Rashida bint Yusuf: the historical bits….

In July 1492, the Jews were expelled from Spain, and like
many, Joseph the Tailor and his pregnant wife Mira left the
country rather than convert.  Also like many, they accepted
the invitation from Sultan Bayezid II to settle in Ottoman
lands and become citizens of the Ottoman Turkish empire. 
Said Bayezid II, The Just, in comment to Spain on the
Inquisition and subsequent flood of Jews immigrating to his
lands, "You venture to call Ferdinand a wise ruler, he who
has impoverished his own country and enriched mine!" 
Indeed, Joseph and Mira found the Sephardic Jewish community
in Istanbul (still called Kostantiniyye) to be most
welcoming, and a place of great learning and religious
freedom.  

Still a bit distrustful, given their recent experience in
Spain, they decided that their newborn girl would do best if
integrated into the local community, so as to show
compliance with the local governance. She was named "Rashida
bint Yusuf", Rashida, the daughter of Joseph.  
Rashida spent most of her time in the 1520s working with her
father as a tailor`s assistant.  She made deliveries to
clients, and eventually found herself joining the ranks of
Jewish women who were kiras to Sultan Suleiman the
Magnificent.  A kira was a woman (usually Jewish, but some
were Greek or Albanian) who acted as personal merchants to
the women of Suleiman’s harem, bringing them goods to buy
from different markets.

On these many trips to the Old Palace and the New Palace
(Topkapi), buying and selling wares, Rashida would
occasionally find discarded items or bodies with possessions
she might not have had otherwise….


A little less period….

At some point, seeking greater freedom to travel, enamored
with bow and armor scavenged from the streets, Rashida
disguised herself and joined a caravan as a guard for hire,
seeking only to reach Europe and a bigger world of
possibilities.  She eventually found her way to the northern
isles, where an archer of great renown saw her shooting
anonymously in a skirmish.  He and his Lady took her under
their wing in their castle and estates.  

In these modern Middle Ages, Rashida is an Arcuarius to
Archos Ronan Mackay and a feared combat archer.  When she`s
not running the archery range or a YAC tourney, she might be
marshaling, dancing, beading, armoring, embroidering (sort
of), being a waterbearer, hammering something, or looking
for a place to sit down.  She has also rediscovered a great
love of group sing-a-longs.  
All knowledge is worth having, and Rashida loves nothing
better than learning something new.