claudiamessina
Born in secret to King Ferdinand of Aragon and his mistress, Elena de Aragon grows up forgotten by the empire that created her. Though renowned across Europe for her extraordinary beauty and sharp intellect, she remains little more than a royal bastard--useful only when politics demanded. When her father's death throws Spain into chaos, Elena is summoned home, only to vanish at sea after being captured by Ottoman corsair Barbarossa. Presumed lost and quickly overshadowed by the struggles of kings and queens, she is delivered instead to the court of Sultan Suleiman.
In Constantinople, the forgotten daughter of Spain rises from captive to favorite, from favorite to wife, becoming one of the most powerful women in the Ottoman Empire. As Haseki Sultan, she commands influence that reaches from the Mediterranean to the heart of Europe.
But when rumors emerge that Suleiman's mysterious queen is the long-lost daughter of Ferdinand of Aragon, Europe is thrown into turmoil. Ambassadors flock to the Ottoman court seeking proof, kingdoms whisper of alliances to reclaim her, and old loyalties clash with new power.
Caught between two empires and two identities, Elena must decide who she truly is: the forgotten princess Europe wants returned-- or the Ottoman queen who refuses to be forgotten