... now I'm trying to find it. I know some parts of the plot:
a boy steals something and his hand gets cut off
it seems to take place in the orient
there's a white woman held captive and made part of a harem
she has a baby, but someone strangles the baby in the middle of the night
she then adopts an older boy and later kills a kalif or sheich or sth. so her adoptive son can rule over the country
I'd be so glad if someone knew what I'm talking about :)