All about the harems of the sultans. In the footsteps of the “Magnificent Century”

Little secrets of a big harem Ottoman Empire

Harem-i Humayun was the harem of the sultans of the Ottoman Empire, which influenced the decisions of the sultan in all areas of politics.

The eastern harem is the secret dream of men and the personified curse of women, the focus of sensual pleasures and the exquisite boredom of the beautiful concubines languishing in it. All this is nothing more than a myth created by the talent of novelists.

A traditional harem (from the Arabic “haram” - forbidden) is primarily the female half of a Muslim home. Only the head of the family and his sons had access to the harem. For everyone else, this part of the Arab home is strictly taboo. This taboo was observed so strictly and zealously that the Turkish chronicler Dursun Bey wrote: “If the sun were a man, even he would be forbidden to look into the harem.” The harem is a kingdom of luxury and lost hopes...

The Sultan's harem was located in the Istanbul palace Topkapi. The mother (valide-sultan), sisters, daughters and heirs (shahzade) of the sultan, his wives (kadyn-effendi), favorites and concubines (odalisques, slaves - jariye) lived here.

From 700 to 1200 women could live in a harem at the same time. The inhabitants of the harem were served by black eunuchs (karagalar), commanded by darussaade agasy. Kapi-agasy, the head of the white eunuchs (akagalar), was responsible for both the harem and the inner chambers of the palace (enderun), where the sultan lived. Until 1587, the kapi-agases had power inside the palace comparable to the power of the vizier outside it, then the heads of the black eunuchs became more influential.

The harem itself was actually controlled by the Valide Sultan. The next in rank were the Sultan's unmarried sisters, then his wives.

The income of the women of the Sultan's family was made up of funds called bashmaklyk (“per shoe”).

There were few slaves in the Sultan's harem; usually concubines became girls who were sold by their parents to the school at the harem and underwent special training there.

In order to cross the threshold of the seraglio, a slave underwent a kind of initiation ceremony. In addition to testing for innocence, the girl had to convert to Islam.

Entering a harem was in many ways reminiscent of being tonsured as a nun, where instead of selfless service to God, no less selfless service to the master was instilled. Concubine candidates, like God's brides, were forced to sever all ties with outside world, received new names and learned to live in humility.

In later harems, wives were absent as such. The main source of the privileged position was the attention of the Sultan and childbearing. By paying attention to one of the concubines, the owner of the harem elevated her to the rank of temporary wife. This situation was most often precarious and could change at any moment depending on the master’s mood. The most reliable way to gain a foothold in the status of a wife was the birth of a boy. A concubine who gave her master a son acquired the status of mistress.

The largest harem in the history of the Muslim world was the Istanbul harem of Dar-ul-Seadet, in which all the women were foreign slaves; free Turkish women did not go there. The concubines in this harem were called “odalisque”, a little later the Europeans added the letter “s” to the word and it turned out to be “odalisque”.

And here is Topkapi Palace, where the Harem lived

The Sultan chose up to seven wives from among the odalisques. Those who were lucky enough to become a “wife” received the title “kadyn” - madam. The main “kadyn” became the one who managed to give birth to her first child. But even the most prolific “Kadyn” could not count on the honorary title of “Sultana”. Only the mother, sisters and daughters of the Sultan could be called sultanas.

Transport of wives, concubines, in short, a harem taxi fleet

Just below the “kadyn” on the hierarchical ladder of the harem stood the favorites - “ikbal”. These women received a salary, their own apartments and personal slaves.

The favorites were not only skilled lovers, but also, as a rule, subtle and smart politicians. In Turkish society, it was through “ikbal” that for a certain bribe it was possible to go directly to the Sultan himself, bypassing the bureaucratic obstacles of the state. Below “ikbal” were “konkubin”. These young ladies were somewhat less fortunate. Conditions of detention are worse, there are fewer privileges.

It was at the “concubin” stage that there was the toughest competition, in which daggers and poison were often used. Theoretically, the Concubins, like the Iqbals, had a chance to climb the hierarchical ladder by giving birth to a child.

But unlike the favorites close to the Sultan, they had very little chance of this wonderful event. Firstly, if there are up to a thousand concubines in the harem, then it is easier to wait for the weather by the sea than for the holy sacrament of mating with the Sultan.

Secondly, even if the Sultan descends, it is not at all a fact that the happy concubine will definitely become pregnant. And it’s certainly not a fact that they won’t arrange a miscarriage for her.

Old slaves watched over the concubines, and any noticed pregnancy was immediately terminated. In principle, it is quite logical - any woman in labor, one way or another, became a contender for the role of a legitimate “kadyn”, and her baby became a potential contender for the throne.

If, despite all the intrigues and machinations, the odalisque managed to maintain the pregnancy and did not allow the child to be killed during an “unsuccessful birth,” she automatically received her personal staff of slaves, eunuchs and an annual salary “basmalik.”

Girls were bought from their fathers at the age of 5-7 years and raised until they were 14-15 years old. They were taught music, cooking, sewing, court etiquette, and the art of giving pleasure to a man. When selling his daughter to a harem school, the father signed a paper stating that he had no rights to his daughter and agreed not to meet with her for the rest of his life. Once in the harem, the girls received a different name.

When choosing a concubine for the night, the Sultan sent her a gift (often a shawl or ring). After that, she was sent to the bathhouse, dressed in beautiful clothes and was sent to the door of the Sultan's bedroom, where she waited until the Sultan went to bed. Entering the bedroom, she crawled on her knees to the bed and kissed the carpet. In the morning, the Sultan sent the concubine rich gifts if he liked the night spent with her.

The Sultan could have favorites - guzde. Here is one of the most famous, Ukrainian Roxalana

Suleiman the Magnificent

Baths of Hurrem Sultan (Roksolany), wife of Suleiman the Magnificent, built in 1556 next to the Hagia Sophia Cathedral in Istanbul. Architect Mimar Sinan.

Mausoleum of Roxalana

Valide with a black eunuch

Reconstruction of one of the rooms of the Valide Sultan apartment in Topkapi Palace. Melike Safiye Sultan (possibly born Sophia Baffo) was a concubine of the Ottoman Sultan Murad III and the mother of Mehmed III. During Mehmed's reign, she bore the title Valide Sultan (mother of the Sultan) and was one of the most important figures in the Ottoman Empire.

Only the Sultan's mother, Valide, was considered equal to her. Valide Sultan, regardless of her origin, could be very influential (most famous example- Nurban).

Ayşe Hafsa Sultan is the wife of Sultan Selim I and the mother of Sultan Suleiman I.

Hospice Ayşe Sultan

Kösem Sultan, also known as Mahpeyker, was the wife of the Ottoman Sultan Ahmed I (who bore the title Haseki) and the mother of Sultans Murad IV and Ibrahim I. During the reign of her sons, she bore the title Valide Sultan and was one of the most important figures in the Ottoman Empire.

Valide apartments in the palace

Bathroom Valide

Valide's bedroom

After 9 years, the concubine, who had never been elected by the Sultan, had the right to leave the harem. In this case, the Sultan found her a husband and gave her a dowry, she received a document stating that she was a free person.

However, the lowest layer of the harem also had its own hope for happiness. For example, only they had a chance for at least some kind of personal life. After several years of impeccable service and adoration in their eyes, a husband was found for them, or, having allocated funds for a comfortable life, they were released on all four sides.

Moreover, among the odalisques - outsiders of the harem society - there were also aristocrats. A slave could turn into a “gezde” - awarded a glance, if the Sultan somehow - with a look, gesture or word - singled her out from the general crowd. Thousands of women lived their whole lives in a harem, but they didn’t even see the Sultan naked, but they didn’t even wait for the honor of being “honored with a glance”

If the Sultan died, all the concubines were sorted by the gender of the children they had managed to give birth to. The girls’ mothers could easily get married, but the mothers of the “princes” settled in the “Old Palace”, from where they could leave only after the accession of the new Sultan. And at this moment the fun began. The brothers poisoned each other with enviable regularity and persistence. Their mothers also actively added poison to the food of their potential rivals and their sons.

In addition to the old, trusted slaves, the concubines were watched over by eunuchs. Translated from Greek, “eunuch” means “guardian of the bed.” They ended up in the harem exclusively in the form of guards, so to speak, to maintain order. There were two types of eunuchs. Some were castrated back in early childhood and they completely lacked secondary sexual characteristics - they did not grow a beard, had a high, boyish voice and a complete lack of perception of a woman as a member of the opposite sex. Others were castrated at a later age.

Partial eunuchs (that’s what those castrated not in childhood, but in adolescence were called) looked very much like men, had the most low masculine basque, sparse facial hair, broad muscular shoulders, and, oddly enough, sexual desire.

Of course, satisfy your needs naturally, the eunuchs could not due to the lack of the necessary equipment for this. But how do you know when we're talking about about sex or drinking, the flight of human imagination is simply limitless. And the odalisques, who lived for years with an obsessive dream of waiting for the Sultan’s gaze, were not particularly picky. Well, if there are 300-500 concubines in the harem, at least half of them are younger and more beautiful than you, what's the point of waiting for the prince? And in the absence of fish, even a eunuch is a man.

In addition to the fact that the eunuchs monitored order in the harem and at the same time (in secret from the Sultan, of course) consoled themselves and women yearning for male attention in every possible and impossible way, their duties also included the functions of executioners. They strangled those guilty of disobedience to the concubines with a silk cord or drowned the unfortunate woman in the Bosphorus.

Selim

Kutuzov received reciprocal gifts from the Sultan’s mother and a favorable reception from Selim III himself. Russian Ambassador strengthened Russia's influence in Turkey and persuaded it to join an alliance against revolutionary France.

Since the 19th century, after the abolition of slavery in the Ottoman Empire, all concubines began to enter the harem voluntarily and with the consent of their parents, hoping to achieve material well-being and a career. The harem of the Ottoman sultans was liquidated in 1908.

The harem, like the Topkapi Palace itself, is a real labyrinth, rooms, corridors, courtyards are all randomly scattered. This confusion can be divided into three parts: The premises of the black eunuchs The actual harem, where the wives and concubines lived The premises of the Valide Sultan and the padishah himself Our tour of the Harem of the Topkapi Palace was very brief.

The premises are dark and deserted, there is no furniture, there are bars on the windows. Cramped and narrow corridors. This is where the eunuchs lived, vindictive and vindictive because of psychological and physical injury... And they lived in the same ugly rooms, tiny, like closets, sometimes without windows at all. The impression is brightened only by the magical beauty and antiquity of the Iznik tiles, as if emitting a pale glow. We passed the stone courtyard of the concubines and looked at Valide's apartments.

It’s also cramped, all the beauty is in the green, turquoise, blue earthenware tiles. I ran my hand over them, touched the flower garlands on them - tulips, carnations, but the peacock’s tail... It was cold, and thoughts were spinning in my head that the rooms were poorly heated and the inhabitants of the harem probably often suffered from tuberculosis.

Moreover, this lack of direct sunlight... The imagination stubbornly refused to work. Instead of the splendor of the Seraglio, luxurious fountains, fragrant flowers, I saw closed spaces, cold walls, empty rooms, dark passages, strange niches in the walls, strange fantasy world. The sense of direction and connection to the outside world was lost. I was stubbornly overcome by an aura of hopelessness and melancholy. Even the balconies and terraces in some rooms overlooking the sea and the fortress walls were not pleasing.

And finally, the reaction of official Istanbul to the sensational series “The Golden Age”

Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan believes that the television series about the court of Suleiman the Magnificent insults the greatness of the Ottoman Empire. However, historical chronicles confirm that the palace really fell into complete decline.

All sorts of rumors often circulate around forbidden places. Moreover, the more secrecy they are shrouded in, the more fantastic assumptions mere mortals make about what is going on behind closed doors. This applies equally to the secret archives of the Vatican and the CIA caches. The harems of Muslim rulers are no exception.

So it is not surprising that one of them became the setting for a “soap opera” that became popular in many countries. The Magnificent Century series takes place in the 16th-century Ottoman Empire, which at that time stretched from Algeria to Sudan and from Belgrade to Iran. At its head was Suleiman the Magnificent, who ruled from 1520 to 1566, and in whose bedroom there was room for hundreds of barely dressed beauties. It is not surprising that 150 million television viewers in 22 countries were interested in this story.

Erdogan, in turn, focuses primarily on the glory and power of the Ottoman Empire, which reached its peak during the reign of Suleiman. Invented harem stories from that time, in his opinion, understate the greatness of the Sultan and thus the entire Turkish state.

But what does distortion of history mean in this case? Three Western historians spent a lot of time studying works on the history of the Ottoman Empire. The last of them was the Romanian researcher Nicolae Iorga (1871-1940), whose “History of the Ottoman Empire” also included previously published studies by the Austrian orientalist Joseph von Hammer-Purgstall and the German historian Johann Wilhelm Zinkeisen (Johann Wilhelm Zinkeisen).

Iorga devoted a lot of time to studying the events at the Ottoman court during the time of Suleiman and his heirs, for example, Selim II, who inherited the throne after the death of his father in 1566. “More like a monster than a man,” he spent most of his life drinking, which, by the way, was prohibited by the Koran, and his red face once again confirmed his addiction to alcohol.

The day had barely begun, and he, as a rule, was already drunk. To solving issues of national importance, he usually preferred entertainment, for which dwarfs, jesters, magicians or wrestlers were responsible, in which he occasionally shot with a bow. But if Selim’s endless feasts took place, apparently, without the participation of women, then under his heir Murad III, who ruled from 1574 to 1595 and lived for 20 years under Suleiman, everything was different.

“Women play an important role in this country,” wrote one French diplomat who had some experience in this sense in his homeland. “Since Murad spent all his time in the palace, his environment had a great influence on his weak spirit,” wrote Iorga. “With women, the Sultan was always obedient and weak-willed.”

Most of all, Murad’s mother and first wife took advantage of this, who were always accompanied by “many court ladies, intriguers and intermediaries,” wrote Iorga. “On the street they were followed by a cavalcade of 20 carts and a crowd of Janissaries. Being a very insightful person, she often influenced appointments at court. Because of her extravagance, Murad tried several times to send her to the old palace, but she remained a real mistress until her death.”

Ottoman princesses lived in “typical oriental luxury.” European diplomats tried to win their favor with exquisite gifts, because one note from the hands of one of them was enough to appoint one or another pasha. The careers of the young gentlemen who married them depended entirely on them. And those who dared to reject them lived in danger. Pasha “could easily have been strangled if he did not dare to take this dangerous step - to marry an Ottoman princess.”

While Murad was having fun in the company of beautiful slaves, “all the other people admitted to governing the empire made personal enrichment their goal - no matter by honest or dishonest means,” wrote Iorga. It is no coincidence that one of the chapters of his book is called “Causes of Collapse.” When you read it, you get the feeling that this is a script for a television series, such as, for example, “Rome” or “Boardwalk Empire.”

However, behind the endless orgies and intrigues in the palace and in the harem, important changes in life at court were hidden. Before Suleiman's accession to the throne, it was customary for the Sultan's sons, accompanied by their mother, to go to the provinces and remain aloof from the struggle for power. The prince who inherited the throne then, as a rule, killed all his brothers, which in some ways was not bad, because this way it was possible to avoid a bloody struggle over the Sultan’s inheritance.

Everything changed under Suleiman. After he not only had children with his concubine Roxolana, but also freed her from slavery and appointed her as his main wife, the princes remained in the palace in Istanbul. The first concubine who managed to rise to the position of the Sultan's wife did not know what shame and conscience are, and she shamelessly promoted her children through career ladder. Numerous foreign diplomats wrote about the intrigues at court. Later, historians relied on their letters in their research.

The fact that Suleiman’s heirs abandoned the tradition of sending wives and princes further to the province also played a role. Therefore, the latter constantly interfered in political issues. “In addition to their participation in palace intrigues, their connections with the Janissaries stationed in the capital are worthy of mention,” wrote historian Surayya Farocki from Munich.

From Wikipedia: Harem, more precisely harem (from Arabic حرم‎‎, haram - forbidden, sacred place) or seraglio (Italian seraglio - “fenced place, menagerie”) - a closed and guarded residential part of a palace or house in which Muslim wives lived. Visiting the harem is allowed only to the owner and his close relatives. Women in the harem were called khuram. The harem as a phenomenon developed and finally took shape during the reign of the Abbasid caliphs and became a model for subsequent harems of Islamic rulers. Under the first Abbasid caliphs, the women of the ruling family had their own households, and even palaces - similar to those in which their male relatives lived. By the beginning of the 10th century, women became more confined to the huge royal palace complex, and the harem became a separate, isolated structure. For example, Masudi, writing in the middle of the 10th century, claims that Yahya Barmakid, who oversaw the khuram of Harun al-Rashid, locked its gates at night and took the keys home with him. Gradually the caliph's harem acquired its own fantastic image a separate world, a closed environment of luxury and sexual excitement with a hint of cruelty and danger. There are several indications of the number of women who lived with their servants in the harem. Harun al-Rashid had more than two thousand singers and maids in his khuram. Twenty-four concubines lived here and bore his children.

So, a walk through the harem of the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire - a place that influenced the Sultan’s decisions in all areas of politics.

The Sultan's harem is located in Istanbul's Topkapı Palace. The mother (valide sultan), sisters, daughters and heirs (shahzade) of the sultan, his wives (kadyn efendiler), favorites and concubines (odalisques, slaves - jariye) lived here. About 700 women lived in the harem. The inhabitants of the harem were served by black eunuchs (karagalar), commanded by darussaade agasy.

Kapi-agasy, the head of the white eunuchs (akagalar), was responsible for both the harem and the inner chambers of the palace (enderun), where the sultan lived. Until 1587, the kapi-agases had power inside the palace comparable to the power of the vizier outside it, then the heads of the black eunuchs became more influential.

The harem itself was actually controlled by the Valide Sultan. The next in rank were the Sultan's unmarried sisters, then his wives.

The income of the women of the Sultan's family was made up of funds called bashmaklyk (“per shoe”).

There were few slaves in the Sultan's harem; usually the concubines were girls who were sold by their parents to the harem school and underwent special training there. Girls were bought from their fathers at the age of 5-7 years and raised until they were 14-15 years old.
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They were taught music, cooking, sewing, court etiquette, and the art of giving pleasure to a man. When selling his daughter to a harem school, the father signed a paper stating that he had no rights to his daughter and agreed not to meet with her for the rest of his life. Once in the harem, the girls received a different name.
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When choosing a concubine for the night, the Sultan sent her a gift (often a shawl or a ring). After that, she was sent to the bathhouse, dressed in beautiful clothes and sent to the door of the Sultan's bedroom, where she waited until the Sultan went to bed. Entering the bedroom, she crawled on her knees to the bed and kissed the carpet. In the morning, the Sultan sent the concubine rich gifts if he liked the night spent with her.

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13. Fireplace

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15. Someone hid in the fireplace and is watching the room
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The Sultan could have four favorites - güzde. If a concubine became pregnant, then she was transferred to the category of happy ones - iqbal. After the birth of the child, she received the status of the Sultan's wife. She was entitled to a separate room and a daily menu of 15 dishes, as well as many slave maids.

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The Sultan could give only one of his wives the title of Sultana, whose son could inherit the throne. All concubines and slaves of the harem, as well as other wives, were required to kiss the hem of the sultana's dress. Only the Sultan's mother, Valide, was considered equal to her. The sultana, regardless of her origin, could be very influential (the most famous example is Roksolana).

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The influence of the inhabitants of the harem on the sultans was used by envoys of foreign states. Thus, the Russian Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire M.I. Kutuzov, having arrived in Istanbul in September 1793, sent Valide Sultan Mihrishah gifts, and “the Sultan received this attention to his mother with sensitivity.” Kutuzov received reciprocal gifts from the Sultan’s mother and a favorable reception from Selim III himself. The Russian ambassador strengthened Russia's influence in Turkey and persuaded it to join an alliance against revolutionary France.
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The most interesting part of the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul is the Harem, through which, in fact, we walk. And the point is not so much in its attractive forbiddenness and the many book and film plots, the action of which takes place in oriental harems.
It's about 7 thousand square meters intrigue, passion and forgotten stories, but now the most interesting thing about it is the walls and ceilings...

2. Much attention has been paid to the availability of water taps in the palace. And in the city they can often be found in the wall of a house, not to mention in close proximity to mosques. Painted niches served as shelves and cabinets.

3. The walls in most accessible rooms are covered with ceramics with amazing paintings.

Until the 16th century, the harem was located in an old palace located at a distance from Topkapi, the main function of which was official - to rule, communicate with ambassadors and delegations, exclusively state officialdom.
And only Roksolana, a Ukrainian (and according to other sources Russian) concubine, and later the wife of Sultan Suleiman I, insisted on moving the harem to Topkapi in order to be closer to her husband.
This was justified as “to live for some time with slaves next to the Sultan.” I would like to be happy for such love, but I suspect it was a matter of reluctance to lose power and influence on the court and the Sultan.

Since the premises of the harem were completed, added and rebuilt, it does not have uniform style or appearance. More than 400 rooms, built in different centuries, differ in style and content.

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11. It may well be that this amount of tile also served a purely utilitarian, hygienic function - it cooled, it was easier to clean, the design lasted longer - I don’t know that either.
I know one thing - you freeze at such drawings and cannot take your eyes off, you want to look at them!

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14. Room of the Valide Sultan. Mother of the Sultan. Here it is worth briefly talking about the hierarchy that reigned in the harem. The subordination there was paramilitary. The notorious odalisques - odalyk - were just servants who could not even dream of sharing a bed with the ruler.
The luckier girls became iqbal. The Iqbal, whom the Sultan liked, and who was summoned to the master for the second time, exposed herself to terrible danger: she was jealously watched by the Haseks - the wives of the Sultan, who bore him a son.

Each Haseki, in turn, fought to ensure that her son ascended the throne. Everything was used: from denunciation to daggers and poison. The losers ended up in a leather bag at the bottom of the Bosphorus. The lucky Haseki, whose son became a sultan, moved to the rank of valide-sultan - “mother of the Sultan” - and turned into the main woman of the entire harem and not only: late XVI centuries, for example, the powerful Valides actually ruled the empire instead of their worthless sons - drunkards or madmen.

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That is, the main thing in the harem was not the beloved concubine and not even the notorious “beloved wife.” And the one who was lucky enough to be the mother of the current Sultan. In some harems, the Sultan passed through his mother’s chambers to his wives’ chambers!? Having read a lot about the structure of Topkapi, I suspect that it is possible that the sultan also visited the ladies of his heart through his mother. This is total maternal control :)

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17. The Twin Kiosk. I don’t know the original Russian name, I saw the word for word “Pavilion of Twins”, and I’m content with that. Simply put - the chambers of the crown prince.
The heirs to the throne and other princes lived in the harem until they came of age, after which they became governors and viceroys (with the exception of the main heir, if he managed to survive to the throne, despite palace intrigues).

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24. The walls in the room were restored, but the ceiling paintings and paints remained original, from the late 16th - early 17th centuries.

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26. Girls for the harem were bought at slave markets, if there were such painted beauties worthy of the Sultan, but for many parents it was an honor to give their daughter as a concubine. Sometimes little girls ended up in the harem, grew up in it and eventually became concubines.

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32. Small courtyards were the center of life for simple concubines. The favorites, wives and mother of the Sultan had truly royal conditions. For example, a larger yard for walking:

33. Where the painted walls and windows of the prince’s chambers look out.

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We offer in text and audio several essays from the Russian broadcast of the Voice of Turkey radio about the history and morals of the most famous eastern harem in new history- the harem of the Ottoman sultans in Istanbul..

Let us recall that the harem was initially located in the Tiled Pavilion separately from the palace, and since the time of Sultan Suleiman, from the mid-16th century, it was moved directly to the Topkapi Palace (Topkapi) - the office and residence of the Sultan. (The transfer was achieved by the well-known Ukrainian Roksolana (Hurrem), who became the most influential concubine in the entire history of the harem of the Turkish sultans).

Later, when the Ottoman sultans abandoned Topkapi in favor of the new Istanbul palaces in European style- Dolmabahce and Yildiz, then the concubines followed them.

Harem - current state as part of a museum in the former Topkapi Palace of the Turkish Sultans in Istanbul.

The harem is a state-of-the-art part of a museum in the former Topkapi Palace of the Turkish Sultans in Istanbul. In the background is the Bosphorus Strait, in the foreground is the wall of the courtyard of the former harem.

A shot from the Turkish national broadcaster TRT.

Before moving on to the text of the Turkish source, a few important notes.

When you read this review of harem life, broadcast by the Voice of Turkey, you notice some contradictions.

At times the review emphasizes the almost prison-like severity in which the people of the harem who surrounded the Sultan lived, and at times, on the contrary, it speaks of rather liberal morals. This discrepancy is due to the fact that during the almost 500-year existence of the Sultan's court in Istanbul, morals at the Ottoman court changed, usually in the direction of softening. This applied to the lives of simple concubines and princes - brothers of the sultans.

In the 15th century, during the period of the Turkish conquest of Constantinople (Istanbul) and some time later, the brothers of the sultans usually ended their lives from a noose thrown by eunuchs on the orders of the successful brother who became the sultan. (A silk noose was used because blood was shed royalty was considered reprehensible).

For example, Sultan Mehmed III, after his accession to the throne, ordered the strangulation of 19 of his brothers, becoming the record holder for the number.

In general, this custom, which was in use before, was officially sanctioned by the conqueror of Constantinople, Sultan Mehmed II Fatih (Conqueror) in order to protect the empire from civil strife. Mehmed II pointed out: “For the sake of the well-being of the state, one of my sons, to whom God grants the sultanate, can sentence his brothers to death. This right has the approval of the majority of lawyers."

Later, a number of sultans began to save the lives of their brothers by locking them in the so-called. "golden cage"- isolated chambers in the Sultan's Topkapi Palace, next to the harem. By the 19th century, morals had liberalized even further, and the "cage" was gradually abolished.

Liberalization, as already mentioned, also affected the concubines of the harem. Concubines were originally slaves, sometimes brought to the palace directly from the slave market, sometimes presented to the Sultan - powerless, at the mercy of the ruler. If they did not give birth to heirs to the Sultan, then they were either resold, or after the death of the ruler they were sent to the so-called. the old harem (outside the main Topkapi Palace) where they lived out their days in oblivion.

So, with the liberalization of morals, these concubines in the late period of the Ottoman Empire turned into free women who entered the harem with the consent of their parents in order to make a career. Concubines could no longer be resold; they could leave the harem, get married, receive a mansion and monetary reward from the Sultan.

And, of course, the cases of antiquity were forgotten when concubines were simply thrown out of the palace in a sack into the Bosphorus for transgressions.

Speaking about the “career of concubines,” let us recall that the Istanbul sultans (with the exception of Sultan Suleiman, who married Roksolana) never married; the concubines were their family. But about all this in the material from the original source (listen also to audio file below).

audio file No. 1

“Girls with and without burqas,” or where researchers get information about the harem of Turkish sultans

“From the 15th century, European stories about the Ottoman palace began to appear. True, harem for a long time remained a forbidden place where Europeans could not penetrate. The concubines and children of the Sultan lived in the harem. The harem in the Sultan's palace was called "darussade", which translated from Arabic means "gate of happiness". (The Arabic word “harem” means “forbidden.” Approx. website).

The inhabitants of the harem had extremely limited connections with the outside world. They all spent their lives within four walls. By the way, due to the fact that the Sultan’s concubines did not leave the palace until early XIX century, i.e. Before the accession of Mahmud II to the throne, concubines did not cover their heads with a burqa. They began to cover their heads in the Muslim manner from this period, when they were allowed to leave the palace and participate in picnics. Over time, concubines even began to be taken outside of Istanbul to the Sultan’s palace in Edirne. Of course, the women completely covered their faces so that no one could see them.

The eunuchs who served in the harem took very strict measures to prevent outsiders from entering this holy of holies of the Sultan's palace. For the time being, it was the eunuchs who were the people who could tell at least something about the harem. However, the eunuchs did not do this and took their secrets to the grave. Special precautions were also taken when recording what was connected with the economic life of the harem. For example, the names of concubines were almost never mentioned in these documents. Only when the Sultan’s decree was promulgated during the creation of one or another charitable foundation could the names of the concubines be mentioned, whom the Sultan appointed, so to speak, “chairmen of the board of these funds.”

So there were very few documents that shed light on life in the Sultan’s harem. Only after the deposition of Sultan Abdul Hamid II in 1908 did strangers begin to be allowed into the harem. However, their notes were not enough to completely lift the veil from the secrets concerning the harem. As for the notes written before 1909, they can hardly be considered anything reliable, because the authors of the notes were forced to be content only with rumors, often quite incredible. Naturally, there were no images of the concubines left. Historians have only notes from the wives of Western ambassadors, and the authenticity of the images of the Sultan’s concubines in the museum of the Sultan’s Topkapi Palace is very doubtful.

For the time being, the Sultan's palace, surrounded high walls, was carefully guarded. In yet to a greater extent a harem was guarded. It was almost impossible to get here. The harem was guarded by eunuchs. The guards could not look into the faces of the concubines if they had to conduct a conversation with them. Actually, the courtiers, no matter how much they wanted, could not do this, because these conversations were conducted only from behind the curtain. (But the concubines of nobles at various festive ceremonies and weddings appeared before the Sultan with their heads uncovered). Moreover, even eunuchs, when entering the harem premises, had to announce their arrival with a loud exclamation of “destur!” . (Literally, the exclamation means “road!” Note site). Secret entry into the palace, not to mention the harem, was impossible. This despite the fact that the territory of the palace was quite extensive. To you it may seem that the Sultan's harem was a kind of prison. However, this was not entirely true.

Concubines of the Sultan's harem: from slave to free status

When we mention a harem, concubines, who were essentially slaves, come to mind. The institution of slavery appeared, as we know, at the dawn of mankind. The Arabs were also involved in the slave trade. Incl. and in the pre-Islamic period. Prophet Muhammad did not abolish this institution. However, during the Islamic period, slaves, who were mainly captives, could gain freedom in a variety of ways. During the Abbasid period, Baghdad was home to the largest slave market in the East. Moreover, the Abbasid caliphs levied tribute from some regions not in money, but in slaves And. (The Abbasids are the second dynasty of Arab caliphs. The ancestors of the Ottomans, the Seljuks, served with them. After the Abbasid caliphs, it was the Ottoman sultans who became the caliphs of the faithful, so the Ottomans were accustomed to looking back at the traditions of the Abbasid court. Note site).

In accordance with Islamic law, the owner of a slave could use him as a thing with all the ensuing consequences. True, the Prophet Muhammad said that slaves should be given food and clothing from what is available in the house, and not subject slaves to torture. This is why Muslims treated slaves well. (So in the text of “Voices of Turkey” Note website). In addition, the release of a slave was considered a great benefit. The Prophet Muhammad said that a Muslim who frees a slave will be freed from the nightmares of hell. That is why the Ottoman sultans gave dowries, even mansions, to their concubines. Concubines who were released were also given money, real estate and various expensive gifts.

The most beautiful slaves in Ottoman times were assigned to harems. First of all, in the Sultan's. And the rest were sold in slave markets. There was a custom of presenting concubines to the Sultan by viziers, other nobles, and the Sultan’s sisters.

The girls were recruited from among slaves who came from different countries. In the 19th century, the slave trade was prohibited in the Ottoman Empire. However, after this, representatives of various Caucasian peoples themselves began to give girls to the Sultan's harem.

The number of concubines in the Sultan's harem began to increase from the 15th century, from the reign of Sultan Mehmed II the Conqueror.

Based on the above, concubines of foreign origin became the mothers of the sultans. It was the Sultan's mother who ruled the harem and controlled harem life. Concubines who bore sons to the Sultan achieved an elite position. Naturally, most of the concubines turned into ordinary maids.

Few became the favorites of the sultans, the concubines with whom the sultans met constantly. The sultans knew nothing about the fate of the others.

Over time, three groups of concubines formed in the Sultan's harems:

The first group included women who were no longer young by the standards of those times;

The other two groups included young concubines. They were trained in a harem. At the same time, the smartest and most intelligent people were taken into training. beautiful girls who were taught literacy and rules of behavior in the Sultan's palace. It was understood that girls from this group could eventually become the mothers of future sultans. Girls selected for the second group, among other things, were taught the art of flirting. This was due to the fact that concubines, after a certain period of time, could be taken out of the harem and sold again;

And the third group included the most expensive and most beautiful concubines - odalisques. The girls from this group served not only sultans, but also princes. (The word “odalık” - (“odalisque”) is translated from Turkish quite trivially - “maid”. Note site).

Concubines entering the palace were first given a new name. Most of these names were of Persian origin. Names were given to girls based on their character, appearance, and characteristics. As an example of the names of concubines we can cite: Majamal (moon-faced), Nergidezada (a girl who looks like a daffodil), Nerginelek (an angel), Cheshmira (a girl with beautiful eyes), Nazlujamal (flirty). In order for everyone in the harem to know these names, the girl’s name was embroidered on her turban. Naturally, the concubines were taught Turkish. There was a hierarchy among the concubines, which also depended on the length of their stay in the harem.

About “devshirma” and sultans - eternal bachelors

One of the features of the Ottoman Empire is the uninterrupted power of the same dynasty. The Beylik, created by Osman Bey in the 12th century, then grew into an empire that lasted until the 20th century. And all this time, the Ottoman state was ruled by representatives of the same dynasty.

Before the transformation of the Ottoman state into an empire, its rulers married the daughters of other Turkmen beys or Christian nobles and rulers. At first, such marriages took place with Christian women, and then with Muslim women.

So until the 15th century, the sultans had both legal wives and concubines. However, with the growing power of the Ottoman state, the sultans no longer saw the need to marry foreign princesses. Since then, the Ottoman family began to be continued by the children of slave concubines.

During the Abbasid Caliphate, a court guard was created from slaves, which was much more loyal to the ruler than representatives of other local clans. During the Ottoman period this approach was expanded and deepened. Christian boys were converted to Islam, after which the young converts served only the Sultan. This system was called “devshirme”. (According to the “devşirme” system (lit. “devşirme” is translated as “collection”, but not “tax in blood” - as is often translated into Russian), recruits were recruited into the “Janissary” regiments, but only the most talented boys were sent to study at the Sultan’s palace for preparation for military or civil service, the rest were sent to Turkish families in the regions around Istanbul until they reached adulthood. Then these young people, already Turkish and converted to Islam, were assigned to the civil service of the Sultan or the army. This system began to operate in the 14th century. Over the next hundred years, this system strengthened and expanded so much that Christian youths converted to Islam occupied all places in the state and military hierarchy of the Ottoman Empire. And so it continued.

The most gifted converts were raised at the Sultan's court. This system of civil palace education was called "enderun". Despite the fact that these people were officially considered slaves of the Sultan, their position differed from the position of slaves, so to speak, of the “classical type”. In the same way, concubines recruited from Christian women enjoyed a special status. Their education system was similar to the “devshirme” system.

It is noteworthy that the recent strengthening of the influence of foreigners converted to Islam led to the fact that in the 15th century, devshirme men began to occupy not only all military, but also all the most important government positions, and devshirme girls from ordinary concubines began to turn into persons whose role in palace and state affairs increased more and more.

One version of the reasons why the Ottoman sultans switched to living with only concubines in Europe was said to be a reluctance to repeat the bitter and shameful fate of Sultan Bayazid I. However, this version was far from the truth. In 1402, a battle took place near Ankara in which the Ottoman troops were defeated by the troops of Timur. Sultan Bayazid was captured, and Bayazid’s wife, the Serbian princess Maria, whom Timur turned into his slave, was also captured by Timur. As a result, Bayezid committed suicide. (The victory of Timur, also known as Tamerlane, slowed the expansion of the Ottoman Empire and delayed the fall of Constantinople and Byzantium by several generations (more than 100 years). Note site).

This story was first described by the famous English playwright Christopher Marlowe in his play “The Great Timurleng” written in 1592. However, what is the truth in the fact that it was this story that forced the Ottoman sultans to stop taking wives, completely switching to concubines? English professor Leslie Pierce believes that the abandonment of official dynastic marriages was associated with a clear decline in their political importance for the Ottoman sultans in the 15th century. In addition, the traditional harem tradition for Muslims has taken its toll. After all, the Abbasid caliphs (with the exception of the first) were also children of harem concubines.

At the same time, as evidenced by the story told by the daughter of Sultan Abdul Hamid II, who ruled in the last third of the 19th century (until 1908), by the end of the 19th century monogamy had become widespread in Istanbul. Abdul Hamid II had one favorite concubine, who was distinguished by her coldness of feelings. In the end, the Sultan realized that he could not see the love of his concubine, and gave her as a wife to a clergyman, giving her a mansion. True, during the first 5 days after the wedding, the Sultan kept the husband of his former concubine in the palace, without letting him go home.

XIX century. More freedom for the concubines of the Sultan's harem

The status of a concubine in the harem depended on the degree of closeness to the Sultan. If a concubine, and even more so the Sultan’s most beloved concubines, odalisques, managed to give birth to a son to the Sultan, then the status of the lucky woman immediately rose to the level of the Sultan’s woman.

And if the concubine’s son in the future also became a sultan, then this woman took control of the harem, and sometimes the entire palace, into her own hands.

Concubines who did not manage to fall into the category of odalisques were eventually married off, provided with a dowry. The husbands of the Sultan's concubines were, for the most part, high-ranking nobles or their sons. Thus, the Ottoman ruler Abdul Hamil I, who ruled in the 18th century, offered one of his concubines, who had been close to the Sultan since childhood, as a wife to the son of his first vizier.

Concubines who did not become odalisques, but at the same time worked in the harem as maids and teachers of younger concubines, could leave the harem after 9 years. However, it often happened that concubines simply did not want to leave their familiar walls and find themselves in unfamiliar conditions. On the other hand, concubines who wanted to leave the harem and get married before the expiration of the required nine years could make a corresponding application to their master, i.e. the Sultan.

Basically, such requests were granted, and these concubines were also provided with a dowry and a house outside the palace. Concubines who left the palace were given a diamond set, gold watches, fabrics, and everything they needed to furnish their home. These concubines were also paid a regular allowance. These women were respected in society and were called palace women.

From the palace archives we learn that pensions were sometimes paid to the children of former concubines. In general, the sultans did everything to ensure that their former concubines did not experience financial difficulties.

Until the 19th century, concubines handed over to the crown princes were prohibited from giving birth. The first to allow the concubine to give birth was Crown Prince Abdul Hamid, who became Sultan Abdul Hamid I after his accession to the throne. However, due to the fact that the concubine gave birth to a daughter, the latter was raised outside the palace before Abdul Hamid's accession to the throne. So the girl was able to return to the palace with the rank of princess.

The palace archives preserve many documents telling about the romances between the crown princes and the Sultan's concubines. So, when the future Murat V was 13-14 years old, he was in the palace carpenter's room, at that moment a concubine entered here. The boy was terribly confused, but the concubine said that he had nothing to be ashamed of and that he had 5-10 minutes at his disposal, which he should use for the proper purposes.

It happened that concubines even had affairs with eunuchs. Despite all the problematic nature of these novels. Moreover, it happened that eunuchs killed each other out of jealousy.

In the later stages of the existence of the Ottoman Empire, romances occurred between concubines and musicians, educators, and painters who came into the harem. Most often, such love stories took place between concubines and music teachers. Sometimes the senior concubine-educators turned a blind eye to the novels, sometimes not. So it is not at all by chance that in the 19th century several concubines were married to famous musicians.

There are also records in the archives concerning love stories between concubines and young men converted to Islam, and after this assigned to the palace for education and training.

Similar stories also happened between concubines and foreigners who, for one reason or another, were invited to work in the palace. So in late XIX centuries a tragic story took place. One Italian artist was invited to paint part of the Sultan's Yildiz Palace. The artist was watched by his concubines. (The Yildiz (“Star”) Palace, built in the European style, was the second sultan’s residence built according to European models - after the Dolmabahce Palace. Yildiz and Dolmabahce were strikingly different from the ancient residence of the sultans - the Topkapi Palace, built in the oriental style. Topkapi was the last to be abandoned Ottoman sultans, who moved first to Dolmabahce and then to Yildiz site).

After some time, arose between one of the concubines and the artist love affair. The teacher, who learned about this, declared the sinfulness of a Muslim woman’s relationship with an infidel. After this, the unfortunate concubine committed suicide by throwing herself into the oven.

Many similar things happened in the lives of concubines. tragic stories. However, it happened that such stories did not end tragically and the adulterous concubines were simply expelled from the palace.

Concubines who committed one or another serious offense were also expelled. However, in any case, the concubines were not abandoned to their fate. This happened, for example, at the end of the 19th century. Once three concubines entertained Sultan Abdul Hamid II while he was working in a carpentry workshop (all sultans had different hobbies). One fine day, one concubine became jealous of another of the Sultan and set fire to the workshop. The fire was extinguished. All three concubines refused to admit guilt, however, in the end, the palace guards managed to identify the culprit of the fire. The Sultan forgave the jealous woman, who nevertheless had to leave the palace. However, the girl was paid a salary from the palace treasury.

Roksolana-Hurrem - “Iron Lady” of the harem

Hurrem is one of the most famous Sultan's concubines, who at one time had a strong influence on Ottoman politics. Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska first became the beloved woman of the Sultan, and then the mother of his heir. We can say that Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska's career was magnificent.

In Ottoman times, there was a practice of sending crown princes to the provinces as governors in order for future sultans to gain skills in government. At the same time, their mothers also went with the crown princes to the district designated for them. Documents show that the princes had great respect for their mothers, and that the mothers received salaries that exceeded the salaries of the princes. Suleiman - the future Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent in the 16th century, when he was crown prince, was sent to govern in (the city of) Manissa.

At that time, one of his concubines, Makhidevran, who was either an Albanian or a Circassian, gave birth to his son. After the birth of her son, Makhidevran received the status of the main woman.

At the age of 26, Suleiman ascended the throne. After some time, a concubine from Western Ukraine, which was then part of Poland, entered the harem. This was the name of the concubine, cheerful beautiful girl, Roksolana. In the harem she was given the name Khurrem (Hurrem), which means “cheerful” in Persian.

In a very short time, Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska attracted the attention of the Sultan. Mahidevran, the mother of Crown Prince Mustafa, became jealous of Hurrem. The Venetian ambassador writes about the quarrel that occurred between Makhidevran and Khyurrem: “Makhidevran insulted Khyurrem and tore her face, hair and dress. After some time, Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska was invited to the Sultan's bedchamber. However, Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska said that she could not go to the ruler in this form. However, the Sultan called Hurrem and listened to her. Then he called Mahidevran, asking if Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska told him the truth. Mahidevran said that she was the main woman of the Sultan and that other concubines should obey her, and that she had not yet beaten the treacherous Hurrem. The Sultan was angry with Mahidevran and made Hurrem his favorite concubine.”

A year after joining the harem, Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska gave birth to a son. Following this, she gave birth to five children, including one girl. So the harem rule, according to which one concubine could give birth to only one son to the Sultan, did not apply to Hurrem. The Sultan was very much in love with Hurrem, so he refused to meet with other concubines.

One fine day, one governor sent the Sultan two beautiful Russian concubines as a gift. After the arrival of these concubines in the harem, Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska threw a tantrum. As a result, these Russian concubines were given to other harems. This is another example of how Suleiman the Magnificent violated traditions in the name of love for Hurrem.

When the eldest son Mustafa turned 18, he was sent as governor to Manissa. Makhidevran was sent along with him. As for Hurrem, she broke another tradition: she did not follow her sons to the places where they were appointed governors, although other concubines who bore sons to the Sultan still went with them. Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska was simply visiting her sons.

After Makhidevran was removed from the palace, Khyurrem became the main woman of the harem. Hurrem also became the first concubine in the Ottoman Empire, with whom the Sultan married. After the death of the Sultan's mother, Hamse Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska took full control of the harem. Over the next 25 years, she ruled the Sultan as she wanted, becoming the most powerful person in the palace.

Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska, like other concubines who had sons from the Sultan, did everything to ensure that her son (or rather one of them) became the heir to the throne. She managed to undermine the Sultan's trust in Crown Prince Mustafa, who was very popular among the people and who enjoyed great love janissary. Hurrem managed to convince the Sultan that Mustafa was going to overthrow him. Makhidevran constantly ensured that her son was not poisoned. She understood that conspiracies were being woven around, the goal of which was to eliminate Mustafa. However, she failed to prevent the execution of her son. After that, she began to live in (the city of) Bursa, living in poverty. Only the death of Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska saved her from poverty.

Suleiman the Magnificent, who led most of the campaigns, received information about the situation in the palace exclusively from Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska. Letters have been preserved that reflect the Sultan’s great love and longing for Hurrem. The latter became his main adviser.

Another victim of Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska was the chief vizier, Sadrazam Ibrahim Pasha, who was also once a slave. This was a man who had served the Sultan since Manissa and was married to the sister of Suleiman the Magnificent. Moreover, because of Khyurrem’s machinations, another loyal confidant of the Sultan, Kara-Ahmet Pasha, was killed. Hurrem was helped in her intrigues by her daughter Mihrimah and her husband, Croatian by birth, Rustem Pasha.

Hurrem died before Suleiman. She did not get to see her son ascend the throne. Hurrem entered Ottoman history as the most powerful concubine,” the station reported in its essays on the history of Turkey. (Suleiman’s son from Mahidevran, Mustafa, was strangled on the orders of Suleiman, because the Sultan was inspired that Mustafa was preparing treason. After the death of Roksolana, Years passed when Hürrem passed away, when the deceased Suleiman was succeeded by his son from Hürrem, Selim, who became famous for writing poetry, as well as drunkenness. In Ottoman history, he now appears under the nickname Selim the Drunkard. In total, Roksolana gave birth to five children to Suleiman, incl. four sons, but only Selim outlived his father. Roksolana's first son Mehmed (life 1521-1543) died at a young age, as did the youngest son Dzhangir (1533-1553); another son of Roksolana, Bayezid (1525-1562), was executed by order of his father after, during a feud with his brother, Prince Selim (who later became the Sultan), he fled to Iran, hostile to the Ottomans, but was then extradited back. Roksolana's tomb is located in the Suleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul.. Note website).

This series of essays was broadcast by the Turkish state foreign broadcasting Radio “Voice of Turkey” during the winter-spring of 2007, by its Russian edition. This publication contains a transcript of the texts of the essays dated 01/02/2007; 01/16/2007; 01/23/2007; 01/30/2007; 02/27/2007; The subtitles for the essays are arranged by Portalostranah.

Everyone probably saw the famous photo with an ugly, fat woman, supposedly the beloved wife of the Sultan, and many had the opinion that all the women there were like that, if this one was the beloved. And that's a lie. A harem is a variety of faces, bodies and images. However, see for yourself

This is the same photo that formed the opinion of many about harems. Now let's see if this is really so

These photos are circulating on the Internet with the caption “Harem”. In fact, these are photographs of male actors of the first state theater created by order of Shah Nasereddin (a great lover of European culture) at the Dar el-Funun Polytechnic School in 1890, who performed satirical plays only for the palace nobility.

The organizer of this theater was Mirza Ali Akbar Khan Naggashbashi, who is considered one of the founders of modern Iranian theater. Since women were prohibited from performing on stage, these roles were performed by men. The first women appeared on stage in Iran in 1917.

And here are real photos of women from the harems of the sultans different periods. Ottoman odalisque, 1890

There are few photographs, because, firstly, men were prohibited from entering harems, and, secondly, photography was just beginning its development, but some photographs, paintings and other evidence have been preserved that only the most beautiful were selected for harems representatives of different nations.

Women in a harem, 1912

Woman in a harem with a hookah, Türkiye, 1916

Women from the harem going for a walk. Photo from the Museum of Peru (Istanbul)

Concubine, 1875

Gwashemasha Kadin Effendi, wife of Sultan Abdul Hamid II

Her mother, Geverin Nedak Seteney, together with her sister, was kidnapped by Turkish slave traders around 1865 in Circassia, shortly before devastated by Russian troops, and sold into slavery in the harem of Sultan Abdul Aziz I. On the way to Istanbul, Geverin's sister, not wanting to be slave, threw herself overboard and drowned.

Circassian women were especially popular in harems for their beauty and grace.

Painting by the French orientalist artist Jean-Leon Gerome “Circassian woman under a veil”, painted by him during a trip to Istanbul in 1875-76. The painting supposedly depicts Nedak Setenei, the mother of Gwashemash.

Gulfem Hatun (Ottoman: گلفام خاتون, Turkish: Gülfem Hatun) - second concubine of the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman, mother of Shehzade Murad, Circassian

A very young Circassian woman in the Sultan’s harem

Khyurem Sultan, the same Roksolana (1502-1558) was his concubine-favorite, and then the main and legal wife of the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent

Princess Durru Shewar (1914 - 2006) Princess of Berar and Imperial Princess of the Ottoman Empire, wife of Azam Yah, eldest son of the seventh and last Nizam of Hyderabad

And look not at children and members of the royal family. What a beauty! Durrüşehvar Sultan, daughter of the last caliph Abdulmecid Efendi and grandson of the Ottoman Sultan Abdulaziz

Princess Begum Sahiba Nilufer Khanum Sultana Farhat

Nazime Sultan and Caliph Abdulmecid Sultan

Ayse Sultan (Osmanoglu) II. She is the daughter of Abdulhamit

Dürrüşehvar Sultan with his father and husband. 1931

Here's a photo of the real ones Turkish women(period 1850-1920). Not in a harem, however, but the Turks clearly had someone to choose from for a wife

Many commoners sold their beautiful daughters into the harem. Circassian women sang a lullaby to their little daughters with the following words: “You will become the wife of the Sultan, you will be strewn with diamonds...”. During the sale, the parents signed documents renouncing their rights to their daughter.

If a concubine purchased in this way was found to have physical defects, bad manners, or some other defect, her price dropped sharply, and her parents received less money than they expected.

They were educated in the harem

The harem was like Education Centre. Concubines were taught literacy, theology, dancing, playing the musical instruments, etiquette, eloquence and the ability to maintain a conversation. And among other disciplines there was the art of giving pleasure to a man (as you already understood, this discipline might never be needed).

The most beautiful slaves whom the Sultan could choose as his wife had to be especially carefully trained - the surviving letters of the Sultan's wives testify to their high education. Having received the status of a wife, they founded charitable institutions and even supervised the construction of mosques.

Sex with the Sultan was rare

Most concubines spent their entire lives in the harem, without even seeing their master in person. Despite the fact that the court flatterers extolled the sultan’s masculine strength to the skies (that’s what they were paid for), he was just an ordinary man, and he could not satisfy the countless regiments of his female charges even with a strong desire.

It also happened that the Sultan had no interest in the opposite sex at all. And then the entire harem vegetated in forced celibacy.

Life in the harem was strictly regulated

The harem had a strict hierarchy and strict discipline. The concubines received a salary daily. They were well cared for, but also severely punished for their misdeeds.

Judging by the list of positions, the harem was more like a bureaucratic institution: it included the heads of the harem protocol service, custodians of the key to the treasury and custodians of the great seal of the Sultan, responsible for the wine cellar. In the 18th century, there were 320 harem inmates in “household” positions, and only 15 slaves were officially listed as the Sultan’s favorites.

Sex on Fridays - only with my wife!

The bureaucracy has also spread to such informal aspects as sex. Of course, the Sultan could have fun with anyone and anytime (again, subject to a certain ceremony and bureaucratic formalities), but not on Friday. The sultans were obliged to spend the night from Friday to Saturday with only one of their wives. If the padishah neglected his duties for three Fridays in a row, the wife had the right to go to court.

Since the Sultan, by law, could have from four to eight wives, in order to avoid discrepancies, one of the concubines, like the floor attendant in Soviet hotels, kept an “account book”, where she carefully recorded all the visits of the padishah with their spouses.

You could leave the harem

The concubine, who was never chosen by the Sultan, after 9 years of service in the harem had the right to submit an application for resignation. at will and leave the harem. The Sultan gave her a dowry, a house, helped her find a husband and issued a document confirming her status as a free person.

Not everyone enjoyed this right, preferring a comfortable life in a harem to the difficulties of life in freedom. And some dissolute concubines, having gotten married, divorced their husbands after a while, explaining that they were used to getting more pleasure in the harem from black eunuchs.

The harem was the state apparatus

The harem was also an important, albeit informal, government body. It is known that sometimes the inhabitants of the harem had such a strong influence on the sultans that they even interfered in state affairs.

And the period from 1550 to 1656 is generally known as the “Women’s Sultanate” - at this time a whole series of women had a great influence on the state affairs of the Ottoman Empire. The period, however, was marked by a gradual decline of the state, but, of course, this was just a coincidence.

The Sultan set the beauty standards for the harem

For example, Sultan Ibrahim I (1640-1648) had a weakness for obese women. Slaves of outstanding size were sought throughout the empire and brought to the Sultan's harem, where they were forced to lead a sedentary lifestyle and overeat on sweets so that they would gain even more weight. The weight of the beauties of Ibrahim's harem varied between 114-220 kg. Ibrahim's favorite concubine Sheker Para ("Sugar") was an imposing lady weighing about 230 kg.

Text: Andrey Dubrovsky