harem.

From that same ambassador's writings, we learn, quote, The Grand Turk chooses whoever pleases him the most and keeps her separate for two months and amuses himself with her as he pleases. If she becomes pregnant, he takes her as his cousin. consort. Roxalana evidently pleased Suleiman greatly. After she was presented to him in 1520, it wouldn't be long before their intimate relationship began. Before she was even brought to the old palace to begin her training, it would have been confirmed that Roxalana was a virgin. In addition to her training in etiquette, religion, language, and art, she would have been prepared for the moment the

Sultan may invite her to his chambers. There were protocols for approaching and addressing him. She would be escorted to his room by eunuchs, her eyes downcast. The night would either end with a polite dismissal from Suleiman or a repeat invitation. If she became pregnant, that night or any night following, her position with the Ottoman Empire and her safety would be secure. We can speak of the material weight of these outcomes, but we just don't know anything about the emotional weight of that first night. Was she afraid, determined, pleased, disgusted, numb, a mix of all of it? We can be assured that the Suleiman, at least, had a very good night, and the relationship continued. Roxalana gave birth to their first son, Mehmed, in 1521, when she was likely around 17 years old.

The phrase, first son, was until that point unprecedented, as it implied a concubine would bear the sultan more than one possible heir. Ottoman policy declared one mother, one son. There was no limit to how many daughters a concubine could have with the sultan. But once she gave birth to a son, the sexual relationship ended. The idea was that each potential heir to the throne would have the undivided attention of his mother to best prepare him for his future. Ottoman succession differed from most major monarchies in that the first-born son did not automatically inherit the throne. All living sons had a shot in a game of survival of the fittest. Mehmed was the first child born during Suleiman's reign as Sultan, but he was Suleiman's fifth child overall.

However, while Roxalana was pregnant or shortly after she gave birth, tragedy struck. Suleiman lost his eldest son, his second eldest son, and his daughter in rapid succession, likely to a plague. His only surviving child, until Mehmet, was another son. Mustafa, the son of the favorite before Roxalana's arrival, a woman named Mahadevran. The timing of these events meant that Roxalana's status shifted dramatically in a short amount of time. First, the status boost that came with carrying the Sultan's child, then the additional boost that came with the child being a boy, and finally an even greater boost when her infant son became one of only two remaining living heirs.

Mehmed's birth also changed his mother's legal status. She was now Um al-Awad, or mother of a child. While this did not grant her her freedom, it meant that she could not be sold or given away, and she would automatically gain her freedom upon the death of her master. As noted by the Venetian ambassador, when a woman gave birth to the sultan's child, quote, her salary is increased,

or rather she is now given a spending stipend, quote, and she is honored and elevated above the others and is served as a lady. The ambassador also explained the role of the royal concubine in her child's life. Quote, if she gives birth to a son, the boy is raised by his mother until the age of 10 or 11, then the Grand Turk gives him a province and sends his mother with him.

As we know, however, things would play out differently for Roxalana, who would remain by her husbands or future husbands side. Breaking protocol, Suleiman invited Roxalana back to his chambers after she gave birth to a son, and she was pregnant once again by early 1522. We don't know for sure what prompted the rekindling of their relationship. Did they feel a mutual connection from the start? Or was Roxalana manipulating Suleiman,

reluctant to share the power that she had gained through Mehmet's birth? We can't answer those questions, but we know their daughter, Mirama, was born in the fall of that year, followed over the next few years by the birth of their son, Salim Abdullah bin Baysed, and later an additional son. Suleiman was often away on military campaigns during the pregnancies, but it was always Roxalana whom he returned home to. It was clear to those inside and outside the palace that not only did the Sultan have a

new favorite, he was downright monogamous. We don't have records of Suleiman and Roxalana's correspondence from these early years, those will come later. So we have to rely on outside sources and conjecture to understand what their relationship might have been like at this time. Thankfully, the Venetians in court loved to gossip. In 1522, we see claims that the Sultan was very lustful, but by 1524, those shift, arguing that the Signor is not lustful, rather devoted to a single woman. In 1526, the ambassador notes that the sultan no longer paid attention to the mother of his eldest son, the former favorite, but gave all his affection to, quote, another woman of the Russian nation, namely Roxalana.

Among the public, it's possible that this is the time during which the rumors of Roxalana's sorcery begin to germinate, as there had never been a sultan committed to monogamy, Yes, even in the 15-20s, people were doing a polyamory discourse. Subjects feared the sultan's devotion to his favorite concubine would be a distraction from his duty, which they saw as defending the borders from enemy threats. Additionally, they supported the system of succession as it functioned, and believed in the tradition that each prince should have one devoted mother as his personal advisor. Suleiman's mother, Hafsah, remained a trusted advisor even after her son's ascension,

and she was responsible for spearheading the construction of a massive public mosque complex, alongside staying up to date with political affairs and maintaining her own network of informants. Roxalana would later follow in her mother-in-law's footsteps. A story emerged around this time that shines some light on. Roxalana's feelings and or tactics for ensuring her own continued survival and comfort in the palace. As reported by the ambassador, quote, The Sultan was given two beautiful Russian maidens by a provincial governor, one for his mother and one for him.

When they arrived in the palace, his second wife, wife meaning favorite here, whom he esteems at present, became extremely, unhappy and flung herself to the ground weeping. The ambassador then noted the reaction of Hafsah and the Sultan himself as they attempted to ease Roxalana's sadness. Quote, the mother, who had given her maiden to the Sultan, was sorry about what she had done, took her back and sent her to one of the governors as wife, and the Sultan agreed to send his to another governor, because his wife would have perished from sorrow if these maidens or even one of them had remained in the palace. Whether Roxalana gave an Academy Award-winning performance, or if she truly was so attached to

Suleiman, she certainly was not the first concubine to experience jealousy. The uniqueness here is how both Hafsah, the head of the house, and Suleiman himself not only acquiesced to Roxalana's emotional needs, but felt remorse. These are the two most powerful people in the empire, and Roxalana's feelings were clearly important to both of them. Our first surviving letters from the couple come from 1526. My sultan, there is no limit to the burning anguish of separation. Roxalana's earliest surviving letter concludes, now spare this miserable one and do not withhold your noble letters. Let my soul gain at least some comfort. The poetry of her letters also takes inspiration from Islamic tradition. Quote, oh, you with the face of Yusuf and words

sweet as candy, she writes to her lover. Based on the penmanship, these letters were written by a harem scribe, and Roxalana's Turkish was not at the level of composing stanzas, but it's probable she dictated what sentiments to include. The comparison of her lover to Yusuf, the counterpart of Joseph, for those more familiar with the Hebrew or Christian Bible, takes on a level of irony when considering the story of Zuleka or Potiphar's wife in the Hebrew tradition of the story. While Potiphar's wife is known traditionally as a seductress and a villainous, a number of great Muslim poets Roxalana would have been familiar with, saw Zuleka's lust for Yosef as the soul's lust for God. After 1526, there's a lull in information regarding Roxalana, but she becomes a subject of

great interest again in 1534 as the result of a shocking revelation. A journal entry from the Genoese Bank of St. George in Istanbul reads, quote, this week there has occurred in the the city a most extraordinary event, one absolutely unprecedented in the history of the sultans. The Grand Signor Suleiman has taken to himself as his empress, a slave woman from Russia called Roxalana, and the festivities have been beyond all record. At night, the principal streets were gaily illuminated, and there is much music and feasting. The houses are festooned with garlands, and there are everywhere, swings in which the people swing by the hour with great enjoyment. There is great talk about the marriage, and none can say what it means.

It was an accurate statement. Who could say what it meant for a sultan to marry his concubine? Roxalana, by this point, was technically no longer his concubine either. He had granted her her freedom before they married. Not to mention the fact that a sultan had not been married, at all in over a hundred years. Political marriages used to be common but ceased by the 15th century. The marriage broke a collection of traditions all at once. Timing-wise, we know the marriage of Raksalana and Suleiman likely followed the passing of Suleiman's mother, Hafsa,

who herself did not gain her freedom until the death of her master, Suleiman's father. It would have been disrespectful to Hafsah, the highest-ranking woman of the empire, for Suleiman to elevate Raksalana's position while the queen mother lived. Elevating Raxalana through marriage also served a political purpose for Suleiman. He was about to embark on a long military campaign in Iran, and he needed trustworthy eyes and ears in Istanbul now that his mother was gone. So there were the political reasons, and then there were the personal. Suleiman was devoted to Roxalana and was legitimizing her position as the mother of his children and a woman of exceptional status.

Upon the marriage, she relocated to the new palace, becoming the first woman to do so. She would move with her entourage and the now 13-year-old Mehmet, and Suleiman surely won't. wanted both of them to be closer to the political heart of the empire. From a Venetian observer, we learned that Roxalana's quarters were splendid, quote, with chapels, baths, gardens, and other amenities, not only for herself, but for her damsels as well, of which she keeps as many as 100. Over time, Roxalana's quarters would grow into an entire wing of the palace that housed the imperial harem.

It was under her guidance that the gender politics of the empire began to shift, and women became more involved in the political sphere. Roxalana kept Suleiman informed during his time away by maintaining an information network, just as her late mother-in-law had done before her. The stewards and eunuchs in her service would pick up gossip from both inside, and outside the palace walls. She began to work with Hafsa's former go-between

and even her own son, Mehmed, who could provide access to men's spaces that Roxalana was barred from. The network wasn't the only thing Roxalana was building. In 1538, construction began on a new mosque in Istanbul outside the city's imperial core. It would soon expand to include, two schools, primary and a secondary. A soup kitchen was built, including a fountain in its

courtyard, which could provide fresh water to the neighborhood. A couple of years in, the complex even gained a hospital, a rare amenity for the time. Charitable giving was a requirement for all Muslims with disposable income, and the imperial household was no exception. Philanthropy, however, was traditionally the queen mother's job. While breaking yet another norm, Roxalana's ambitious project upon her elevation would have attempted to legitimize her in the eyes of the people, who still called her Ziyadi in their whispers, or witch. The mosque complex also served a larger purpose as an instrumental piece of Suleiman's agenda, which sought to consolidate a stronger Sunni Muslim identity, achieved in part through philanthropy.

Roxalana's project was additionally historic for women. It was the first foundation in Istanbul donated by and named after a woman. The neighborhood selected for its location was associated with women, home to the weekly Avrat Pazar or Women's Market. We also know that Roxalana specifically requested a female scribe to work on the project in an administrative position, a rarity for the time, which gives credence to the idea that her project was designed to uplift women's circumstances. The project was a resounding success.

A few decades later, an Ottoman historian remarked that the exalted mosque and the various other, quote, good works of the Haseki Sultan were known to all humankind. In addition to her philanthropic efforts, Roxalana established new diplomatic relations for the empire. When the Polish king died in 1548, Roxalana established diplomatic correspondence with the Polish monarchy, congratulating the king's son on his ascension. She would continue to cultivate more contacts in Europe and maintain correspondence with Safavid royal women, pioneering a new role for the women that would follow her. The Ottomans had had female diplomat in the past, but as elite women became more secluded,

women were no longer employed for negotiations or peace treaties. Roxalana established letter writing as a method of diplomacy for women, and by the end of the century, the mother of her grandson was corresponding with Catherine de Medici, while the next queen mother exchanged gifts with Elizabeth I. As we students of history know, these relationships between important women are incredibly important in establishing good relations between nations. Roxalana was now also in charge of the major affairs of the old palace.

While day-to-day management was the job of the internal staff, Roxalana was in charge of major decisions, and resolving problems. She became involved in matchmaking the girls of the Imperial harem, which likely served several purposes. The first and most cynical is that it kept them away from her husband. A second reason is that it's not hard to imagine the empathy she felt for those in the place she once was.

But now, she could help in securing them better futures and eventually freedom. In 1543, the family was faced with great tragedy, the death of Mehmed. He had contracted an illness, likely smallpox, during the celebration for his father's recent military victory, mirroring the loss of Suleiman's first three children upon his triumphant return to Istanbul around the time of Mehmed's birth. My Sultan Mehmed distinguished among princes, the distraught father wrote of his life. late son. We know that Suleiman dressed in black and attended prayers for the dead for 40 days instead of the customary three. Roxalana's grief, however, was not chronicled. Women did not attend funeral prayers, and she was rarely seen in public as it was. She likely threw herself into caring

for Mehmed's infant daughter, whose arrival was imminent at the time of his death. The loss of Mehmed also meant the loss of a candidate for Sultan. By 1546, Suleiman was 53 by the Islamic calendar, two years older than his father had been at the time of his death. The most experienced candidate for Sultan at this point was Mustafa, who, if you remember, was Suleiman's only other surviving son at the time of Mehmed's birth, a son that was not born to Roxalana. Xelana's own surviving sons had a more powerful mother naturally, but Mustafa had a mother solely dedicated to his success. And again, he was older and more experienced. Tension was inevitable. In 1552, the tension came to a deadly point. The empire was at war with Persia, but Suleiman himself was not leading the charge. Rumors began to circulate that the soldiers were losing. faith in their sultan, and there were backers seeking to put Mustafa, now 40, on the throne. Suleiman's first reaction was apparently to blame those trying to sow discord, but he did decide

to join the campaign to show his competency nonetheless. It's unclear how exactly we get from point A to point B here, but we know this. Mustafa was called for a meeting with his father, and Mustafa's advisors, including his mother, the former favorite, begged him not to attend. They were right to fear. When Mustafa and his men went to the meeting, they were executed upon their arrival. We don't know what drove Suleiman to go so far as to kill his son, but history would put the blame on Roxalana, earning her the reputation as villainous. It was not the first time she was painted as scheming and jealous, of course. She was already sometimes blamed for Mustafa and his mother, both being sent to a governorship post outside of Istanbul, the traditional practice

at the time. The blame for Mustafa's death, however, was a reputation that she would gain over time. Ottoman historians over the following century did not associate Ruxelana with the execution, but by the 20th century, historians were shorthyons. sharing it as fact. The flaw in asserting Roxalana's guilt, as described by biographer Leslie Pierce, quote,

the Ottoman habit of blaming subordinates so as to avoid holding the powerful accountable for unsavory acts. The most likely explanation for Mustafa's execution was the threat that his success and his followers

posed to his father, not to Roxalana or her sons. The loss of Mustafa devastated many in the empire, but the following year, Roxalana would face a more devastating loss. An anxious note from her to Suleiman reads, quote, the city is clamoring that a messenger is coming, and everyone is getting ready to deck the city out. They are saying the messenger will arrive in two or three days, and so they are standing ready to decorate the city. Now, my sultan, it is a very odd thing that a good news messenger should come when you yourself are wintering in Aleppo. The messenger was likely carrying the news that her youngest son had died of sickness after struggling

with disabilities his entire life. He was only around 21. Again, we can only imagine Roxalana's devastation and the added sadness that came with having to mourn while her husband was still away. Still, life carried on for her, and she continued to work on her latest project. Construction on a large and well-funded complex in Jerusalem. It would be her crowning achievement, a soup kitchen that could feed 400 people twice a day, and housing was provided for those visiting the Holy City. She was the third woman to build a public project in Jerusalem. But as the project progressed, Roxalana's health declined.

She died in the spring of 1558, one year after the complex formally opened. Roxalana's letters always stressed her pain at being away from her husband, and it's believed he was by her side when she did die. Quote, they say the day before she died, Suleiman promised her and swore by the soul of his father Salim, that he would never approach another woman. That's from the French ambassador at the time, who also noted that Roxalana was mourned by all those who owed their status to her,

as the majority of those who governed the empire at this time were of her making. That's the story of Roxalana who went from slave to the most powerful woman in an empire, but keep listening after a brief sponsor break to hear a little bit of. more about her legacy and why it's so specifically interesting. What's up, everyone? I'm Ego Wodeham. My next guest, you know from Step Brothers, Anchorman, Saturday Night Live and the Big Money Players Network. It's Will Ferrell. My dad gave me the best advice ever. I went and had lunch with them one day, and I was like, and Dad, I think I want to really give this a shot. I don't know what that means, but I just know

the groundlings. I'm working my way up. through and I know it's a place they come look for up and coming talent. He said if it was based solely on talent, I wouldn't worry about you, which is really sweet. He goes, but there's so much luck involved. And he's like, just give it a shot. He goes, but if you ever reach a point where you're banging your head against the wall and it doesn't feel fun anymore, it's okay to quit. If you saw it written down, it would not be an inspiration. It would not be on a calendar of, you know, the cat just hang in there. Yeah, it would not be.

Right, it wouldn't be that. There's a lot of luck. Listen to Thanks Dad on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, everyone? I'm Ago Vodam. My next guest, you know from Step Brothers Anchorman, Saturday Night Live, and the Big Money Players Network. It's Will Ferrell. Woo, woo, woo, woo.

My dad gave me the best advice. I went and had lunch with them one day, and I was like, and dad, I think I want to really give this a shot. I don't know what that means, but I just know the groundlings. I'm working my way up through, and I know it's a place that come look for up-and-coming talent. He said, if it was based solely on talent, I wouldn't worry about you, which is really sweet. Yeah. He goes, but there's so much luck involved.

And he's like, just give it a shot. He goes, but if you ever reach a point where you're banging your head against the wall and it doesn't feel fun anymore, it's okay to quit. If you saw it written down, it would not be an inspiration. It would not be on a calendar of, you know, the cat. Just hang in there. Yeah, it would not be. Right, it wouldn't be that.

There's a lot of luck. Listen to Thanks Dad on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Roxalana was a subject of European fascination even during her lifetime. But after her death, her legend continued to grow in stories, plays, operas, and today in film and TV shows. Many of these interpretations portray her as a witch and a villainous, but in Ukraine, she's often considered a national hero. The scholar Galena Yermelenko argues that as the country gained its independence from Russia,

Roxalena became an important figure in the construction of Ukraine's national identity. Roxalena is coming back home is a bronze monument in Ukraine believed to be her birthplace. The statue stands four meters tall on a six meter column, and she's dressed in a traditional Ukrainian costume. The names Roxalana and Roxaliana are popular among Ukrainian girls and women. And you can find Roxalana's name and imagery on postage stamps, in the windows of beauty salmars. in boutiques and even on vodka bottles. So next time you take a shot of vodka, make sure to toast to the maiden from Ruthenio.

Noble Blood is a production of I-Heart Radio and Grimm and Mild from Aaron Menke. Noble Blood is hosted by me, Danish forts, with additional writing and researching by Hannah Johnston, Hannah Zwick, Courtney Sender, Julia Malani and Armand Kasam. The show is at, edited and produced by Noemi Griffin and Rima Il K. Ali with supervising producer Josh Thane

and executive producers Aaron Manky, Alex Williams, and Matt Frederick. For more podcasts from IHeartRadio, visit the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. What's up, everyone? I'm Ago Vodom. My next guest, it's Will Ferrell. Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo. My dad gave me the best advice. ever. He goes, just give it a shot. But if you ever reach a point where you're banging your head against the wall and it doesn't feel fun anymore, it's okay to quit. If you saw it written down, it would not be an inspiration. It would not be on a calendar of, you know, the cat. Just hang in there. Yeah, it would not be. Right. It wouldn't be that. There's a lot of luck.

Listen to thanks dad on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast Guaranteed human