Nurbanu Sultan: The Venetian Who Shaped Ottoman Succession

Before Kösem and Turhan, there was Nurbanu Sultan — the Venetian-born valide sultan who masterminded the transition from Selim II to Murad III. This episode unpacks her rise from slave to sultan's favorite, her alliance with Grand Vizier Sokollu Mehmed Pasha, and her unprecedented political maneuvering that gave the harem a direct hand in imperial succession. We explore how she leveraged her Venetian connections to influence foreign policy, her patronage of the Topkapi harem's expansion, and the lingering mystery of her poison death. A deep dive into the woman who set the template for the Sultanate of Women. #NurbanuSultan #ValideSultan #OttomanEmpire #SultanateofWomen #SelimII #MuradIII #SokolluMehmedPasha #TopkapiPalace #Harem #Venice #Lepanto #Kizkulesi #History #WomenInHistory #OttomanHistory #FexingoHistory #MiddleEast #16thCentury Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo