Myths about the Sultan's harem. Exotic Mystery of the World
August 16, 2017How Roksolana-Hurrem and other inhabitants of the palace of Sultan Suleiman lived and what in the series does not correspond to historical reality
« Magnificent Century"is one of the most popular Turkish TV series. Exciting love story, luxurious scenery and costumes, the fate of an entire dynasty. The series is called historical, although many critics noted the distortion of facts. And yet the creators tried to recreate oriental flavor. Especially the life and everyday life of a harem.
The plot centers on the fate of a Ukrainian concubine Alexandra/Roksolany(or Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska). This is the story of the most influential and powerful woman of the Ottoman Empire. Being a simple concubine, she managed to achieve the love of the Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, the tenth sultan to rule the Ottoman Empire from the 1520s, becoming the chief wife and mother of the heir to the throne.
Intrigue, slander, lies, cunning, bribery, murder - Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska used everything in order to achieve her goal. Actually, the creators of “The Magnificent Century” did not exaggerate here. In those centuries, treachery reigned in harems.
Fact: According to historians, the ancestors of harems are the dynasty of Arab caliphs of the Abassids, who ruled in the Middle East from the mid-700s to the mid-2000s.XIIIcentury. The harem of the Ottoman Empire enjoyed the reputation of being the largest for five centuries.
Kingdom of Women
A harem or haram is a women’s monastery where outside men are not allowed to enter; it’s not for nothing that the word “haram” in Arabic means “forbidden.” During the Ottoman Empire, wives, young children, concubines, slaves, numerous Sultan relatives lived there, as well as eunuchs who served them and acted as guards. Harems lived own life, there was its own special etiquette and rules. Each of them had a strict hierarchy. The most influential and intelligent inhabitants of harems could also influence state policy.
Large harems numbered more than a thousand concubines and were symbols of the ruler’s power; the degree of respect accorded him depended largely on the “quality” and quantity of the harem. According to the Guinness Book of Records, the largest in area in the world was the Winter Harem of the Grand Seral of Topkapi in Istanbul, which consisted of 400 rooms. It was built back in 1589. At the beginning of the twentieth century, at the time of the overthrow of the Sultan Abdul Hamid II in 1909, the number of its inhabitants decreased significantly - from 1200 to 370 concubines.
Court agents paid huge sums for beauties at slave auctions. A non-beauty had no chance of getting there. Huge sums were spent on their maintenance - sometimes harems ruined the owners and emptied the treasury.
During the Ottoman Empire, after the death of the owner, the harem that had become unnecessary was moved to the old one and was far from being luxurious palace, since the new sultan was recruiting new odalisques. Over time, the inhabitants of the harem began to often be disbanded altogether. This, for example, usually happens today.
The main, and often the only, visitor to the harem was the husband, the owner of the house. The guardian of the Sultan's chambers, the vizier, as well as the eunuchs, were also allowed to enter. Some harems allowed “guests,” such as storytellers or musicians.
The life of the inhabitants of the “female kingdom” was not limited to the walls of the palace. Many harem beauties could visit relatives and go out into the city (accompanied, of course).
At the dawn of the empire, sultans married the daughters of rulers of other states, but over time, former slaves increasingly became wives. And in the history of the Ottoman Empire, the very first slave whom the Sultan officially took as his wife was Hurrem. The history of the “Magnificent Century” is built on this.
Truth and fiction
The story of Hürrem's appearance in Suleiman's harem is told truthfully. It was actually bought at the market by the Sultan's vizier Ibrahim Pasha(actor played the role in the film Okan Yalabik) as a gift to the Bishop. At that time the girl was 14 years old. All concubines intended for the harem were taught the Turkish language, music, dancing, poetry, and handicrafts. Women of other faiths, as happened with Roksolana, had to accept the Muslim faith. The science of love and sexual wisdom was taught by ladies with extensive experience - specially hired mentors or, for example, relatives of the Sultan.
Each woman in the harem had her own status, rights and responsibilities. Based on her status, the amount of her salary, the number of chambers and servants allocated to her, and the right to occupy a certain position were determined. And this hierarchy is also well reflected in the series.
During leisure hours, the concubines went to the hammam, read, danced, played music, and told fortunes. But it was impossible to cast a spell; they were punished for it. And this is also shown in the series. Many viewers remember the scenes where Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska visits the sorceress and fears that someone will find out about it.
Women who enjoyed special favor received expensive gifts; pampering the harem was one of the main duties of the spouse. Ottoman sultans sometimes gave entire palaces to their beloved concubines and showered them with jewelry - the latter was actively displayed by women. According to legend, Sultan Suleiman (played by the actor Halit Ergench) even did expensive jewelry with your own hands. After the first night, he gave Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska a ring with a drop-shaped emerald.
Facts that the filmmakers embellished
The image of the historical Hurrem differs from the one embodied by the Turkish actress Miryem Witherly. The memories of the Venetian ambassador of those times have been preserved. He writes that Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska was more pretty than beautiful. In “The Magnificent Century” Hurrem is simply a beauty. And it’s hard to call her modest. However, all those tricks and techniques that she used to win Suleiman’s favor and then achieve privileges for her sons are indeed recorded in history. Researchers confirm that after her appearance in the harem, Sultan Suleiman stopped “entering” other women.
Another romantic fiction of the creators of “The Magnificent Century” is connected with the story of Suleiman’s first wife. In reality Mahidevran Sultan(in the series she was played by the actress Nur Aysan) was not the wife of the Sultan. And after, in a fit of jealousy, she tried to poison Hurrem, she was forever expelled from the palace. In the series, the ruler forgave her, allowing her to return to the palace.
The creators of the series embellished and external image heroines. First of all, this concerns clothing, which the costume designers of the “Magnificent Century” noticeably modernized. Such low-cut dresses were definitely not worn during the Ottoman Empire. Outfits in those centuries were much simpler in style; the main richness of the costumes was the decoration, as well as expensive and textured fabrics with sparkles and gold threads. And, of course, decorations.
The creators of “The Magnificent Century” also took liberties with the heroines’ hairstyles. While in the series the beauties sported luxurious curls, the real inhabitants of the harems wore their hair in a neat hairstyle. Eastern beauties of the 16th century did not even dare to think about walking around with their hair down - most often they had to wear braids.
HaremsXXIcentury
The inhabitants of modern harems are most often free to do whatever they want with their hair. But as far as hierarchy and internal rules are concerned, the principles remain the same. And today harems are far from a relic of the past. According to statistics, more than 40% of women in Pakistan, Jordan, Yemen, Syria, Madagascar, Iran, Iraq and some African countries live in polygamous marriages.
The owner of one of the largest harems was the ex-president of Iraq Saddam Hussein- According to some sources, he had about five hundred concubines. And in the harem of one of the richest men of our time - the Sultan of Brunei - there are about seven hundred women. Very often in modern harems there are not oriental women, and European and American women. Thus, at one time, Miss USA 1992 was in the harem of the Sultan of Brunei. Shannon McKetick. And in 2000 after death former president Syria Hafez Al-Assad it turned out that among his 40 concubines there was not a single one arab girl– as the European press wrote, among them there were Germans, Swedes, and French women.
Each woman in the harem of the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire had her own status and had strictly defined rights and responsibilities. Based on this status, the amount of her salary, the number of occupied rooms or chambers, the number of servants, and the right to occupy any position were determined. But about the complete hierarchy of women who lived in Ottoman harem Middle Ages, only narrow specialists know. OLGA74RU talks in detail about all statuses.
Editor LJ Media
The basis, of course, was the harem of the sultans of the Ottoman Empire, but other eastern harems had a very similar structure, somewhere a little tougher, somewhere softer, somewhere the names of the titles were slightly different.
So, each woman in the Sultan’s harem, who had a certain title or rank, had her own status, and had strictly defined rights and responsibilities in accordance with it. Based on this status, the amount of her salary, the number of occupied rooms or chambers, the number of servants, and the right to occupy any position were determined. But only narrow specialists know about the complete hierarchy of women who lived in the Ottoman harem of the Middle Ages. I will only voice a list of possible statuses in a harem of the 16th-18th centuries, and tell you in detail about all the statuses.
My story will relate specifically to the Sultan’s harem, but in almost every shehzade harem a similar hierarchy was used, with slight personal changes, which were not uncommon. By the way, in the harem it was customary to add the word “Khatun” to a woman of status from “Jariye” to “Khaznedar” when addressing her. Women who received the status of “Sultan” always had this word added when addressing them. For example, Hurrem Sultan.
In the harem (Artist unknown to me)
So, the possible statuses of women in the Sultan’s harem:
Jariye (in the Khan's harem - “bikech”)- was considered the lowest level of the hierarchy. Every girl who ended up in a harem received exactly this status at the beginning of her journey. It should be noted here that most of the girls never increased their status, even after spending many years in the harem. This status belonged to the simplest slave-concubine, officially belonging to the Sultan’s harem, with a minimum salary. Such concubines were not even allowed to intimacy with his master. They had no right to command or control anyone. Their responsibilities included cleaning the premises of the palace, serving those who were in a higher position in the hierarchical vertical, and performing various small errands. At first they were not even Muslim women, although later almost all of them accepted Islam. For the jariye, courses were organized in the harem, the training of which lasted two or four years, depending on the age at which the slave entered the harem. Concubines were taught basic knowledge and skills. They learned to write in the Ottoman language, studied applied disciplines, for example, embroidery or playing some musical instrument. Primary school...
Kalfa- this was the name of the maids who were part of the palace staff. These were most often former jariye, who received both basic training and additional training, which was necessary in order to obtain such status. They differed from the jariye in that they were engaged in cleaning premises and serving privileged persons as professional activity, and not as an additional activity. They were paid increased salaries, but with this status they still did not have intimate relations with the Sultan. Jariye and the kalfa could count on marriage after serving in the harem for ten years, if they so desired. Their husbands usually became very successful people, and them later life was decently arranged. There were calfs of three categories. They were divided into junior, middle and senior, depending on their service life. In addition, they taught jariya, and commanded only girls of this status. Bees... The most important kalfa even had a little power. There was only one person in the palace as Unger Kalfa, and it was very difficult to get it. It was even more difficult to obtain the position of Khaznedar, which will be discussed later.
Mouth- this status could be assigned to a jariya who diligently completed the entire period of training, and at a certain moment of her stay in the harem she was supposed to become an exemplary concubine, who did not become a service staff, that is, a kalfa. Usta received an increased salary; thanks to this status, more talented and attractive concubines stood out among the slaves who had just been brought, and they still did not know how to do anything. Such excellent students in combat and political... Holders of Usta status became candidates for the right to intimate relationships with the Sultan. Only they could move further up the career ladder.
Odalyk- this is the next step after simple slaves. Odalyk is not much different from the mouth, only in his less luck in an intimate relationship with the Sultan, if there was one at all. Odalyk continued to live in the harem with full support and had an increased salary compared to a simple concubine. Excellent students, but failures... They were then married off if they did not make serious mistakes. But any of the concubines could have made a mistake. Obviously, the modern word “odalisque” has its root from this status.
A still from the series “The Magnificent Century” (from left to right - a eunuch of the harem, two kalfas at the door, an odalyk holding a box and Haseki Hurrem Sultan) Pake- this is a type of concubine who was able to approach and become an assistant to the owner of one of the highest titles. This, in essence, is the confidant of Haseki, Valide or Mistress (Sultana) in the harem. Companions... They were paid a very good salary, even more than that of experienced calfs. Peik was required to respect all other concubines. This was a very respectable status, practically the maximum hierarchy in the harem that a simple concubine who had no relationship with the Sultan could achieve. Only Khaznedar was higher in this regard.
Gözde- this status was considered the first really serious one that a slave who was allowed to have a relationship with the Sultan could achieve. At least even for one night. Most often, before this she was an Usto (an excellent student in combat and politics). After that, she turned into a favorite concubine, and she was no longer entrusted with the tasks that the other concubines were doing in the harem. The Gözde could continue their relationship with the Sultan, which could lead to higher titles if the Sultan remained favorable to them or they became pregnant. Gözda was given two maids and a separate room for each. There also followed a serious increase in salary, and many gifts from the Sultan. Every concubine aspired to the status of gezde if she wanted to be at the very top of the harem hierarchy, but only a few were able to get this status, although no one was guaranteed a cloudless life with him.
Iqbal- this is already a real constant favorite of the Sultan, who enjoyed the favor of the Padishah for a long time, and he spent more than one night with her. This status was awarded to gezde who became pregnant by the Sultan, but had not yet given birth. There was greater respect for such concubines than for gezde, but if they lost their fetus, further path they no longer had a harem. They could be transferred to odalyk, so pregnant women had to be very careful. For the convenience of the Iqbals, they were moved to more spacious comfortable chambers. They were served by several maidservants, twice as many as the Gözde.
Khaznedar- this is the status of the chief treasurer, or, as they would say today, the administrator of the harem. It was right hand and the main assistant Haseki or Valide. Depending on the title of the current harem manager. Only one person could have such a status in the palace at a time. Khaznedar is a unique title; even the pregnant favorites of the Sultan are lower in status. Sometimes the former kalfa managed to become Khaznedar, with a successful combination of circumstances, but most often this position went to girls with the status of odalyk or peik. The position of Khaznedar was unlimited, and if received, they could have it until death. Getting such a position was the only way to continue working in the harem even in old age. But in this case it was necessary to forget about creating your own family. Khaznedar had the opportunity to refuse their position, but then they found themselves at the previous level of the hierarchy or even retired. This status was a guarantee of a further comfortable life, because it guaranteed high prestige, a good salary, large number gifts. Khaznedar communicated with the Sultan's family, and could in the future count on life outside the walls of the palace in full security. Khaznedar could be stripped of her status by the sultan or head of the harem if she made serious mistakes. She was replaced by a more suitable candidate. The further fate of the dismissed Khaznedar was unknown, and this was a rather rare case. However, there were situations when the former Khaznedar received her position again.
Kadyn- this was the name of the former Iqbal, who gave birth to a daughter to the Sultan. Sometimes she became the former mistress, the Sultana, who lost her title due to the loss of male heirs, but had a girl child, who was the daughter or granddaughter of the current Padishah.
Sultan (Mistress or Sultana)- this title was considered one of the highest that could be assigned to a woman in Ottoman Empire. Before Sultan Suleiman began to rule, this title was considered the second among women's titles after Valide. This title could be given to a former Iqbal who gave birth to a son, and all daughters of the current Sultan automatically received it. According to one version, the sisters and daughters of the Sultan had this title from birth, but after marriage they lost this title. But this statement is not true. Even after marriage to the Sultan's sisters and daughters, their title was retained if the current Sultan had no objections. Most often this is what happened. But the irony of fate is that the Sultan’s sisters and daughters did not have the opportunity to receive a higher title, but the concubine who gave birth to the Sultan’s son had the opportunity to become Valide or Haseki in status. Thus, women who bore the title of Sultan by birth were not involved in the official management of the harem, but concubines who managed to “grow” to the highest position managed the harem. The only exception was Mihrimah Sultan, who headed the harem of Sultan Suleiman, her father. She ruled the harem from 1558 to 1566. In the eighteenth century, the Ottoman Empire underwent a reform, and all women of the harem were prohibited from using this title and a similar prefix to their name. Further, the title of Sultan in relation to women was generally abolished.
Still from the TV series “The Magnificent Century”. Kösem (part 1) “(There is still a controversial situation, since the grandson is already ruling, and the grandmother still cannot be sent to the Old Palace) (from left to right - Valide Handan Sultan, the Sultan’s aunt Fatma Sultan, “Grand” Valide Safiye Sultan, standing Jennet Kalfa, Kösem still in the status of gözde, Halime Sultan (mother of the Sultan’s brother) Haseki- is the second highest title after Valide in the Ottoman Empire. It was introduced by Sultan Suleiman in 1521 for his legal wife Hurrem Sultan. The daughters and sisters of the Padishahs were not supposed to receive this title, and their position in the harem hierarchy was lower. Haseki received a salary of approximately 30 thousand akche per month. This title was unique: it could not be alienated, regardless of the gender of the children, the number of living heirs, the age of the title holder, or her location. It could not be lost even due to official changes in members of the dynasty (change of sultans, for example). For the first one hundred and fifty years of the title's existence, there was only one Haseki in the harem at any given time. Only at the end of the eighteenth century were several concubines at once able to receive such a title from the Sultan, so its owners were at that time less influential and had fewer opportunities. The Haseks received the best fabrics, furs and jewelry, and their chambers were most often located next to the Valide's chambers; they also had large staff servants and received a large salary: for example, the Haseki Murad III Safiye received a salary of 100 akche per day. In addition, in the event of the death of the Sultan, Haseki continued to receive payments from the treasury. Famous Haseki at different times: Gulnush Sultan, Telli Haseki, Kösem Sultan, Safiye Sultan, Nurbanu Sultan, Hurrem Sultan.
Still from the series “The Magnificent Century” (from left to right - Mahidevran Sultan (mother of the Sultan’s eldest son), Valide Aisha Hafsa Sultan, the Sultan’s sister - Hatice Sultan and Haseki Hurrem Sultan) Valide (Valide Sultan)- There was no higher title for a woman in the Ottoman Empire. It was first assigned to Aisha Hafsa Sultan, the mother of Suleiman the Magnificent. A concubine could receive such a title only when her son received the title of Sultan. This title was assigned to the former concubine for life or until her son was the current Sultan. Valide was in charge of managing the harem. She enjoyed great respect and influence both inside and outside the palace, actively interfering in state affairs. All the great concubines of the famous Women's Sultanate had this title. These are the well-known ones - Turhan Sultan, Kösem Sultan, Safiye Sultan, Nurbanu Sultan. These four women were the most famous bearers of this title. In total, this title was awarded to twenty-three women during the Ottoman Empire. Valide Sultan had income (bashmalyk) from the Sultan's lands in various parts empire, owned summer and winter estates, and also received gifts from the Ottoman nobility and foreign states. The affairs of the Valide Sultan outside the palace were managed by the Babussaade agalars (heads of the white eunuchs). The Valide Sultans invested significant capital in the waqfs (funds) they established in Istanbul, Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem. The waqfs were monitored by Darussaade agasy (the head of the black eunuchs).
The harem could be controlled even without the title Valide, that is, while still under the sultan. So, in the 16th century, the Sultan’s harem was ruled for the longest time by Haseki Hurrem Sultan, who never bore the title Valide (she died during her husband’s lifetime and did not see her son reign). She ruled Suleiman's harem for twenty-four years.
If we talk about the chronological sequence in which the Sultan’s harem was controlled in the 16th century, it looks like this:
Valide Ayşe Hafsa Sultan - reign: 1520-1534
Haseki Hurrem Sultan - reign: 1534-1558
Mihrimah Sultan - reign: 1558-1566
Haseki (received the title Valide in 1574) Nurbanu Sultan - reign: 1566-1583
Haseki (received the title Valide in 1595) Safiye Sultan - reign: 1583-1603
Such a strict hierarchy helped maintain at least some kind of discipline in the harem, in this female kingdom. Although, “wars” and “disasters” of various scales often happened.
Still from the series “The Magnificent Century. Kösem" (This is still a controversial situation, since the grandson is already ruling, and the grandmother still cannot be sent to the Old Palace) (from left to right - Valide Handan Sultan, the Sultan’s aunt Fatma Sultan, “Grand” Valide Safiye Sultan, standing Cennet Kalfa, Haseki Kösem Sultan, Halime Sultan (mother of the Sultan's brother) About how the first ones lived Ottoman sultans not much is known. Turkish scientists to this day, literally, piece by piece, collect information about the rulers themselves, their closest relatives, wives, etc.
The more time passes, the more difficult it is to find true information regarding the first Ottomans.
So, it is still not known exactly how many wives and children the first rulers, Osman and his son Orhan, had. However, according to the discovered historical data, it can be assumed how exactly marriages took place in the early Ottoman beylik.
It is known that Osman’s tribe was not so strong, as a result of which neighboring states did not want to marry off their noble girls to the sons of the Sultan. Men had to choose between neighboring tribes, as well as some Christian peoples, with whom either there was a war, or, on the contrary, there were good neighborly relations.
As we know, a Muslim has the right to have four wives, but in conditions where marriage is sometimes the only opportunity to conclude a peaceful union, such a restriction is very problematic.
Accordingly, it was decided to take foreigners into his harem, giving women all the same rights as official wives with whom the nikah was concluded.
One of the European scientists who is interested in the history of the Ottoman Empire is A.D. Alderson claims that Orhan, the son of Osman, had 6 women in his harem. They were all women noble birth: Some of them were Byzantines, including the daughter of the Byzantine Emperor John VI, one was the daughter of the Serbian King Stephen, and two local women, including an uncle’s cousin.
Thus, harems were a necessity, which later became traditions. As the empire grew, everything became in harems more women, and most of them did not come of their own free will, as in the case of Orhan’s family, but were brought from military campaigns and were captives.
But, as we know, each such slave had a chance to become a mistress.
Did the Sultan only want virgins?
Girls with different ends planets. From everywhere the Ottoman army reached, the soldiers brought women of different origins and ages to Turkey. Among them were rich merchant women, poor peasant women, noble ladies, and rootless girls.
However, not everyone ended up in the Sultan’s harem. Girls for the ruler were chosen according to several criteria at once, in addition to beauty. This and healthy body, healthy teeth, beautiful hair and nails. Fair-haired girls with light brown hair and untanned skin were highly valued.
The figure was also important - the slave should not be too thin or overweight. Valued thin waist and wide hips, a small tummy, but no one really cared about breast size.
Having thoroughly studied the girls at the slave market, they selected the best. They were sent for examination to a doctor, where their health and virginity were checked again. The last parameter was especially important, because each of the slaves could subsequently become the Sultan’s concubine.
Yes, the purity of a woman was important to the Sultan. Despite the fact that a slave is far from a legal wife, her main purpose remained the birth of an heir. Like any eastern man with a hot temperament, the Sultan could not allow the possibility of a connection with a previously used girl.
Moreover, the girls had to keep secret even the fact that while living in their homeland they were engaged or in love. It was necessary to maintain the appearance that the Sultan was the only man interested in his concubines.
However, in addition to virgins, older women, or young women who had already lived, were also taken into the harem. family life. They were needed for housework, cleaning, and cooking.
Were there non-virgins in the Sultan's harem?
The girls for the Sultan's harem were carefully selected. Not only beauty was important, but intelligence and the ability to present oneself. Of course, there were certain standards that a concubine had to meet. These standards were generally known, so if the slave traders came across a suitable girl, they already knew who to offer her to.
As a rule, girls no older than 14 years old were selected. Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska fell into the harem at the age of 15 - and this is quite late, for this reason there are many rumors around her life before Suleiman. But she got into the harem already trained in everything necessary, which is why she so quickly ended up in the Helvet of the young Sultan.
But let's return to the concubines. Most often, these were very young girls, from whom they “molded” what the Sultan liked. But it is also known that there were older women, and even those who had already been married and had children.
Of course, they were not suitable for the Sultan’s chambers, but they still remained in the palace as laundresses, maids and cooks.
However, there is some evidence that several of the Sultan’s concubines, once in the palace, were no longer virgins.
For example, it is assumed that Safiye Sultan originally belonged to a noble pasha, and then was transferred to Murad II, as the Sultan really liked it.
It is also known that Selim I stole from the Safivid Shah Ismail one of his wives, Tajla, who remained in the Ottoman harem for several years, but was later given to one of the political figures.
Not only Muslims, but also Orthodox princes had harems
The people have the opinion that harems are a primordially Eastern tradition. It is assumed that polygamy is characteristic only of Muslims, and Christians have never practiced such a thing.
However, such a statement is fundamentally incorrect. Even in the Bible we find lines about King Solomon that say “...and he had 700 wives and 300 concubines...”. In general, King Solomon is considered richest man throughout the history of the Earth, so he could well afford to support such a huge number of women.
As for Rus' specifically, monogamy began to be instilled here only after baptism, and this took more than one century.
It is known that Prince Vladimir could match any Ottoman Sultan with his voluptuousness.
Vladimir had several official wives: Rogneda, who bore him four sons and two daughters; there was also a wife - Greek by nationality, who gave birth to a son; there were wives from the Czech Republic and Bulgaria. In addition, there are 300-500 concubines in Belgorod and Brestov. It is also known that Vladimir did not stop there. He could easily point to any girl he liked, and she was immediately taken to his chambers.
After the baptism of Rus', Vladimir calmed down. He dissolved his harem and even divorced his wives, leaving only one of them. He married the rest to his closest associates.
It took Rus' itself a lot of time to put an end to its “lustful” past. Even several centuries later, many peasants continued to practice polygamous marriages, although the church did not marry them.
Rights of slaves in a harem
Despite the fact that society has a stereotype that states that in the East a woman is a creature without rights, in reality this is far from the case. Of course, we are not discussing countries such as Afghanistan, where only the name remains of religion.
If you study the history of developed Muslim states, it becomes obvious that the attitude towards women there is very stilted. Yes, there are some peculiarities that seem to a European either eccentricity or immorality, but it should be understood that these are completely different laws of life.
For example, take harems. The Sultan's harem is a place where hundreds of women, gathered under one roof, wait for their turn to spend the night with the ruler. Some waited for years and were left with nothing.
However, it's not all that bad. Girls who did not get to the Sultan were married to noble pashas, they were provided for by rich devotees. And, moreover, if they wanted, they could get a divorce and even ask to return to the harem, as a servant or kalfa, for example.
Every girl received an education. Over the years of living in the harem, she accumulated a good fortune, because everyone was paid a salary.
The fact is that a Muslim, regardless of his position, when he took possession of a woman, also assumed obligations for her maintenance. He had to dress her, feed her deliciously, and treat her well.
And, meanwhile, a Muslim could not take any woman into his harem. Either it had to be a legal spouse, or a prisoner captured in war. A Christian or Jewish woman could not get into a harem, being a free woman.
And, by the way, the harem slaves could also communicate with their relatives. This was not prohibited, but on the contrary, it was encouraged. Islam does not approve of breaking family ties, so the girls could easily correspond with relatives.
The position of a slave who became pregnant by the Sultan
The ultimate dream of every girl living in the Sultan's harem was the birth of a child to the ruler. Pregnancy opened up completely new opportunities for slaves, increasing their status and living conditions. Although the girls of the harem were already taken care of in the best possible way.
Nevertheless, the slaves dreamed of going to the Helvet. To achieve this, any tricks and even bribery of eunuchs were allowed in. It should be noted that the latter had a very good income from the harem girls.
However, concubines did not end up in the harem chaotic order, but in accordance with which of them is capable of conceiving a child. Each girl had to keep a calendar where she noted her menstrual cycle and its features. If the Sultan summoned a girl to him not intentionally, but at the discretion of, for example, a eunuch or Valide, then the one who, according to calculations, was ovulating, was sent to his chambers.
After some time, if the concubine reported menstrual delay, she was taken to the doctor, who, based on the results of the examination, reported whether there was a pregnancy.
If a slave was pregnant, she was housed in separate chambers. She received gifts and decorations from the Sultan and Valide, and a maid was given to help her.
The birth itself often took place in the presence of several midwives; a male doctor could communicate with the woman in labor and give instructions only through a screen.
The pregnant favorite was taken care of in the best possible way. The girl herself prayed to give birth to a son for the Sultan, that is, a shahzade. Girls in the ruling family were loved no less, but the birth of a son brought the slave to a different level. The boy could participate in the struggle for the throne. True, if this struggle was defeated, then the Shahzadeh, as a rule, faced death. But they tried not to think about it.
Why did slaves sleep in the same room?
Topkapi is a huge palace complex, the size of which is comparable to a small town. Main Palace Topkapi was very functional. The residence of the ruling sultan, the kitchen, and the harem were located here. It was the latter that aroused the most interest, both among the Turks themselves and among guests of the capital.
At different times, there were up to several hundred slaves in the harem. And only a few of them had a privileged position, while everyone else had to be content with less.
Thus, only the Sultan’s favorites lived in their own chambers. The rest slept in one big hall. Here they had meals, spent leisure time, and even celebrated holidays.
In the series Magnificent Century, the same large room was shown where the life of the concubines took place. However, the question arises, for what reason did all the girls live together?
There were several reasons for this. Firstly, it was less expensive in terms of landscaping and heating.
But more importantly, it was easier to keep track of the slaves. Calfs and eunuchs had to control everything that the concubines did. The rules of behavior in the harem were very strict, so constant supervision was required. God forbid, the concubine would commit some indecent act. Even the harem duty officer could have paid for this with his life.
If the girls had separate rooms, it would be much more difficult to keep track of them. Thefts and quarrels would become more frequent; concubines, having felt freedom, would not be afraid of relationships with eunuchs and male servants.
Nobody wanted such problems. So the life of the slaves was arranged as simply as possible.
Did the Sultans sleep with black slaves?
The original function of the harem was to prolong the line of the ruling sultan. Each ruler had to have at least about ten sons in order to provide himself with heirs.
Unfortunately, a large number of shahzade eventually led to fighting between them, and even fratricide. But, apparently, so that the brothers would not be so offended by killing each other, the rule was introduced: “One concubine - one son.”
The Sultan's concubine could be of any nationality. For a long time On the Ottoman throne sat fair-haired rulers born from Slavic and European women. But over time, Circassian women came into fashion, and the sultans “darkened.”
However, there were never any black concubines in the harem. That is, they were used very successfully as servants, since they were hardy and unpretentious, but they were not destined to get into the Sultan’s chambers.
Of course, it was a matter of succession to the throne. A black sultan could not ascend to the Ottoman throne.
And in general, black women were perceived Turkish men as something exotic, but completely unattractive. Since ancient times, Turks have had a lust and interest in fair-skinned and fair-haired women.
But, of course, it cannot be ruled out that occasionally the sultans did sleep with black women.
By the way, as for Turkish TV series about the reign of the sultans, we didn’t see black women in the Magnificent Century, but in the Kösem empire we were still shown what place they occupied in the hierarchy of the harem.
Why did men dream of marrying a girl from a harem?
As is known, the Sultan's harem could number from several dozen to several hundred young and beautiful girls. Slaves were brought here from all over the world, each of whom was distinguished not only by beauty, but by intelligence and many talents.
It would seem that if the Sultan invests so much money so that his slaves are the most the best women countries, then they can belong exclusively to himself. But in this matter, not everything is so clear.
Indeed, they put a lot of effort into raising concubines, and money into their maintenance. But at the same time, not every slave was lucky enough to get into the Sultan’s chambers on the Helvet, and giving birth to an heir is generally happiness.
So dozens of young healthy women were left, as they say, not destiny. A few were destined to become favorites, while the rest whiled away their days studying, sewing, and music lessons.
Such an idle life could not continue forever. By the age of 19-20, the girl was approaching the threshold when she was no longer considered young. Yes, yes, at that time girls matured by the age of 13-15. At this age, they were quite capable of conceiving children and were already coping well with childbirth.
As a result, it turned out that dozens of girls of “advanced” age simply lived in the palace, without any benefit or benefit. At the same time, each was smart, educated, knew how to play musical instruments, danced beautifully, cooked - well, in general, a miracle, not a woman.
What to do with such a miracle? The only way out- to give in marriage. Oddly enough, suitors lined up for such a beauty. At the same time, they didn’t even look to see if the girl was a virgin. Even if she was once with the Sultan, but was not in favor, there was still a groom for her.
Moreover, even those concubines who gave birth to a child to the Sultan could be given in marriage, but that one, let’s say, was not destined long life. These girls also found their family happiness outside the walls of the palace.
Why would life in a harem seem like hell to you?
There is a false opinion among people that life in a harem was pure pleasure for a woman. No worries, there are caring eunuchs around - and you know, eat sweet delight, and satisfy the Sultan, if he even remembers about you, because there are hundreds of people like you.
However, it is last fact, often led to bloody events in the harem. Oddly enough, but for the slaves of the Sultan main goal life was to get to the Helvet to the ruler. It would seem that there is every chance to quietly sit out in a harem, and after 9 years successfully marry some rich pasha - but no, the concubines were not happy with this prospect.
The girls fought a fierce battle for the ruler’s attention. Each wanted to become his favorite and give birth to an heir, or, at worst, a girl.
What is the reason for such an unbridled desire to become a sultana? After all, not every ruler was handsome, and many were so - not only were they not distinguished by their beauty, but they also had a lot of bad habits- alcoholism, opium addiction, and some were generally mentally retarded.
Obviously, most women were attracted to the possible prospects. The truth is that for some reason few people cared about the future fate of their children. After all, the Fatih law was in force in the palace, which allowed the Sultan to kill all male heirs in order to rid the country of possible unrest.
One way or another, women used every opportunity to attract attention to themselves. Rivals were eliminated in the most cruel ways - poisoned, strangled, damaged, etc.
Agree, it is a very dubious pleasure to while away your life in such conditions. But there were still those who wanted it.
In what cases could a concubine become free?
Spectators of the Magnificent Century remember that Suleiman granted Hurrem freedom, and then married her, making her his legal wife. In fact, such a practice was so rare before Suleiman that such cases are only legendary. It was Suleiman’s descendants who began to marry one after another, and their ancestors treated this with great skepticism.
However, the concubine could still receive the long-awaited freedom and become an independent woman.
Surely you already guessed what was required for this. Yes, give birth to a son for the Sultan. However, this alone was not enough. Then it was necessary to wait until the Sultan left this world. He will give his soul to God, in other words.
Only after the death of her master did the concubine become free. But if her child died in infancy, and the Sultan was still alive, healthy and his business was prosperous, she still remained a slave.
A clear example similar situations- Mahidevran and Gulfem. As we know, both lost their children during the Sultan’s lifetime, never receiving freedom.
However, all this looks quite simple only in theory. In fact, it turned out that after the death of the Sultan, his concubines, who gave birth to sons, not only did not receive freedom, but were also sent to the Old Palace, unable to see their children, who meanwhile lived for years in cafes - golden cages.
Only a few slaves managed to live to see their sons become sultans. Then they were returned with honors to the capital's palace, where from now on they were free and ruled the harem.
The real position of concubines in the Sultan's harems
The Sultan's palaces are shrouded in many secrets, most of which are not usually remembered in Turkish society. Much of what is known about the life of the people of the medieval Ottoman state is kept, as they say, under seven seals. And only the descendants of the sultans themselves, their courtiers and employees know how the people of that time actually lived.
These stories are passed down from generation to generation. It is not customary to distribute or make them public. However, we still learn more and more facts every day.
So, one of the most important questions that worries people of our time is how the concubines actually lived in the harem? All over the world there is an opinion that the harem is a kind of place of debauchery and vulgarity, where the sultans satisfied their lust.
However, in fact, it is completely wrong to compare a harem with some kind of brothel. In reality, up to several hundred women could live in a harem at a time. These were young girls who came here, usually at the age of 13-15 years. And if you are now thinking about child molestation, then you are mistaken.
In the Middle Ages, as we know, women matured earlier. By the age of 15, the girl was ready to start a family and become a mother. And in the harem, by this age, girls were taught everything necessary to not only be able to please a man, but also to be a full-fledged member of society.
The girls were taught language, literacy and various skills. And by the time the training was over, the slaves were so accustomed to their position that many did not even think about another life for themselves.
The girls from the harem were treated quite carefully, taking care of their mental and physical condition. They were well fed, dressed in the best clothes, and given jewelry. After all, any of them was a potential favorite of the Sultan, capable of giving birth to a shahzade.
But such a pastime also had its downsides. The first is huge competition. And as a result - constant intrigues, conflicts, reprisals.
At the same time, the behavior of the girls was monitored quite strictly. Any mistake could lead to depressing consequences, even severe punishment.
What could have caused the anger of the overseers, whose role was played by eunuchs and calfs? Any quarrel, God forbid - a fight, a disrespectful look, loud laughter. Yes, yes, laughing and having fun loudly in the palace was strictly prohibited. And not only for girls and servants, but even for members of the Sultan’s family.
As for those girls who were lucky enough to give birth to a child for the Sultan, their lives were a little more interesting. However, not everyone was lucky. Plus, there was a rule according to which after the birth of a son, a slave could no longer visit the ruler’s chambers. Only a few managed to occupy significant place in the heart of the Sultan and be something more than an “incubator” for the gestation of shahzade.
In a word, the fate of the harem girls was not the most enviable. Living in luxury, each of them was limited in her own will. Birds in one big golden cage.
Thanks to the series “The Magnificent Century,” women got the opportunity to immerse themselves in oriental tales about love, deceit and romance. In the television film you can find huge amount beautiful women and courageous men. Influenced by what she saw, one young Moscow resident went to Turkey, where she married a local guy, and then entered one of the universities in Istanbul. While studying at this university, she came across amazing documents that described in detail the methodology for preparing concubines for life in the Sultan’s harem. The Muscovite shared these secrets with us.
The university is located on the territory of the Old Palace, where women for the harem were trained during the Middle Ages. Among them were those who were being prepared for Sultan Suleiman the First - one of the main characters series "Magnificent Century". The Russian girl really wanted to get acquainted with these ancient documents and learn their secrets. After studying them, it was found that the series contains a large number of fictions and myths. All this was done, of course, to improve the plot.
Features of the life of concubines
In real life, real boredom reigned in the harem. But women did everything possible to remain slim and beautiful for as many years as possible. Entire complexes of moderate temperatures have been developed for them. physical activity and nutrition. With the help of these measures, the Muscovite herself lost 10 kg. excess weight. The word harem can be translated into our language as “prohibition, taboo, protected area.” Only the sultan and the eunuch could enter it. It was a special VIP area for women with beauty salons, fitness centers and other useful places for beautiful ladies. Naturally, in a medieval format, without modern devices.
Documents indicate that there was a well-thought-out plan to fill the harem with women. They were not simply transported from all over the empire or captured during raids. Statistics show that approximately 87% of women were brunettes, with fewer blondes. As for red-haired people, there were none AT ALL. In the Middle Ages, such ladies were considered unclean.
Secrets of a thin waist
The height of the girl was almost not taken into account when determining whether to join the harem. The main requirement that was placed on them was to be slim. The Sultan primarily paid attention to the waist and hips. Breasts were almost as unvalued as height. Best difference between the hips and waist is described as 2/3. This roughly corresponds to modern ideal 60/90. The Sultan's harem consisted of approximately 500 rooms and a large park. Only the monarch's beloved wife could ride in the carriage.
The rest walked, which was the first medieval fitness activity. Every day a competition was held: the running girl had a handkerchief in her hand, and other concubines caught her. Whoever managed to catch the scarf was chosen as the queen of the day. The winner received a massage and other privileges. This was a luxurious reward, since such procedures were performed on those women who were preparing to spend the night with the Sultan. Moreover, the bathhouse could not accommodate a huge number of people, because more than 1000 people could live in the harem.
Young? Dance while you can
There was a lot of dancing. The concubines danced until the orchestra literally collapsed from extreme fatigue. Documents clearly show that women learned approximately 20 types different dances. Moreover, they all had loads.
Both during rehearsals and when dancing in front of the Sultan, the concubines wore heavy bracelets on their ankles and wrists. They could also wear necklaces. Sometimes the girls held pomegranates, oranges and other fruits in their hands. If you dance in this outfit a couple of times a week, it will guarantee an unforgettable effect.
Another type of physical activity was swimming. There were 3 large pools in the harem. In the 15th century, the first elements of aerobics in water were already present: concubines became pairs and did stretching. It was near the pool that the Sultan watched his wives and chose the one who would please him at night. Dancing, swimming, and running were not super energy-intensive exercises. Therefore, their effectiveness was at a high level.
Rule of seven meals
Historical documents found at the University of Istanbul state that the concubines in the harem ate food 7 times a day. This was the best diet of the time:
- on an empty stomach in the morning they drank ayran, which in the Ottoman Empire was most often served salted;
- for breakfast there were fruits, vegetables, boiled eggs, chicken and again ayran. But only now greenery was added to it;
- coffee. This drink in the Middle Ages was not just a drink of the elite; women could hardly drink it. The exception was the Sultan's concubines. The indispensable companions of coffee were raisins and dates;
- for lunch we always ate lentils or vegetable soup. Olives, meat, thin lavash rolls filled with greens and feta cheese were served at the table;
- lunch with octopus and other seafood. And again vegetables, olives, cheese. It is worth noting that the amount of food consumed was strictly dosed. The girl was not allowed to eat more than 250 grams. in one go. Therefore they ate from small plates;
- for dinner there were mostly fruits. And for the lucky one who went to the Sultan’s bedroom, coffee was allowed;
- At night, I drank a glass of ayran with chopped herbs in it.
But it was not sweet with sweets. The baked goods were given to the girl who spent the night with her master. And she ate it in the first half of the day. Since not all the concubines were with the Sultan, they might not eat baked goods for years.
Protection against pregnancy in a harem
Separately, it is necessary to say about the methods of contraception in the harem. Not all the Sultan's concubines had the right to give birth to children. At least for a certain period of time. The fact is that all boys born both from the main wife and from concubines had the right to claim the throne. The eldest son could become the sultan first; the rest could claim the role of ruler in order of seniority.
Therefore, birth control was very important for political purposes in order to avoid possible civil strife between contenders for the throne in the future. In those distant times, rather ineffective means of contraception were used. They were decoctions and homeopathic ointments. So, it is worth mentioning olive and cedar oils, lead salts. Last option posed an even greater health threat.
To prevent pregnancy, tampons made from pomegranate pulp and cotton were used. They were laced with some drugs, including hashish. At all in an unusual way contraception for the harem concubines was the use of... a mixture of animal excrement, earwax and cabbage (!!!). This truly hellish method very often led to the most dire consequences.
There were other tampons against pregnancy. They were made from (and here we go again) cotton, honey and crocodile dung. There were also male methods of contraception. Moreover, they were distinguished by higher efficiency. For example, there were condoms made from animal intestines and fish skin. Less effective was the use essential oils and onion juice, which was used to treat the Sultan’s genitals.
An extremely radical method of preventing pregnancy was the removal of the concubine's uterus and ovaries. This guaranteed 100% protection against having children. But such cases were not particularly common. And therefore, almost always after a night with the Sultan, the wife or concubine became pregnant.
Features of national cuisine
Turkish cuisine is best suited to those people who want to lose overweight. After all, all products are prepared in olive oil and only dietary meat is used - chicken, lamb, veal. Vegetables with salads should never be seasoned with mayonnaise. It is best to use them instead olive oil, lemon juice, small portion vinegar. Vegetables are good for health, the more of them, the better. Pay attention, in particular, to baked eggplants, which were invented for the Sultan's harem. In modern Turkish cuisine, yogurt is highly valued, in which meat dishes can be cooked. Nowadays, in addition to this healthy food and water procedures, improve sex life women can use Women's Viagra, you can order this amazing drug on the website of our online pharmacy.
